A Tidal Wave.

Hastings Standard, Issue 491, 2 December 1897, Page 4

A Tidal Wave.

A STEAMER STRUCK. FOUR MEN WASHED OVERBOARD. Further particulars are to hand! with regard to the loss of four men from the Lund-liner Woolloomooloo, which lett Port Melbourne on Sept. 10 for London, via the Cape. The weather encountered was not generally severe, but the cause of the fatality was a tidal wave which struck the vessel on a smooth sea when she was only two days from the Leuwin. The disaster took place on the afternoon of Sept. 24. Five passengers were on deck and also the boatswain and two seamen, who were battening down a hatch. Suddenly a mountainous wave, fully 50ft. or 60ft. high, was seen to arise and suddenly advance towards the ship with the velocity of a projectile. Instantly the vessel was struck on the port side with a loud report, like the discharge of heavy artilly. The wave burst over the after - deck with a crash, and heeled her 83 degrees over to starboard, and when she righted herself it was discovered that the following people were missing:—C. W. Clark, chemist, Sydney, aged 86 ; Richard Senger, boatswain, London, aged 40; Edward Gawtherne, seaman, aged 18; John Rose, seaman, aged 84. Clark leaves a widow and four children who were travelling to London with him to visit his parents. The other four passengers who were on deck at the time, overwhelmed by the weight of water escaped with more or less serious injuries. One of them. Alex. Gunn, of Hobart, got concussion of the brain, two scalp wounds, a broken arm, and various contusions about the body, and for some days he was in a very critical condition. After the disaster the Woolloomooloo looked as though she had been through a naval engagement-, the metal deck fittings being knocked out of all shape.