COLLISION BETWEEN THE BOOJUM AND THE SIR DONALD.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3077, 7 May 1881, Page 3

COLLISION BETWEEN THE BOOJUM AND THE SIR DONALD.

Shortly after eleven o'clock this morning, as the launch Boojum was leaving the cattle wharf with the outward passengers for the Union Company's steamer Ringarooma, Messrs Kinross and Co.'s steam lighter Sir Donald was coming in with the tide. On casting off from the wharf the captain of the Boojum observed the Sir Donald steaming down towards him, and he endeavoured to avoid a collision by steaming right across the channel between the piers. Owing to the strength of the tide he was unable to turn his vessel up-stream in time to prevent an accident. The captain of tbe Sir Donald, seeing the danger, ported helm, which took his vessel towards the western pier, and placed his steamer broadside on to the Boojum. The collision then occurred ; the Boojum struck the Sir Donald amidships, tearing a hole in her side three feet wide. The Boojum sustained no apparent injury, for she proceeded oa her way to the Ringarooma. The Sir Donald steamed on to the bank where the Silver Cloud was stranded, and immediately filled and sunk, where she now lies with the water nearly up to her deck. We are sorry to learn that the Sir Donald was full of valuable cargo, ex Ringarooma from Sydney, principally sugar. There was but the crew on board tbe Sir Donald at the time of the accident, and no one on either vessel was injured. Naturally the passengers on board the Boojum were greatly alarmed, but their friends on the wharf showed much more consternation when the collision seemed inevitable, and several ladies involuntarily shrieked.