COLLISION WITH A BRITISH FLAGSHIP

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1440, 5 October 1899, Page 15

COLLISION WITH A BRITISH FLAGSHIP

SAILING VESSEL CUT IN TWAIN. HELMSMAN CRUSHED TO DEATH. The arrival of the Reserve Squadron of ten battleships and twenty cruisers in Torbay on August 13 was delayed by a disastrous coOision, resulting in the loss of one life and a fine ship of 1500 tons. During Monday each vessel of the fleet had been engaged in target practice, which was commenced soon after leaving Milford Haven, and in the afternoon (says the special correspondent of the " Dail3' Telegraph ")" we were all proceeding towards the English Channel. The battleships were in two parallel lines, one column of five being led by her Majesty's ship Alexandra, and the other by her Majesty's ship Sans Pareil, while a division of cruisers was on either side. We were going steadily along at ten knots per hour, a smart look-out being kept for sailing vessels, of which we met a large number. Shortly after 11 p.m., when the weather was clear and the sea perfectly calm, a steamer was seen on the starboard bow of the leading vessels. As she drew swiftly towards us it was seen that she had a full-rigged vessel in tow; the length of cable being about six hundred yards. A few minutes later the pair seemed on the point' of drifting across the bows of the leading vessels of the entire fleet. Her Majesty's ship Europa, which was at the head of the outermost division of cruisers, was the first to be inconvenienced, and she succeeded in avoiding disaster by_ altering her course. After this the tug bore down upon her Majesty's ship Sans Pareil, sister ship of the ill-fated Victoria, and actually succeeded in crossing her bows—a performance which was*fsited, however, to end in disaster, for the'sairihg ' ship wai PROMPTLY RUN DOWN, and she sank in ten minutes. The captain, his Avife, and nineteen of the crew were rescued, but one man, who failed to clear the distance between the colliding vessels, was crushed to death. As soon as the officer of the watch on board the Sans Pareil saw that danger was imminent he put the battleship's helm hard a-port, but the iron bow nevertheless plunged into the side of the sailing vessel, making a hole through .which a train might have passed. For a short time the two craft were side by side, and finally both dropped to the jrcar M of' the squadron, the speed of which was reduced meantime from ten knots to six. The tug-boat had slipped heir hawser immediately after the accident, and then steamed out of the way as quickly as possible.- The scene of the disaster was about thirty miles from Land's End, and the name of the sunken vessel was. theEast, Lothian, of Glasgow, bound from Nantes to Cardiff. Fortunately she was in ballast, and, being high in the wate», she was struck by the battleship's ram s , r a fact which probably accounts for the safety of all her crew—with one exception.While the East Lothian was locked to. the • sheet anchor of the battle ship most, ofthe distressed crew were able to clamber on board, the more powerful vessel, every , possible assistance being extended "to:them by the bluejackets. Two of the Wrecked sailors climbed on to the cat davits of the Sans Pareil, and while in that somewhat perilous position the captain of the East Lothian passed his wife to them. With the assistance of the bluejackets, the poor* woman, who was clad in her nightdress and seemed in a fainting condition, was taken from the forecastle deck to a cabin, which, was promptly surrendered to her use'by fhe chaplain. -All this time the vessel was rapidly sinking, and three 'km; who were'left-on board were in the r gravest - danger. Means were being-devised for

their rescue, when the merchantmen suddenly became detached from the shiet anchor, which had .so far assisted to* support her, dropped astern, ~. TURNED TURTLE, AND SANK. In less than three minutes the Sans Pareil cutter had been manned, and was rowing carefully ;Over the sunken vessel, which was indicated by much including portions of the three jmasts.". The-three men were found clinging to pieces of. timber. One. of them was badly injured, and on being taken into the boat was in.V a very deplorable condition. ; All three had been sucked down by the rush of water closing over the: sinking agreed that in a few seconds they had been shot to the surface again with a velocity which sufficed to send a couple of lifebuoys several feet into-the air. -The cutter had been despatched a,t 11.15, 'jut it was not until half an hour past midnight that she returned. Once on board the" battleship every care-was lavished" upon the distressed mariners, by the bluejackets, who offered to surrender .to them. .Many. sat. up all night, making clothes for the rescued^-navy:, serge a ndseveral sewing machine's;beingT»requisitioned for this purpose. Oh. every battleship in her Majesty's" serviceJthef e, are. a ; mjm-. berof expert needlenien;>hd'before mom-; ing plenty of clothed had been manufac- 1 t-ured, including a dress for the'lady.' Onehardy mariner even tried his hand Vt" miLlinery, o.nd, with the aid of some velvet and feathers, made a very serviceable hat, which the captain's wife"

GRACIOUSLY CONSENTED TO WEAR. Not content with giving up hammocks and clothes, the ship's company made a collecion on behalf of the stranded crew, a sum of nearly ,£SO being realised. Each man was also presented with, lib of naw tobacco. Captain Macfarlane, of the'East Lothian, who resides at Troon, says the vessel was being towed by the tug Sir W. T. Lewis. They were within/one day of completion of a voyage which had extended over eighteen months, and.the calamitv was therefore'all the more trying. ""While we were near the Wolf Lighthouse we were run into by the battleship. She struck us in the poop, and the East Lothian heeled over and was out of sight.in eight minutes. I. (the- captain) was -on- deck at the time, but James'A. Roberts, of Fowey, the first mate, was in charge of the watch. I saw the ship wa£ running into us, coming at the rate of ten knots an hour, but I could do nothing. We shouted, but she did not alter her course, and crashed right into us. We were all saved except Tom Collins, of St. Davids, Wales. He was steering at the time."