COLLISION IN FOG

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 197, 19 July 1935, Page 9

COLLISION IN FOG

THE NIAGARA DAMAGED. RETURN TO PORT. NO ONE INJURED. (United Press Association.—By Electric Tel egraph.—Copy right.) Received July 19, 9-5 a.m. VICTORIA (8.C.), July IS. Tho liner Niagara, which left Victoria at 5 p.m. on Wednesday with the Australian Premier (Mr J. A. Lyons) aboard, collided with the freighter, King Egbert, when 40 miles off Victoria in a fog. The bows of both ships were damaged in the collision, which occurred in the Straits of Juan do Fuea, 23 miles west of the Race Rocks. The Niagara was the first to send an S.O.S. The crash occurred at 8.10 p.m. as many passengers were sitting down to motion pictures. The pictures were resumed an hour later, and a dance took place while the liner made back to port through the fog. It is believed the Niagara’s sailing will be delayed a week. No request was made for salvage ships as the vessels proceeded hack under their own power. Captain T. V. Hill, commander of the Niagara, took steps to safeguard tho passengers in case of emergency. Hie King Egbert was en route to Victoria from Port Alberni.

Tl.ie Nigara anchored late last night in the Royal Roads, Esquimalt, when her passengers were taken off. Showing less damage than was feared, the Niagara has tied up at the pier with 40ft of die railing of the port bow C deck and lOit of the superstructure of B deck shorn away, also tliree plates buckled above the water lino.

Mr Lyons said tho passengers took the collision philosophically alter the first bit of excitement.

No one was injured. The King Egbert is at Esquimalt. She is smashed in from the forefoot and cut in 10ft at the main deck. The shell-plating from tho forefoot to the main deck is crushed and distorted, as is the betw framing. The forecastle was demolished, and the hawse-pipes and anchors carried away. The damage is confined to the how, extending back to the collision bulkhead. Water ballast was pumped to the after portion to prevent the ship settling by the head.

The Niagara is a well-known liner of the Canadian-Australusian Royal Mail Line. She is a triple-screw steamer of 13,415 tons gross register, and is commanded by Captain r. V. Hill. The King Egbert is a motor-ship of 4535 tons gross register, built at Belfast in 1928, and owned by tho King Line, Ltd., of London.