WRECK OF THE BRITISH ADMIRAL.

Globe, Volume I, Issue 9, 10 June 1874, Page 2

WRECK OF THE BRITISH ADMIRAL.

LOSS OF SEVENTY-NINE LIVES. (Prom the “ Argus,” June I.] Another tale of disaster comes to us from over the sea. We have had frequent news of late of ships having been dismasted, but in no instance has there been loss of life. We have now intelligence that the ironbound western coast of King’s Island proved fatal, on Saturday the 23rd ult, to one of the fine iron clipper ships coming to this harbour from a British port. The last occurrence of this kind was the loss of the iron clipper ship Loch Leven, which was totally wrecked, about three years since, a mile or two south of the King’s Island lighthouse. The varying tides and currents which are known to run along the coast of this island and through Bass’s Straits, may be set down as the cause of the present fatal occurrence until the whole of the facts are elicited at the inquiry wMch will of course take place. There is some difference between the two wrecks, inasmuch as the Loch Leven was leaving this port bound home, while the British Admiral, the loss of which we have now to record, was on her way out, and should have been provided with Ae latest Admiralty charts, and so have kept clear of the dangers surrounding that coast. The story of the wreck is a most heartrending one, for no less than 79 lives have been lost, a great proportion of those who perished being women. Out of 19 passengers and a crew of 39, only nine have survived to reach this port. The survivors consist of the third officer, Mr Charles Wm. M’Ewan; Cunningham, A.B. ; Baker, A.B. ; Wagard, A.B. ; and Davison, O.S. ; Mr O’Grady, saloon passenger ; David Keys, Thomas Jones, and John Harold, steerage passengers. The first news that reached town yesterday of the catastrophe was a telegram from Queenscliffe to the “ Argus,” to the following effect :—“ Ketch Kangaroo, just arrived from King’s Island, reports the total loss of the ship British Admiral on King’s Island, Saturday, 22nd inst. The vessel struck on the west side, and sank in a quarter of an hour, not a vestige of her remaining. Four of the crew, four passengers, aud the third mate managed to escape by getting up the foremast, and subsequently drifting ashore on the wreckage. She had 49 passengers and about 39 of a crew, all of whom, excepting those above mentioned, are drowned. The saloon passengers were Messrs O’Grady and Nicholson, of Wood’s Point, The former was saved, The officers names were—Jas, Randolph Taylor, masier ; Charles George, first mate ; Charles Henry, Baker, second mate ; Charles Wm. M‘Ewan, third mate (saved) ; and Albert Parker, fourth mate.” This news caused considerable excitement in Melbourne, and there was a general rush towards the telegraph-office to obtain further information if possible. A short time subsequently the bon. the Chief Secretary received the following telegram from Queenscliff :—“ Kangaroo, ketch, from King’s Island, passed up at 10 a.m. She reports total loss of British Admiral, ship, on King’s Island, with loss of about eighty lives. Kangaroo will reach Hobson’s Bay about 2 p.m. She has nine survivors of the wreck on board.” As soon as Mr Francis received this telegram, he issued orders that H.M.C.S. Victoria should be made ready to proceed to sea if necessary, but the arrival of the ketch Kangaroo in the Bay, and the story of the survivors from the wreck, soon showed that the journey of the Victoria to the scene of disaster would be a useless one, unless it was to bury the bodies washed ashore since the departure of the Kangaroo, or to carry away the few cases of cargo that might reach the beach. The British Admiral has apparently been an unlucky name for a ship, especially to the British Shipowners’ Company, of Liverpool, to whom the vessel which has just been lost belonged. They had an iron ship of the same name, and of 1286 tons burden, built in Liverpool in 1867, but she was lost in the North Atlantic a couple of years since, when coming from the States with a cargo of grain. They then gave Messrs Roydon and Co., the well-known iron shipbuilders of Liverpool, a commission to build another iron ship, to be of 1800 tons register, aud to bear the same name as one lost. This was the ship which has now on her first ocean voyage come to an untimely end. From what can be learned from the survivors it appears that the British Admiral, consigned to Messrs James Service and Co., left Liverpool on the 9th of January, 1874, under the command of Captain James Randolph Taylor (who was out here some two years ago in command of the ship Jumna), and made good way down the Channel, although the weather was thick and dirty. In the Bay of Biscay, however, she .encountered a heavy gale from the westward, in which she lost her bowsprit, fore and main topmasts, and foreyard, in addition to springing the head of the foremast. She put back to Liverpool, and after undergoing a thorough refit, she made a fresh start for Melbourne by hauling into the fairway of the Mersey on the 22nd of February, and taking her departure from the stream on the following day. The officers were Jas. Randolph Taylor, master ; Charles George, chief officer ; Charles Henry Baker, second mate ; Charles Wm, Mcßwan, third mate ; Albert Parker, fourth mate. She had also 35 of a crew, two saloon passengers, 11 second-class passengers, and 36 steerage passengers. As far as can be ascertained the following is the passenger list : Saloon : Messis Nicholson aud O’Grady. Second cabin : Mr and Mrs Thomas, Messrs R. Burkett, Godfrey Yeildiug, Hunt, Nosworthy, G. Allan, Wm. Lawton, Audrcsen, Gantarowitch, aud Stewarte. Steerage : Mrs Dale, Miss Lizzie Dale, Miss Tilly Dale, Miss Maggie Dale, Miss Mary Trcahy, Miss Mary Conly, Miss Lizzie Conly, Mr William Conly, sen., Mr Wm. Conly, jun., Mr and Mrs Mills, Mr and Mrs Blackburn, Miss Ellen Hayes, Mr John Hayes, Messrs Wm. Murphy, Boland, Wm. Pierce, Geo. Brooks, John Rice, John M'Garry, Thomas Allely, John Seville, Owen Hughes, Wm. Hughes, Wm. Hawkins, Win. Miller, Robert Hart, Dahlberger, Edouard Varbourg, David Keys, Johu Harold, aud Thos. Jones. After leaving the Mersey, heavy weather from the eastward was experienced until the ship was clear of the laud, and a smart run was made to the latitude of Madeira. The N.B. trades were shortly afterwards fallen in with, aud were carried well to the southward, the S.B. trades being picked up about 2deg. north. These trade winds were also favourable, and the ship made such a good course that great anticipations were indulged in of making a rapid passage out. After losing

the S.E. trades, however, some dirty weather was experienced until after passing the meridian of the Cape of Good Hope. Captain Taylor evidently did not intend to run his easting down in a very high latitude, as ha kept well to the northward, and at the time of year necessarily met with some heavy weather. He was compelled to heave the ship to when off St. Paul’s Island, and during this time she shipped some very heavy seas which it is believed somewhat disturbed the chronometers. That was the impression of Captain Taylor, who during the remainder of the voyage made observations at every possible opportunity in order to correct the chronometers. For some days before the wreck the weather was too thick to take a meridian observation, and it may therefore be surmised that Captain Taylor was unable to get the exact latitude of the vessel, and, being somewhat to the southward of his reckoning, brought his ship in too close proximity to King’s Island. There is no doubt, however, that he thought he had plenty of seaway in front of him, as on Friday, May 22nd, when the first watch was called, from 8 p.m. to midnight, the ship was running under two lower topsails, reefed foresail, fore topmast staysail, and main staysail, the wind being on the starboard quarter, and the course somewhat to the northward of east. The exact course steered cannot yet be ascertained. The second officer, Mr. Charles 11. Baker, had the first watch on the night of Friday, May 22nd, and when he took charge of the deck the ship was making about six knots an hour. When the watch was called at eight bells (midnight) the chief officer took charge of the deck, and an able seaman named Joseph Cunningham went on the forecastle as a look-out, and a man was also sent up occasionally to the topsail yard -to look out for the land, Nothing was seen up to four bells (2 a.m.), when Wm Smith went to the wheel. About half an hour afterwards the chief officer, who was looking over the lee-side, saw the loom of the land ahead. He at once called all hands, ordered the watch to “ haul out the spanker,” and put the helm down to bring her round. The ship came quickly round before the spanker was set, and the mainsail and mizentopsail, together with the jib and maintopmast staysail, were at once put on her in order to claw her off the land. She had not been standing on her new course five minutes when the look-out man (Thos Crowan) sang out “ Breakers ahead.” The captain was by this time on deck, but before he could give any orders the ship struck heavily, and for a few minutes it was expected that the masts would go by the board in consequence of the manner in which they swayed to and fro. Up to this time [the passengers had been totally unacquainted with any possibility of danger, but the severe shock of the ship striking brought them rushing on deck, and a most heartrending scene occurred. There were several women on board—one of whom wasfar advanced in pregnancy—together with many young girls, and the screams and prayers for rescue from these were appalling. The women and children had congregated on the poop, and were clinging to the mizzen rigging within a few minutes of the ship striking, having been awakened from their sleep by the shock. The captain and mate at once gave orders to “ Clear away the boats.” Mr Baker (the chief officer) at the same time ran towards the cabin for the purpose of getting an axe in order to cut away the masts if necessary. The third mate (Mr M'Ewan, who had been confined to his cabin for the last fortnight with fever, hearing the shock rushed on deck, and, seeing the land close to, at once seized some clothing and took his station on the quarter-deck. The carpenter had in the meantime sounded the pumps, and was reporting to the captain at the time the men were clearing away the boats. There was no hurry or confusion, but, according to orders, the starboard watch went oo the forward boats, the port watch clearing away the after boats. The forward boats were secured on top of the house on deck, and the first attempt was made to cast loose the gig. The first and third mates, together with several seamen, cut the lashings loose and tried to launch the boat, but as the ship rolled heavily at the time the gig fell between the bulwarks and the house on deck, and was smashed. At the same moment a heavy sea swept across the ’midships of the vessel, and the chief officer, together with several seamen, were drowned. The third officer, seeing the sea coming, made a run for the fore-rigging, and together with a couple of seamen who followed his example, managed to secure their escape. The next sea that came on board swept away the mizenmast, and with it the crowd of passengers who had taken to the poop and were clinging to the mizen rigging. Heavy seas continued to sweep across the ill-fated vessel, and a few minutes afterwards the mainmast went over the side. The effect of the heavy sea now began to tell, as the decks showed signs of bursting, and without any great delay those individuals who were clinging on the fore rigging found themselves washed away by a heavy sea that nearly swamped them ; they had scarcely relieved themselves from this sea when the ship slipped off the rock and went into deep water. The third mate and some others managed to secure some timber which had floated out of the hold, and made towards the shore. This was a matter of difficulty, but, trusting to the tide and current, they managed, after considerable bruising and knocking about among the rocks, to secure a footing on® dry land. At this time they were wet, cold, and bruised, but as they found that they had timber, and that some provisions and cargo had been floated ashore, they managed to provide some accommodation for themselves. A cask of spirits was washed ashore, and this was found most useful. The rescued crew having rested on Sunday, on the next morning made a start down the coast in order to ascertain whether there was any one living on the island. On their way they saw several dead bodies, but upon reaching Currie Harbor they found a hunter named M'Pherson stopping there, who gave them every assistance. They also found with him one of their companions named Cunningham, who had managed to escape from the wreck. The bodies found on the beach and buried by the survivors were—Mrs Thomas, second cabin passenger ; steerage passengers, Mrs Blackburn, Mrs Mills, Miss Tilly Dale, Miss Ellen Hayes, Mr Wm Pierce, and Miss Mary Conley. The body of Miss Mary Treahy was also seen entangled among the rocks, but could not be rescued for burial. It is said that this young lady has some relations in Melbourne, keeping an hotel in Ireland street, West Melbourne.

It may be somewhat a matter of surprise as to bow the seaman Cunningham should come across his comrades on King’s Island after both bad given themselves up for lost,

It appears, however, that when the order was given to “ Clear away the boats,” the second officer and several ot hers made at once for a boat on the “ skids,” which they managed to cast loose. It was, however, jammed in the mizen rigging, and it was with the greatest difficulty that they got the boat clear before the ship sank. As soon as (he boat was clear, the oars were shipped with the intention of keeping as close as possible to the wreck during the night, but the wind and sea was too strong, for when the day dawned nothing could be seen of the British Admiral. The crew, being cold and weary, pulled along the coast with the view of finding some place to land at. After pulling some distance to the northward they made for the shore, but in the first row of “ breakers” the boat was capsized. At the time of the accident, the following persons were in the boat :—Mr Baker (second mate) ; A. Wellesly, A.B, ; William Tyrer, A.B. ; Cunningham, A.B. ; James Dutton, boy ; Messrs O’Grady and Nicholson, saloon passengers ; and Mr Jones, steerage passenger. Cunningham, O’Grady, and Jones managed to get on the bottom of the boat, and were drifted on shore, where they were soon afterwards picked up by the hunter M'Pherson, who gave them every assistance in the way of food and dry clothing. The whole of the rescued men came together next day, and as the ketch Kangaroo was seen at anchor under New Year’s Island, one of the hunters pulled a boat across to her, and she at once made for King’s Island, and taking the shipwrecked men on board, made a start for Melbourne.

When the Kangaroo with her living freight of castaways arrived in the bay she was boarded by Mr W, C. Roes of the Harbor department, and the shipwrecked men were conveyed to the Williamstown railway pic ? in one of the harbor boats, and forwarder to Melbourne by train. The piers were thronged with people at the time, and as the word passed round that the survivors of the wreck were in the boat, quite a rush took place to have a sight of the poor fellows, who were scantily clad and looking battered and careworn. On arriving at Melbourne they were taken by Mr Rees to the Sailors’ Home, where their immediate wants were supplied, and where they will be cared for for a time. The British Admiral left Liverpool originally about the same time as the ship Chrysomene, at present in port, and the ill-fated passengers of the former ship, it appears, were shut out of the Chrysomene, there being no space allotted in her for their accommodation. Only one passenger, Mr E. T. Cronin, came out here in the latter vessel, and he on leaving felt more than half inclined to take his passage in the British Admiral for the sake of company.