Collision between the Bonnie Dundee and the Barrabool.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VI, Issue 658, 24 March 1879, Page 2

Collision between the Bonnie Dundee and the Barrabool.

The Sydney Evening News contains full particulars of the collision, which resulted in the sinking of the steamer Bonnie Dundee, with a loss of five lives.

When the Bonnie Dundee was ten miles south of Newcastle at a quarter to 8, a steamer's smoke was observed ahead, and shortly afterwards saw the steamer's light, and observed the usual precaution laid down for meeting ships. Observed the steamer alter her course, and again the stranger deviated from her course. Captain Stewart was on the bridge and stopped his engines, but the two vessels came in collision, the Barrabool striking the Bonnie Dundee amidships on the starboard side, cutting through the boat, smashing in the captain's cabin, and cutting right into the ship's plates. • The Bonnie Dundee settled down head first, and sank in bout five or six minutes. The Bonnie Dundee's boat was quickly lowered, in charge of the mate and some of the crew and male passengers, the females being left behind. When the ship sunk Captain Stewart sank with her, and nearly lost his life. When the ill-fated ship was sinking, a child, named Blane, grandchild of Mrs. Wright, was thrown by the stewardess into the boat ; the mate caught the infant in his arms, and it was saved.

The catastrophe is rendered more painful by the fact of all the women being drowned. The fact that the vessel collided on a beautiful clear night, each being distinctly seen by the other in ample time to avoid any risk whatever, makes the disaster one of the most unaccountable and disgraceful that has occurred on the Australian coast.

STATEMENT OF THE MAN AT THE WHEEL.

The shock was very severe. Dose was thrown off his feet on to his back. The captain sang out to them to save themselves. The Bonnie Dundee began to sink with alarming rapidity. Dose made a rush for the bows of the Barabool and managed to get on deck, but had scarcely done so, when he looked round and saw the Bonnie Dundee going down by her nose.

The Dundee's boat had been got out, and came alongside of the Barabool full of men and water. The men were bailing the boat out with their boots.

Afterwards, a boat was lowered from the Barabool to assist the people from the Bonnie Dundee. The boat returned with the body of a female passenger. They also Searched about in the boat for about an hour, but found nothing further. The Bonnie Dundee sank in about three or four minutes after being struck. The thing that was done on board was to assist the passengers. This was done by the captain and the mate, while the boat was being lowered. The stewardess appeared more composed than any one else, evidently unconscious of any danger. The men called out to her to jump into the boat, but she would not do so, and went down with the vessel. There was one passenger, an elderly lady, below m'c the time of the collision, but she soon came on deck. The captain gave th? woman a life-buoy, and told them to save themselbes. The captain stopped on board the Bonnie Dundee until after she went down.