LOSS OF AN OCEAN LINER.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7660, 19 June 1896, Page 2

LOSS OF AN OCEAN LINER.

THE DRUMMOND CASTLE WRECKED.

SHE FOUNDERS INT THREE MINUTES.

GREAT LOSS OF LIFE.

ATTEMPTS AT RESCUE FUTILE. .London, June 17. A telegram has been received from the island of Ushant, off the coaflt of Brittany, in France, reporting that a serious collision has occurred between two vessels near there. A steamer, name at present unknown, collided with the South African mail steamer Drummond Castle, belonging to the Castle Line, and the latter sustained such serious damage that sho foundered in the short space of three minutes. The vessel is known to have had on board 143 passengers, and her officers and crew numbered 103. Up to the present only two lives are known to have been saved, but there are strong hopes that some of the others on board may have been rescued in the ship's boats. June 18th.— Later iuformation shows that the Drummond Castle was not in collision, but struck the island of Molene at midnight on Tuesday. The only person saved from the wreck, so far as can be ascertained, is Mark Nardt, one of the passengers. The British cruiser Sybille, attached to the Mediterranean squadron, witnesaed the sad disaster, and her boats were immediately lowered, but owing to the rapidity with which the unfortunate vessel collapsed and sank, all attempts at rescue were rendered futile. Later.— The Drummond Castle struck on a sunken reef. Only three of those on board are known to have escaped. A huge rent was torn in the bottom, and the vessel sank at once. She waß not carrying either mails or specie this trip. The weather was calm at the time, and it is supposed the catastrophe was caused by the fog. Captain Pierce was commander x of the vessel.