THE HUGH CAPSIZE

Evening Star, Issue 15478, 28 April 1914, Page 4

THE HUGH CAPSIZE

SURVIVORS’ ACCOUNTS. This week’s mail brings details of the foundering of the small steamer .Huon in tho estuary of the Derwent River on Thursday last. The scene of tho accident was -some 15 miles from Hobart, in the D’Entrecasteaux channel, between Roberta’s and Clear Points. The spot presents no danger to navigation, and is clear of rocks. The weather was calm, and tho eea smooth as a millpond, and the only explanation is that she overbalanced, turned turtle, and sank. Thie whole catastrophe was tho event of a few minutes. Captain Woolwich of the Huon stated that about half-past 2 in tho afteraon he was coming up the eastern side of tho channel, when the Huon overtook the motor boat Excella. The vessels were about a quarter of a mile off shore. The Huon was on the inshore side of the Excella, and was passing the latter, when she took a slight'list, and in three minutes sank stern first. As soon as the captain found she was sinking ho-rang up tho engineer to stop the engines, but the engineer not only had no time to do so, but had a very narrow escape, having to get out of the window while the engines were running. When Captain Sharp, of tho Excella, saw what had overtaken the Huon, he immediately lowered his boat and went to the rescue. The Huoti’e passengers, several of whom were clinging to fruit cases, were picked up and taken aboard tho Excella. Unfortunately, two women and a child of tender yearn were drowned. Captain Sharp said that the Huon had passed the Excella, and was three lengths away, when she rolled over to the port side, right on her beam ends, and disappeared in six minutes. The crew and passengers, numbering about 17 souls, were thrown into the water, along with the fruit cases. Captain Sharp could not account for the eudden fate which befel the Huon, but believes that it is probable that the passengers crowding to one side while the Huon passed the Excella added to the list tho vessel had on, caused her to turn turtle.

Mr W. Cuthbert, a passenger by the Excella, said that he was lying down on one of the deck seats when one of hie fellow-passengers roused him with the excited remark that the Huon, which was a couple of hundred yards behind the Excella, was careening heavily. They watched the progress of the Huon, which gradually drew up to her consort, and eventually passed her. As she was passing the Excella people were alarmed to find that her list had increased, and when she was about 60 yards ahead she gave a sudden lurch, rolled over, and within four or five minutes had disappeared from sight. Mr Cuthbert, who was for some time engaged in the barge service, and was master of the ketch Alabama,' sprang up, and bellied the crew launch one of the boats, and all haste was made to tho rescue-