DETAILS OF THE DISASTER. LAST NEWS OF THE CAPTAIN.

Evening Post, Volume LXIV, Issue 115, 11 November 1902, Page 6

DETAILS OF THE DISASTER. LAST NEWS OF THE CAPTAIN.

AUCKLAND, This Daj. The Elingamite encountered a thick fog at 9 o'clock on Sunday morning. The engines were slowed to half-speed, and tho lookout and fog signals were strictly attended to till the ship struck what is supposed to be Middle Island, Three Kings. All the boats were launched, and the passengers were passed into them. There was no confusion. Boat Wo. 6 capsized through striking wreckage alongside the steamer, but as far as is known, all the occupants were picked up, and were in the boat which arrived at Hohoura. The captain stood by the vessel until he was washed overboard. After he was picked up by the lifeboat the captain proceeded to pick up several women and children who were in the water. Since then no news has been received here of the captain's boat. The chief officer (Mr. Burkel) states that he and the second officer were picked up from the wreckage when the boat was nearly full of water. The boatswain and several others were subsequently picked up. me liyhthouse-keeper at Capo Maria telegraphed at 1 o'clock that the Zealandia passed too far off to receive signals informing • her of tie wreck, and requesting her to search for the missing boats. This, it is feared, dispels the hope that the Zealandia might have found some of the boats on her trip north. Had she done* so no doubt she would have steamed close to Cape Maria and reported the fact. The Star special states that the boat in charge of the chief officer included Mr. Renant, second mate,- Messrs. Morrison and O'Neil, engineers, and the chief and second cook, two A.B.s, one ordinary seaman, the chief steward, and 32 passengers, including four ladies and two children — a total of 42. The passengers speak in terms of high praise of the officers and crew, who behaved as true British seamen. The Star special states that there were 120 passengers and 58 crew on the Elingamile. *