FOG IN ENGLISH CHANNEL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19000, 24 October 1923, Page 2

FOG IN ENGLISH CHANNEL

DORSET’S EXCITING ' EXPERIENCE. XARROW ESCAPE FROM COLLISION. (From Otm Own Correspondent.) AUCKLAND, October J,... The story of an exciting experience off the coast of England was related yesterday by passengers who arrived at Auckland from Southampton by the. Dorset. I’his vessel, carrying 357 immigrants for New Zealand, sailed from Southampton on September 6. and while still in the English Channel was delayed by a thick fog which lasted for 18 hours. The passengers state that while going at reduced speed in the fog bank they heard the deep note of the foghorn of a large vessel, and many of them became very uneasy. Presently a huge vessel loomed up, out of the fog and passed within 100 yards of the Dorset, travelling at what appeared to be a nigh rate of speed. It was afterwards ascertained from those who had recognised the vassal that the stranger was the great Trans-Atlantic liner Majestic. The lifting of the fog shortly afterwards came as relief to some of the more nervous ot the passengers, and fine weather was experienced for the remainder of the voyage to the Panama Canal. While the vessel was traversing the Cana’, the passengers were able to visit Panama and Balboa. At the latter port a mishap during the working of the ship resulted in injuries to several passengers. The Dorset was swinging away from the docks when a wire spring hawser snapped, one of the broken ends whipping aboard among n party of passengers who were on deck in Urn vicinity. One girl received a scalp wound which necessitated , five or six stitches, and two of the- male passengers also received abrasions and cuts, while a baby was slightly injured.