FIERCE GALE IN ENGLAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 14336, 5 April 1910, Page 7

FIERCE GALE IN ENGLAND.

DISASTERS ON SEA AND LAND.

MANY FATALITIES REPORTED.

One of the strongest and most widespread gales of recent years swept across England and Ireland from February 17 to 20, its worst effects being felt in Ireland and the North of England.

The Italian barque F. S. Ciampa was driven on the rocks in Dunwoody Bay, near the Old Head of Kinsale, Cork, and became c a total wreck, .; the whole of the crew, numbering 24, being lost., Fishermen on the Seven Heads observing lights burning on . the doomed vessel promptly notified the coastguards at Courtmacsherry that a vessel was in distress, and the coastguards within 20 minutes set out by land with the rocket apparatus for the headland nearest the scene of the wreck, but when they reached there not a trace of the vessel could be seen.

From Lvdstep, near Tenby, Wales, a vessel, looking like a three-masted schooner, was seen in grave peril off the coast. The Tenby coastguardmen, who were communicated with, sent the rocket apparatus, but on its arrival no trace of the ship was observable. A furious south-westerly gale was blowing at the time, and tremendous seas were breaking against the cliffs.- Mr. John Griffiths, . farm bailiff .to s Lord St. Davids, at Lvdstep Haven, stated that he saw the. boat, which had men in her, and which was flying a flag of distress, being thrown against the rocks two or three times. Then it disappeared. No boat could possibly live in the sea which was running, arid the men must have been drowned. The Tenby lifeboat was sent out, and explored the coast between Giltar and Lydstep without finding any wreckage. The cliffs were also searched in vain. ' Two London yachtsmen lost their lives in a boating disaster at Burnham-on-Crouch. They were Mr. Charles G. Green, of Holly Green, "Holmwood, Surrey, and Mr. Sidney Hilliard, of Great Percy-street, Islington. Mr. Stanson, an architect, of Gray's Inn Square, had an exceedingly narrow escape. Mr. Green' Mas the owner, of the yacht Alice, and the three men had been obtaining provisions in the village preparatory to returning to the yacht, which was moored in the Ri>i'r Crouch about a-quarter of a mile ,£; dm' the shore. They boarded the little yacht's dinghy, and were rowing out when a sudden gust of wind capsized the boat, and all three were thrown into the water. Both Messrs. Green and Stanson were strong swimmers, but Mr. Hilliard could not swim. They endeavoured to hold him up, but, weighted as they were with their clothes, they found it impossible, and he sank, followed by Mr. Green. Meanwhile their cries for help had been heard, and a coastguard's boat went out. ; The ' rescuers found Mr. Stanson still holding to the boat. He shouted to them to look for the others, but at first nothing could be seen of them. Then Mr. Hilliard's dead body was found floating, and was taken to the shore. • It was hoped that Mr. Green had succeeded in swimming to the shore, as nothing could be seen of him, but his r body was later washed ashore. >''-~.,,''

. Three lives were lost'as. the result of an accident to a ferry boat at Appledore, Kent. The boat, which contained five persons; capsized while crossing from Appledore to Instow, and despite the efforts of rescuers two of the occupants, Henry Cornish, of Freinington, and Dick Lane, of ' Instow, were drowned. * Lane had been married only six months. • A third man, an Appledore \ boatman, named Fishwick, was rescued, but died, from the effects of ' the immersion. Another death due to the , storm .occurred at Appledore. A lad named Fred.; Day was blown over a cliff at Western Hill, his head being completely smashed. ( , . '. .

A thrilling incident occurred- at Dover. The gunboat Leda entered the naval harbour and lowered a boat containing- six men to moor the vessel to the buoy.: Hardly had the boat got clear of ; the warship, which was just inside the .western entrance, when it was caught by -a heavy sea, and capsized. Surgeon Shannon,: of the Leda, took a line, and, jumping overboard in the surging waves, swam to the assistance of the men. He got. hold of one sailor and held him up until the man was picked up by a boat. Surgeon Shannon was so exhausted that he sank twice before it was possible to save him. The battleship Venerable's boat rescued ■ him, and . he was taken i aboard the ; battleship, where he received medical attention. .Another gallant action was : performed by Able . Seaman Fredericks, of the battleship Formidable. As the Formidable's picket boat came up to the scene of the accident, Fredericks jumped over to • assist one of the Leda's men who was in difficulties, and helped to get him aboard. \ All the men from : : the. capsized boat were rescued by boats which had put off from the various warships, with the exception of an able seaman named. "Bimson, who was drowned. It is stated -that he was the only man in the boat who had not put on a lifebelt before leaving the \ ship. , v ; ri-

A train on its way from Enniskillen met the full force of the gale at a place called Clooney, and the engine and • two of the coaches were blown off the . metals at a crossing,, rolling down the embankment. The accident interrupted communication for /=ome time, but there were no injuries to passengers. y This is v the second accident of this nature on the line.

At Belfast a large hall, 600 ft long, at the Agricultural Show grounds, was completely wrecked. \ , ; '",.■'! ,\ V.'.' v i-%' V:';',;'.

A woman was killed at Portrush by the fall of a wall. '" " "' , .'•,'"'■