LOSS OF AJf AVSTRALIAVHINA TRADER.

Evening Post, Volume L, Issue 35, 9 August 1895, Page 2

LOSS OF AJf AVSTRALIAVHINA TRADER.

THE OATrERTHUN RUNS ON A ROCK AND SINKS IN 15 MINUTES. MORE THAN FIFIT LIVES LOST. L™mas associatioi* ] . - ' StDNiir, Bth Augttati The Btoamer Catterthun, 2200 tons, belonging to the Eastern and Australian SfceaUißhip Co , Btrnok on tho Seal Rooks, near Sngarloaf Point, 200 miles North of Sydney, at 2.30 o'olook this morning, and Bank in 15 minutes. The ve3sel left Sydney last night for China, via way potts, in charge of Captain. Noil Shannon and the following offioers :— W. P. Pinney, mate j tangf ear, second mate ; Harold Lclßer, third mate ; B. H. Anderson, surgeon ; J. H. Harper, F. Wilson, J. W. Adams, A. Wolstenholme, chief, second, third and fourth engineers ; B. Manning, ohicf steward ; W. Jackson, quartermaster ; three Chinese quartermasters, and a Chinese orew of 44. She carried as passengers -. —Messrs. B. Praser and T. O. Crane, Dr. Copeman, Dr. Anderson, Capt. Fawkes, Mesdames Loring and Mathias, and 15 Chinese. Owing to the isolated part of tho coast whern the wreck took place very little inte Migei>o9M igei>09 ia yet to hand. Boats landed at Forstor containing 30 Chinese (including 16 of the orow) and the following white men : — Df . Cofletrian (of London), Mr. A. W. Langfear (second mate), Mr. Crane (an officer of tile Eastern Extension Telegraph Company), and Capt. Fawkes (pilot). The other boats, containing the captain of the steamer and the other officers, are missing. The survivors were very much exhausted when they reached land. The spot where they landed is 20 miles from the Seal Books. The vessel must have been somewhat to the south of tho lighthouse at Sugarloof Point, as the keeper did not see her. Latjcb. The hull of the Catterthun Was insured in London. The general cargd was insured for between .£20,000 and .£30,000. Those obicfly interested are Derwent, Tamar, Canton, and China traders. There was XI O,BOO in specie on board. Of this £5000 was shipped at Adelaide ; and the rest belonged to Chinese passengers. The gold was insured. There were one bag of mails from Wellington and two from the Bluff on tho steamer. NABBATIVES BY BUBVIVORB. The following statement has been obtained from Mr. Crane : -" Wo oleared tho Heads at 5.30 last night, followed by a southwesterly gale, high broken sea, and rain squalls. All went well till 325 a.m., when the passongors were aroused by a severe shock, quiokly followed by a second one The captain quietened the passengers, telling us we wore only struck by the sea. Shortly after wo weie roused out by the order df tho captain, and told to go on deck. The ship hod a strong list to starboard, and heavy seas were breaking over her fore and aft. The position wa3 appalling, for the ship was evidently settling fast. The officers and crew had already succeeded in getting ont the lifeboats, but the efforts to lower them wore greatly impedod by the tremendous seas which -constantly broke aboard carrying the boats in again. The port lifeboat was swept off the davits. A noticeable, featuro was the coolness and dis. cipline of all on board. Tho captain, ohisf and second mate, and Captain Fattkea were swept over tho bridge, and the sime B9a smashed the ontter to atoms. The Bea was then level with the rails, and broaking clean over the poop. The starboard lifeboat was successfully launched, and a moment aftor the steamer gave a sudden luioh to starboard and' disappeared. 'I he crew of tho starboard boat subsequently picked up nil the survivors." Mr. Crane remained in tho cabin till within a minute or two of the foundering, then went on the poop, and remained twenty minutes in the water before he was picked up. Captain Fawkes states that just before tho ship disappeared he, with the captain and chief officer, was swept off the bridge. He saw no moro of bis companions, and was 30 minutes m the water before ho was reßcuod. Dr. Copeman was in the starboard cutter when it was washed away, and he clung to a spar and then dropped into the water till he was picked up by the lifeboatAfter examining tho wreckage the lifeboat proaeeded to Charlotte Bay, where a trading Cutter conveyed the survivors to Capo Hawko. Mr. Langfear, who was in ohargo of the bridge, refuses to make a statement. Aftor striking, the steamer continued on her course for some distance. It is Bup> posed she Btrnok a sliding blow on tho edge of the outer roef rooks, and had her side ripped open, and that she then swung off at a tangent and went ahead till she filled with Water. Off tlio outer rook there is a depth of 25 fathoms. The Catterthun had 81 on board all told. Aocounts are conflicting as to tho number of the saved. It is variously stated at 22 and 25, but the latter is certainly the limit. Amongst those missing are Mrs. Mathias, wife of the captain of a steamer trading in Chinesa waters, who was formerly connected with Money Wigram's Australian steamships ; Dr. Anderson, the ship's surgeon ; and a young Victorian doctor named Smith, who joined the ship at the last moment.