WRECKED IN PACIFIC.

Greymouth Evening Star, 18 July 1918, Page 7

WRECKED IN PACIFIC.

TWO VESSELS LOST. JOHN MURRAY AND ANNIE LARSEN. The barque John Murray, one ol the vessels attached to the Commonwealth lino of steamships, has become a total wreck on Malden Island, in mid-Paci-flc while on a voyage from San I rancisco to Melbourne. The news was contained in an official statement made in Melbourne on July 2nd. by the Act-ing-Minister for the Navy (Mr. 1 pyn-' t 0 The, master and two sailors reached Fanning Island in a lifeboat, and repoited that the vessel was wrecked on i\lay 22nd., the entire crew being safely landed on Malden Island. Motorcars formed a large portion of the John Murray’s cargo. Just after the disaster to tne John Murray, the schooner Annie Larsen piled up in the same spot. The shipping authorities arranged for a relief ship to leave America t-> pick up the crews and bring them on to ‘Melbourne. The crew of the John Murray signed on in Melbourne in .'December. 1917. A. full list of the crew of the John Murray when she left San Francisco is not available, but it is known that the following men loft the vessel at ban Francisco; —C. Owen, A. Wettlesen, and IT. S. McNair (all able seamen), and .it is therefore assumed that everyone who left in the vessel from Australia, outside those mentioned, were still upon the vessel when she was wrecked. The John Murray was taken oyer by the Commonwealth from the Victorian Government, and left Australia in the early part of January last with a full cargo of wheat for the United States. In 'San Francisco she loaded a full general cargo for Australia. FATE OF THE ANNIE LARSEN. News was received in Sydney on July 2nd. that the American schooner Annie Larsen had been wrecked in the Pacific. The vessel was bound from Hilo (Hawaiian Group) to Papeete (Society Group) to load copra for San Francisco, and according to the cable to hand she was lost somewhere in the vicinity of Fanning Island. (The message from Melbourne printed above mentions Maiden Island). The schooner left Hilo in ballast trim. No information has been received regarding the crew, but ’t is believed that all hands weie saved. The' Annie Larsen hailed from San Francisco, where she was owned by Messrs Olson and Mahony. • She was a three-masted schooner of 325 tons, built at Port Blakeley by Hall Bros, in 1831, her dimensions being: Length 143 ft. Bin., beam 54ft. 6in., and dentb of hold'lift. She was insured in San Francisco.