BATTLE WITH STORM.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20520, 22 March 1930, Page 2 (Supplement)

BATTLE WITH STORM.

SHIP BREAKS IN TWO. HELPLESS WATCHERS ON SHORE. BRAVERY OF CAPTAIN'S WIFE. In the glare of a searchlight a crowd numbering about 20,000 people watched with bated breath a thrilling sea drama on the rocks off Biarritz during the recent gales in Europe. Hour after hour, in daylight and darkness, brave rescuers, cheered by the onlookers, desperately strove to save the crew of the British steamer Knebworth, which split in two on a rock within 400 yards of the shore. The portion of the wreck to which the men clung threatened to founder at any minute.

The iKnebworth was overtaken during the night by a terrible storm while riding quiotly at anchoi. At two o'clock in the morning her cable snapped, and she crashed and split in two. The stern sank at once, taking one man, Robert Tait, of Newcastle, down with it. The forward part remained with the 24 other members of the crew clinging to it, waiting for help, while mountainous seas smashed over them. «

Immediately news of the wreck flashed through the town dancers —women in flimsy frocks covered by wraps, and men in evening clothes—rushed from cabarets and restaurants to the sea front. They saw rescue boats beaten back by giant

waves as effort after effort to get. a cable across from the shore was defeated. This went on for 12 hours until at last a rocket-cable reached the wreck and held.

Then slowly and painfully exhausted men were brought ashore one at a time. The first to arrive was a bov who had been hurt. ITe said it was his brother who had been drowned when the vessel broke. Seven other men followed him to safety. Society women from London were prominent among those who helped to apply restoratives to the exhausted sailors. During the day a hamper of food—containing hot soup and tea, cold meat and wine—was sent aboard by means of a lifeline and the men on the ship raised a cheer when it reached them.

The crowds on shore were beginning to hope that all would be brought to land when suddenly the connecting rope broke. The attempts to get another to the ship were repeated and at last a cable was fired which fell over the hulk, but this-, too, soon broke. All othev efforts failei. until dusk when another line was jjot across the ship and held. Several visitors brought their motor-cars to the seafront and turned on their headlights so that the 1 wreck could be seen plainly. A

ninth and a tenth man were then brought safely to shore. One of the men was able to describe the position of the forward portion of the ship, on which 14 of his comrades, including the captain and his wife and, child, had taken refuge. It was pinned into a sand bed. The captain's wife, it was said, refused to leave her husband and elected to remain aboard with him and their child. Owing to the difficulties confronting the rescuers further efforts were postponed until next day. The French tug Manihot, commanded by Captain Durnato, arrived in response to a telephone call, and anchored with difficulty alongside the Knebworlh at dawn. Those still remaining aboard were then conveyed to tho lug in a breeches buoy. All were so weak that they had to bo lashed to tho lifeline unconscious and exhausted. The Knebworth, a 2555-ton steamer, was owned by tho Robert Stanley Shipping Co., Ltd., Newcastle. She was carrying coal from Blylh, Northumberland, to Bayonne.