A TERRIBLE DISASTER

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume I, Issue 57, 22 October 1887, Page 2

A TERRIBLE DISASTER

GREAT LOSS OF LIFE, NEARLY FIFTY LIVES REPORTED LOST PREVAILING EXCITEMENT. Melbourne, October 21. A painful sensation was caused throughout the city early this morning on the rumored receipt of news that some large vessel had met with a serious mishap just outside of the Heads. The report somehow got about during the night, and as it travelled became of a more alarming nature. The Argus and Age published with rather vague accounts of the affair, conveying, however, the main fact that it ’Was the steamer Cheviot, which had left this port yesterday afternoon for Sydney and Brisbane. The excitement was then intensified, and the most bitter anguish has been prevalent during the day. Later editions of the morning papers were got out, and all the newspaper offices have been issuing extras during the day. The offices have been literally besieged by anxious people, eager to gain the latest intelligence. So far as can at present be gathered, the following are tbe SAD DETAILS.

Yesterday afternoon Howard Smith and Sons’ steamship Cheviot left Melbourne for Sydney and Brisbane. When she got to the heads a strong southerly gale was found to be blowing, and the Wairarapa which was bound for New Zealand was lying inside the heads for shelter. The capitain of the Cheviot, despite the terrible southerly gale that was blowing, determined on proceeding. She had just passed Point Nepean, and was steering a South-easterly course, when the full force of the gale was experienced. The captain regretted that he ventured out, to put back was impossible, and there was no place that he could run his vessel to for safety, as between Point Nepean and Wilson’s Promontory is the roughest part of the Australian coast, and it is here all the large shipwrecks have taken place. To go forward whs all that could be done. The vessel was plunging fearfully, sometimes the propeller Would be twenty feet under water, and the next minute it would be clean out of the sea; which put a terribo strain upon the engines Suddenly the vessel gave a great plunge, and she swung bioadside to the stoim. Some thing had gone wrong. The chief enginee f came on deck and reported to the Captain, " The shaft has snapped off at the boss hole the propeller is gone.” The captain said, " My God, we are lost, our canvas will never enable us to head-reach, we are too close to shore.” Every preparation was made for the fatal moment when she would be hurled against tha rocks. After the captain had issued bls orders not a word was spoken by anyone. The orders the oaptb in had given were obeyed withhbut sign of p anio or fear, The vessel was lifted up by a big wave, and the next moment it hurled the ill .fated steamer against the rooks, the’ crash broke her in two, the tore part dropped'into deep water. A terrible shriek went up as the passengers and crew who were in this part of the vessel were sinking. This unnerved most of the passengers, who commenced to act like mad people, and even some of the erew forgot themselves, acting as badly as the passengers ; but the greater number of the seamen acted with that remarkable attention to the claims of good discipline which is one of the most prominent traits of the British seamen when in the presence of danger. One of the sailors plunged into the sea and after hard struggling he managed to reach the beach. He started inland to procure help, and at half past two he reached Sorrento. Immediately the alarm was given several lifeboat crews started for the scene of the wreck, and managed to save a number of lives.

THE PASSENGERS. The Cheviot left Melbourne with eleven saloon and twenty.two steerage passengers. It is feared that out of this number only the saloon passengers are saved, all the steerage passengers being drowned. THE CBEW. Out of the crew the seaman who swam ashore, the chief cook, the third engineer and two firemen alone are saved. THE STBAMEB. The Cheviot is . a magnificent steamer of 2000 tons, and was under the command of Captain Richardson. She belonged to HSmith and Sons, who also owned the ill-fated Killawarra which t collided with the Ellen Nicol some twelve months ago, and sank, causing such a large loss of life. The Cheviot traded from Melbourne to Sydney, Brisbane and along the Queensland coast. Her loss will be a heavy blow to her owners, as the trade up the Queensland coast is subject to fierce competition, and it is a noted fact the steamers have been running at a loss. The southerly gales are dreaded by all the seafaring class of both Victoria and New South Wales, and it is a wonder that a man of Captain Richardson’s experience ventured out in the face of one, especially as these gales are seldom of long duration, but while they last are exceedingly fierce. The crew benaved nobly, there being non of that cowardice among them that affected the crew of the Killawarra, and which added so much to the horrors of that disaster.

Latest particulars to hand give the number saved as twenty-five, the loss thirty-five.