TERRIBLE SHIPPING DISASTER.

Otago Witness, Issue 1935, 26 March 1891, Page 14

TERRIBLE SHIPPING DISASTER.

570 LIVES LOST. (Peb Pbess Association.)

London, March 18. The Anchor line steamer Utopia, 2715 tons, bound from Genoa to New York, with 850 passengers on board, chiefly Italian emigrants, collided with the iron* dads Anson and Rodney, anchored off Gibraltar. The Anson's ram tore a hole in her 30ft wi3e, and the Utopia sank in 10 minutes. Five hundred and 70 lives were lost. The boats of the Channel squadron rescued many. In the confusion a launch belongingtoH.M.S.lmmortalite was smashed, and several Englishmen were drowned. The electric light of the warships enabled scores to be rescued during the night. A Swedish ■corvette also saved many. *

_ March 19. Further particulars received from Gibraltar state-that a strong current was running at the spot where the warships were lying and" swept the ill-fated Utopia right across the Anson's bows. A fierce gale was also raging at the time, and that gallant efforts made by the British sailors to save the lives of those who were struggling in the water, are said to have been such as have rarely been witnessed before.

Gibealtab, March 20. The captain of the steamer Utopia has been arrested on a charge of manslaughter, and has been admitted to bail.

The divers who searched the wreck discovered hundreds of corpses, packed in masses. The unfortunate people had evidently been fighting to reach the hatchways when the water rushed in and stopped their struggles.

The Utopia was an Iron screw steamer of 2731 tons gross and 1754 tons net, built by B. Duncan and Co., at Port Glasgow, 1874, and owned by Meiara Henderson Brotheri, of Glaigow. She was 350 ft 2in lone, 35ft 2ln broad, with a depth of hold of 29ft 51n. She has compound surface condensing engines, and iru barque-rigged. H.M S. Anionii a turret ram, built at Pembroke in 1886; her indicated horte power is 11,600, and her estimated speed 16*7 knots au hour. She ii steel, and very heavily armoured.