LOSS OF THE BRITISH KING.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LI, Issue 9081, 2 May 1906, Page 6

LOSS OF THE BRITISH KING.

THRILLING SCENES AT A WRECK.

The Leyland liner Bostonian brought to Boston last month news of a disaster bo the Phoenix liner British King. The vessel foundered on Sunday, March 11. There were 56 percsons on board, of whom 28 are known to have been saved. The British King went down/ about 6 o'clock in the morning, in latitude 41.40, longitude 60.11. The disaster was due to barrels of oil and other wreckage being washed overboard iv- the violent storm and the furious waves throwing them back against the hull until an aperture was made, through which the water entered. The Bostonian brought 17 survivors and the German tank-ship Manmhelm picked up 11 others. The captain of the British King, James O'Hagan, though taken off the vessel alive-, dded afterwards from injuries sustained during the attempts made to repair the damage done to the hull of th& vessel. On March 10 the ship had settled down notice, ably, and realising the .necessity for quick action, the captain himself descended into the hold, but while he was working a* the spot where most damage had been done he was struck by a barrel of oil, which fractured his leg in two places.

Notwithstanding the fact that the bone was protruding, and that h& had sustained internal injuries by .'as fall, Captain O'Hagan refused to be carried to hie cabin, and alter having the injured limb hound up he resumed the directions of the work of plugging the hole. AH efforts to keep the water out weTe, however, unsuccessful.

The survivors on the Bostonian say there is little- doubt that the 28 missing persons perished. " The crews of th© Bostonian and the Mannheim risked thear lives in their work of Tescue. The first Boat- the Bostonian launched was crushed by the sea, and the crew were saved with difficulty. The second boat, after placing 13 persons on board the Bostonian, was •smashed } bat the crew were eventually got out of the water. The experiences of the rescuers from the Mannheim were equally thrillaiig^aind fraught with peril. Further Tescues had to be postponed owing to the darkness, until the rising of die moon. Meanwhile it was believed that the 28 men had gone, down with the British King,, which sank near Sable Island. A boat's crew subsequently aeucued five of the crew who were dinging to wreckage. The leak was not discovered until it was too late to save .the ship.