THE SUEVIC DISASTER,

Manawatu Times, Volume LXIV, Issue 107, 9 May 1907, Page 6

THE SUEVIC DISASTER,

Details of the wreck of the Suovic show that the passengers had ail extremely narrow escape, and that the praise of their behaviour expressed iu the cable messages was not exaggerated. The vessel ran upon a kind of cradle. A couple of lengths away was an isolated rock, and had the vessel run on this the chances are that she would have broken in two quickly and fallen back into deep water. The sight of the rocks and the water boiling over them was too much for the nerves of some of the women when they came on deck, but they quickly recovere their composure and gave the sailors no | trouble. Every one had to be lowered over the ship's side with a rope round the shoulders, and as a heavy sea was running it was not a pleasant experience. The babies gave rise to the greatest anxiety. In order to save them the sailors had to cling to ropes and drop their precious bnrdons a distance of three or four feet into the arms of men in launches, as the boats were brought sufficiently near by the swell. The men showed magnificent courage and patience in carrying out this difficult and dangerous task. Though the passengers expected to lose everything they kept their spirits up admirably, and there was even some humour about their experiences. The supply of clothing was scanty, and the scene at the Cadgwith Hotel when the passengers arrived was a peculiar one. Two ladies came down to breakfast in blankets, and there was great demand ou the only available pocket-comb—owned by a man —for "cur hair had got dreadfully untidy.'' Ladies arrived in London with rugs round their shoulders for warmth, and many of the passengers were hatless and collarless. It is very satisfactory to be able to record that it has been shown clearly that there was no truth whatever in the scory that two Salvationists went away in the first boat with the women. There was a similar rumour about a clergyman of the Church of England, which was probably equally untrue. A curious coincidence is recorded by one of the passengers. The night before the disaster an officer asked two of the passengers if they knew where the life-belts were kept, and 4ndi- < cated their position, remarking, "You never know what's going to happen, and if you should want life-belts there they are."