IRON DUKE TO THE RESCUE.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLVI, Issue XLVI, 8 January 1914, Page 3

IRON DUKE TO THE RESCUE.

The flames from the blazing deck shot up to a great height, tlie glare illuminating the surface of the sea over a wide area. On the Isle of Wight shore and St. Catherine's Point. Dunnose',- and Vehtnor,' the startling spectacle was cleanly visible ih, the clear nighi air, and messages were dispatched': by the coastguard for-help. The Admiralty responded by sending the cruiser. Duncan from Portsmouth in search of the burning vessel, but even this timely measure of assistance -might have been ineffective, so narrow was the margin between life and death when help arrived from an unexpected quarter. ' <- The Iron Duke had just left Portsmouth to make her steam trials preparatory to Tier being handed over to the i Government by the contractors.' Sighting the fire at a distance of ten miles, she went at full speed to the burning vessel, at the same time turning her welcome searchlights towards the Scotsdyke. She arrived in time to make a».complete rescue. Oh coming •within convenient range she sent a boat to take off the occupants of the Scotsdyke, and into it were lowered by a rope ladder first the captain's wife, who had a rope about her shoulders as a special precaution, then the youngest member of the crew, a boy of 14, and then the crew's pet dog. The remainder of the crew followed, including the engine-room staff, who had stopped below performing their duties with the knowledge that on them depended practically the lives of i all on board. The captain, Mr John Grigor, was the, last to leave the ship. The 26 people were treated with true naval hospitality and: courtesy by the officers and crew of the Iron Duke. The warship put back to Portsmouth, and at Spithead transferred the ship-' wrecked crew to a tender and sent them ashore, where they were placed in the care of the Royal Sailors' Home, Portsmouth. . The belongings of. all of them were left oi^the abandoned ship, and; clothing had to be provided in order that they might leave for Glas,go'w. ■ ■ -■■•-' '•..-■■' ft .... , . .