THE WRECK OF THE LY-EEMOON.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7658, 8 June 1886, Page 5

THE WRECK OF THE LY-EE-MOON.

J FULL DESCRIPTION OP THE CASUALTY. EVIDENCE OF GROSS CARELESSNESS. LIST OF PASSENGERS AND CREW. [PER te ANAU at THE BLUFF. I Melbourne, June 1. Early yesterday morning news was received that the passenger steamer Ly-ee-moon had been wrecked at Green Cape on Sunday evening, while on her way between Melbourne and Sydney, and that seventy lives had been lost. Later news was received confirming the story, and left much cause for wonder why the catastrophe should have happened, the weather being clear and the captain one of the most trusted in the company's service. The vessel left Melbourne on Saturday, and all went well till Sunday evening. She passed Gabo Island at a quarter to eight p.m., when Captain Webber gave a course that would have kept her clear of Green Capo, and left instructions to be called on searing the Cape. A few minutes before nine p.m. the captain came on deck, and then found the vessel heading straight for the reef of the Cape on which she struck shortly afterwards. The engines were immediately reversed, but the ship was too firmly fixed to be removed. Within ten minutes from the time of striking the forepart of the vessel, in which waß the saloon, broke right away, and drifted towards the shore. Then turning round and reversing its position, it eventually lay broadside on the rooks on shore. By this time the steamer had canted over with her deck almost perpendicular, and facing the shore. All the passengers and crew on board this part of the vessel clung to the rigging and bulwarks, some of them outside the vessel, and some standing on the port-holes. Heavy seas were continually washing over the wreck, and the wonder is that all the passengers were not washed away. Shortly afterwards, the vessel still being in this position, the foremast went overboard, the end just touching the rocks. The boatswain and three seamen made their way ashore on the mast, but shortly afterwards the topmast broke, and that means of escape was no longer available. The lighthouse keeper, with his staff and the seamen, tried for a long time, but without success, to throw a line on board. At last the boatswain succeeded in throwing a brass hook with a fish line attached over the vessel, which was immediately caught by several on board, and the rope having been attached to the line, and pulled on board and made fast, one gentleman made his way to the shore hand over hand, but finding that he dipped into the sea, was with difficulty rescued. A. bow-line was attached to the rope, and a few thus got on shore. A seaman then took a rope from the ship, and made a guy to the bow-line. All remaining passengers that were saved were then pulled ashore on the bow-line. Of those saved live were passengers, nine were of the crew and the steward. Eighteen adults and three infants remained in the saloon. After she struck, on account of the staves breaking away and the water rushing into the cabin, and from the position of the ship, it was impossible to save them. The aft part of the ship, containing the engine and the Bteerage, remained fixed on the reef about 100 yards from the shore, but it wis impossible to render those on this part of the vessel any assistance. No boats could have possibly lived in the sea that was breaking on the shore, and unfortunately there were no rockets or life-saving apparatus on board. All the engineers, and the greater part of the crow and steerage passengers were lost. Among them was Mr. Morrison, the chief officer. The wavos were so strong that before morning nothing but the mast of the after part was visible. AinoDg the incidents of the wreck it may be'mentioned that only one lady was on the deck of the forepart of the vessel at the timo she struck. The third officer, Mr. L. W. Fotheringham, made a gallant attempt to take her on shore, and had nearly succeeded, when she was struck by some floating debris and instantly killed. Her name has not been ascertained. Mr. Fotheringham managed to regain the'ship by catching hold of the leg of a gentleman who had just lucceeded in regaining the vessel himself, after trying to get ashore by the mast. This was before a rope from the shore was made fast to the vessel, and the attempt to gain the shore by these two was so hopeful, from the nearness of the ship to land, that it justified the undertaking.

The Ape nays that the A.S.N. Company have had the practice of continually changing their captains, aud hence no one of them has proper opportunity to get used to his work, for in scarcely any two ships will the action of the compasses be found to correspond. There are nearly always deviations in each which a captain must watch or allow for in steering. Any small deviation of this kind by the compasses of the Ly-ee-moon, if unnoticed, if the captain were hugging the shore westwards from the Howe, might mean destruction, and this is probably what has partly caused the calamity, as there are no rocks marked on the coast within many miles of Green Cape. This was Captain Webber's first voyage on the Ly-ee-moon. He had a very experienced mate on the coast, having made several trips between Melbourne and Sydney in command of various vessels. Ilia last trip previous to the wreck was in the steamer BerUsgate, belonging to the same company, and he was transhipped from her in order to allow for her receiving her monthly overhauling. Captain Webber formerly commanded the s.B. Zealandia, in the San Francisco mail service, and this is hia f • i- accident for 20 years. Eighty-one persons are known to have been on board, and only 16 were saved. The following is a full list of the vessel's passengers and crew :—Belonging to Melbourne: Saloon : Meadames Jennings, Campbell and infant, McKellop, Hamilton and two Misses Hamilton, Ellis, Gardiner, Mclutyre, Copill, H. Adams and Master Adams, Messrs. O. J. Bradley, A. Graham, W. Johnston, E. C. Holmes, A. McGregor. Steerage: Mr. and Mrs. Shortell, Messrs. A. Spire, Rogers, Warren, J. Foote, Latenberg, J. Williams, J. Lumaden, J. Wilson, J. Carroll, J. Mcßunney, Morrison, J. J. Thompson. Belonging to Sydney : Messrs. A. Smith, D. C. Harri--, K. Cox. and H. Lumsden. Belonging to Brisbane: Rev. W. Poole. Ship's company : A. Webber, master ; J. K. Morrison, chief officer; T. Hudson, chief engineer; J. Hut-, chison, second officer; R. McCue, second engineer; James Fothenngham, third officer ; J. Marshall, third "engineer; W. Thump, son, chief steward; Henry Young, second steward ; D. A. Robinson, carpenter; J. Thorp, boatswain ; J. W. Kelly, bedroom steward ; W. Gardiner, saloon waiter; C. Coyle, forecabin steward ; IC. Bailey, second foracabin steward ; J. M, Milliad, messroom steward ; Sarah Jeffreys, stewardess; A. Petzodin, first cook ; R. McGuffin, s«cond cook ; J. MoPhelson, third cook ; R.Jones, pantryman; T. Wing, donkey engine man. The following were A.B.'s, :| A. B. Johnson, C. R. Halgrow, Couolly, A. Markoff', A..Bcrglard, J. Isuister, J. Da vies, M. Ayerll. Firemen : R. Gill, H. R. Hudson, R. Senton, R. Henderson, P. Monk. Lamp trimmers : L. Christian, G. Harvey, P. John*, J. Wlaker,

LIST OF THE SAVED. So far as at present reported, the list comprises the following passengers :—Rev. W. Poole, D. C. Harris, H. Lumsden, A. Smith, Master Adams. Ship's company : Captain Webber; J. Hutchison, second officer; J. Fotheringham, third officer ; W, Thompson, chief steward; J. Hope, boatswain; D. Robinson, carpenter ; Francis McNally, seaman ; W. Johnson, seaman ; Andrew Beigland, seaman Michael Tyrell, seaman. The Rev. W. Poole was several years ago pastor of the Baptist Church at Emerald Hill. Among the sufferers by the wreck is W. J. Holloway, the wellknown actor and manager, who lost the whole of his theatr.cal wardrobe. The members of his company lost their jewellery, dresses, and property, and the entire professional effeots of the following :— Mrs. W. J. Holloway, Mrs. Charles Holloway (Miss Alice Deorwyn), Miss Constance Deorwyn, Miss Netta Steel, Miss Jessie Jenkins, Mr. W. Holloway, Mr. Charles Holloway, Mr. R. Stewart, jail., Mr, H. fiodson, Mr. H. Jewott, and Mr. A. Rolfe. The whole of the company came overland to Sydney from Melbourne, sending their wardrobe and accessories by the steamer, under the care of Mr. A. McGregor, who is amongst the drowned passengers. Mr. W. Holloway and his company were wholly uninsured. The value of the Lyee-raoon

and freight is estimated at between £20,000 and £30,000, and the whole was insured in the Australian Steam Navigation Company's own office.

It is well-known that in clear weather and daylight steamers trading between Melbourne and Sydney pass very close to both Cape Howe, Green Cape, and Gabo Island. Under such circumstances they are quite warranted in doing so, as deep water is to be found almost up to the cliffy approaches of each in fact, the lighthouse keepers on Gabo Island, often hail and speak to passing steamers. Danger creeps in, however, in thick weather, when cautious captains keep well out to sea, though it is known that all round the coast is hugged as much as possible, in order to cut the trip a3 short as possible. Disaster Bay, in which the wreck occurred, has been the scene of a great many wrecks, including those of the steamer City of Sydney, the barque Ellen Simpson, and the schooner Stormbird. The Ly-ee-Moou was built of iron in 1859, at Blackwall, and has had a most eventful history. She was built as a blockade runner, and experienced some service off Charleston in the American war. In her early career she had paddlewheels, and could steam about IS miles an hour. Her American experience was a short one, after which she was engaged in the Chinese opium trade. She *was also utilised as a mail boat, her duties being to intercept inward vessels and carry mails into the ports of China, whence they were conveyed overland to merchants. In 1872, at Hongkong, the vessel foundered, and was, after being raised, taken to England by Mr. Stevens, who purchased her. She was then altered into a screw steamer, and, after making two or throe passages to Australia, Singapore, and Torres Straits, was purchased by Captain Trouton on behalf of- the present owners. This was in 1878, and shortly after her arrival in Sydney she was completely gutted by fire, Some alterations were then effected to her in the shape of improved passenger accommodation. After this she proved herself most serviceable np to the time of her wreck. The vessel struck about nine p.m. on Sunday, and those rescued were not all landed until half-past eight a.m. on Monday. All are doing well, although some are very badly knocked about. The passengors and crew were exceedingly calm and brave. Amongst the above is the name of one who belongs to Auckland — namely, G. Harvey, one of the lamptrimmers. This lad was a son of Mr. Harvey, storeman, in the employ of Captain D. H. McKenzie. The lad first started life as a printer, and afterwards joined the s. 8. Triumph as donkey-driver, and from that vessel joined the Ly-ee-moon as a lamptrimmer, and there remained until meeting his death by the disastrous wreck already recorded.