DISASTER TO A NEW ZEALAND

Otago Witness, Issue 2206, 11 June 1896, Page 47

DISASTER TO A NEW ZEALAND

LOSS OP 16 LIVES. (PflOM Ora OtTO Counisiu.,wtf»T.) London, April 2ft Early on Thursday morning news was brought to land of a disastrous collision io tho IrinJi Channol off Dublin Bj -, in whioh the Giwgow barque Firth of Solway was sunk* and 16 liws lost, including those o? the captain's wife ftnij daughters The sorvivora, nino in number, including Captain B. R. Kendriefe, master ot the barque, were brought direofc from the aoono of the disaster to Gteenocls by the colliding atenmer, the Musden, whioh was bound for Glasgow from Newcastle. The Firth of Solway, whioh was owned by Messrs J. Spencer and Co., Glasgow, tailed from the Clyde on Thursday, with a general cargo, for Dunedin, Now Zealand. There were on board 22 of the crew and the captain's wife aud daughter. The story of the disaster, as reported by the captain of the ffrrth of Solway to the owners, is that shortly after 1 o'clock on finnday mom* iug, in clear weather, witfu the wind southerly, he sighted the steamer off Dublin Bay, st«am« , ing towards th«m at a rato of 10 knots an hoar, | The barque's speed waa about four kuote. According to the rule of the road, which lajß I the obligation upon the ateamec to alter her [ oourse to avoid collision, the barque waa kept on a straight coatee. Twelve minutes after she was first sighted the steamer crashed into the barque, catting ; into her between the forecastle-head and the foremaet. Tho foremast and the yards oama down with the sheck of the collision, and the black cook and one of tho seamen were hilled, Tbe men off watoh were acleap in their bunks below, and the vessel wont: down so quickly that the waves had dosed over her before they could reaoh the deck. The captain's wife and daughter, who were asleep in the cabin, shared j tho same sudden f*ta. Boats were put out from the Maraden, bub some of the men who floated aftor the ship went down sank before they oould bo rescued. Altogether nine wero rescued— some of them having been more than half an honr in the water — in a very exhausted condition. The colliding st«am«r had her bowa badly damaged. The story of Captain Kendrick'a bereavement is a peculiarly pathetic one. A few weeka aga he underwent a severe surgical oparafelos, and had nob fully recovered when be was offered the appointment to fhe Firth of Sobrfcy. In the hope that the voyage would do him good, he accepted. Mr* Kendrick resolved to accompany and attend him. They accordingly sold their household effeots, sent their two boys, 18 and 10 years, to a boarding school m England, and took their daughter, aged seven, with thaw. This was tbe first oeoasion on whioh Mm Kendrick had accompanied her husband to sea. Owing to the lots of his wife and ohild, Captain Kendrick was in a very distressed state of mind. In his deposition at Greenoek verier* I day he stated that the vessel was making a fine slant down the Chanuel to th» south of the KUh lightship, when he went below after midnight to rest, The night was datk, but starry and dear. Between I and 2 o'dook he was startled by tbe shook of the collision. Ha ran instantly on deck, and was just in time to acs ■ the foveoastle head disappearing below the water. The members of the crew who were on the watch jumped into' the sea, and with them the second mate, the only one of tho watch below who was saved. The barque sank with remarkable quickness, and tho men wero left dinging to the wreckage. Boat* from the Maraden picked up himself, tho mate, seoond mate, oarpenter, two seameD, and three apprentices, All the others were lost. The man at the wheel and the man at the look-out on the barque are both among th» drowned. I The Firth of Solway was an iron barquo of 1313 tons, classed 100 Al at Lloyd's, and was built 11 years ago by Mr W. B. Thomson, Glasgow ; and the Marsden is a steel screw steamer of 919 tons gross, built at Newcastle-on-Tyne font year, and owned by Messrs Burnett and Co., of that town. Muoh regret is expressed in Moff»t at tbe loss in- the barque Fiith of Solway of Christopher Findlayson, one of the apprentices. Findlayson was about 18 years of age, and w»s a nephew of Miis FindlaysoD, Bost« ncath Cottage, Moffat, by whom ho waa brought up, he having lost both his father and mother when he was quite young. Over two years ago Findlayron left to become an apprentice ou tho Cambuswallaoe, whioh vessel was wrecked on her first voyage off th-s coatft of New .Zealand, Findlayson and others par* rowly esoaping, but losing their effects. Find* layson's only brother was drowned in the Rivet Annan, near Moffat, 18 months ago.