VESSEL FOUNDERS OFF QUEENSLAND COAST

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 74, 28 March 1914, Page 5

VESSEL FOUNDERS OFF QUEENSLAND COAST

TWENTY LIVES LOST EIGHTEEN RESCUED BY PILOT BOATS. (By Telegraph.— Press Association.— Copyright.) BRISBANE, 27th March. Twenty lives were lost when the Oceanic Navigation Company's steamer St. Paul, 1633 tons, bound from Noumea to Brisbane, struck a rock off Cape Moreton and foundered. The look-out at Cape Moreton noticed the St. Paul altering her course and signalled : — "Do you want a pilot V It was understood that the reply was in the affirmative, and a pilot steamer was despatched, but the vessel struck before assistance arrived. The vessel filled rapidly. The master of the pilot ship states that when two miles off the lights the St. P^iul disappeared. He increased his speed, and soon heard cries of distress from the water. He lowered two ' boats and rescued eighteen persons, most of whom were clinging to oars and other floating wreckage. Only two Europeans, both Frenchmen, were among the survivors. The others were South Sea Islanders. . The names of the missing are : — Mr. Coree, captain : Mr. Charborneau, second officer,- Mr. Hejerne and Mr. Royer. first and third engineers; Mrs. Carter and child, passengers j Mr. Broise, the ship's storekeeper; and thirteen .natives. The St. Paul carried a cargo of chrome ore.