SHIPPING DISASTERS.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 279, 4 December 1901, Page 2

SHIPPING DISASTERS.

LOSS OF LIFE. TERRIBLE EXPERIENCES. (Per R.M.S. Ventura, at Auckland.) San Francisco, Nov. 11. The overdue British ship Glencaird is a total loss. She was nearly seven months out from England, and 35 per cent, was paid on her by the underwriters, but thero wero few takers, as every body thought the vessel would come in. The Merchants’ Exchange, however, received cable news from Buenos Ayres yestorday that tho vessel had been wrecked, and nearly all of the crew drowned. Tho Glencaird came to grief off Port Margaret, Staten Island, at the southern extromity of South America. She was driven on to the rocks in a violent storm. Tho oflieers and crew took to the boats, and mado an attempt to reach shore, but of thirty-three souls on. board only three escaped. The remainder, including Captain English, the second officer, and third officer, perished. With two members of the crew, the first officer drifted for several days in an open boat, without food or water. They wero finally rescued by the Chaco, bound for Buenos Ayres. The ship-wrecked men wero half dead when taken aboard the steamer. Continuing her voyage tho Chaco pickod up the crow of another vessel which had, been lost, the French ship Astrea, which sailed from Shields on July 12 for Valparaiso. She took fire when off Cape St. John. When all hope of saving her was gone tho captain and his men abandoned the burning vessel, and took to tho boats. The Astrea was abandoned on October 8. The captain, first officer, second officer, and twenty-one of the crew were found and rescued by the Chaco. Six of the Astrea’s sailors, who were in one of the smaller boats, are still missing, and it is supposed that they wero drowned. The Glencaird and Astrea sailed from the same port, Shields, England, though the Glencaird left two months before the French ship, but both were- lost in the same locality.