LOSS OF H.M.S. COBRA.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 9284, 24 October 1901, Page 4

LOSS OF H.M.S. COBRA.

BREAKS IX TWO OFF THE HUMBKK. 67 LINKS LOST. THE COOL VALOR OF BlUTlSii BLUEJACKETS,

LONDON, Sept. 21. London heard yesterday with consternation of a terrible disaster m the North Sea, subsequent distressing details ot which showed that the twin-screw torpedo-boat destroyer Cobra had foundered on her way from Newcastle to Portsmouth, involving the loss of some 67 lives. The Cobra, built two years ago, was the latest of His Majesty's turbine vessels to be launched, and the only one of her class. She was intended to replace the Viper, her sister ship, lost m the recent manoeuvres off Alderney. Fresh from the hands of* the Admiralty contractors on the Tyne, she left for Portsmouth at 11 o'clock on Tuesday morning, m charge of Lieutenant Alan \V. Bosworth-Smith, of H.M.S. Wellington, and a navigation party of 53 from Portsmouth Dockyard. There were also on board 25 men from Newcastle m the employ of the contractors, making a total of 79 souls. Of this unfortunate party 12 survivors have been landed at Middlesbrough, and the bodies of six men have been brought ashore at Grimsby, leaving 61 men to be accounted for. One large boat, with room for 30 men, was seen to capsize m the rough sea. There is some doubt whether any other boats, apart from the one containing the 12 men who were rescued, were launched m the brief time which elapsed before the Cobra snapped m two and went down, so that there is, unfortunately, the strongest reason to fear that the 12 already landed are the only men who escaped. It was five o'clock on Tuesday evening when the Cobra steamed out of the Tyne. The" weather was wild, and a very heavy sea -was running, which even at the outset caused some little anxiety, and the night was a trying one. In the middle watch the vessel began to roll heavily. At half-past 7 on Wednesday morning the accident happened suddenly and unexpectedly. No one seems to have observed a great shock. B. Thayler, who was on the bridge at the wheel, says he noticed no unusual shock. But all at once the Cobra's back broke. The stem and stern rose high out of the water, the framework and plates amidships smashing up with a loud noise. The four funnels were practically sandwiched between the two portions as the ship broke up. It was only a few moments till she sank, and m that brief interval it was impossible to save the lives of more than a few of her gallant crew. The stokers were almost immediately overwhelmed by the inrush of water. A few managed to scramble on to the deck, and two of them are among the survivors landed at Middlesbrough yesterday. The break-up was so rapid that several men were caught between the grinding masses of steel and injured. The men were not able to furnish the boats with either provisions or water, and some of the boats, one of which was the whaler, were capsized owing to the terribly rough sea which prevailed. Time did not suffice for even the patent Berthon collapsible boats to be opened out, and one of them, which was thrown overboard as it stood, m the hope that something might be done with, it, apparently sank. The dinghy was only built to hold eight men, and nine were m when the ship sank. Three others hung on to the gunwale for three hours before an attempt could be made to get them aboard on account of the high seas running. The survivors cruised about for over ten hours. They sighted several vessels, but were unable to attract attention till Wednesday evening, when they were observed from the Peninsular and Oriental steamer Harlington. Seen through the telescope, the occupants of the craft appeared to be m great distress, and Captain Young at once gave orders to steam m their direction. About a quarter-past six the boat was reached, and its occupants were taken on board m an exhausted condition. They included Chief Engineer Percey and nine non-commissioned officers and men of the navy and two men. The officer m charge was almost entirely without clothing, and he and all the men were m a sad condition, having been battling all day with a dangerous sea. There had been no time to take aboard water or provisions, and all were suffering from hunger and thirst-. THE WRECK UNAPPROACHABLE. Captain James Smith, who was m command of the herring drifter No. 15, which picked up the six bodies near the wreck, had an interview with the master of the Outer Dowsing lightship, who had seen the whole of the terrible occurrence through his glasses. He told Captain Smith that at about 7 o'clock m the morning the Cobra went past under full steam, driving with some difficulty through the gale. She was plainly having a bad time, but seemed all right. All of a sudden she dropped on a heavy sea and Droke clean m two halves. It was all over m a few seconds, and nobody had time to do anything. Attempt at relief from the lightship was out of the question. One-half of the broken ship seemed to sink at once, and the other remained upright. Five of the bodies have been identified as those of Stoker Murray, Stoker Barrett, Able Seaman Tuffery, Bryans, a contractor's man, and Coles, a warrant officer. The gunboat Alarm, which was stationed just outside Grimsby, immediately got up steam when the drifter reached the port, and left to make investigations. She returned m the evening and reported that she was unable to reach the Cobra, owing to the tremendous sea. The destroyer had broken m half, and the bows were standing up 6ft or 7ft clear of the rock. The stem part of the ship had foundered ml 4 fathoms. The Alarm cruised about for two or three hours, but found no more bodies. She was to make another attempt last night to reach the wreck. The cruiser St. George, which only arrived on Wednesday at Spithead from escorting the Ophir, has been despatched to the scene of the disaster, accompanied by the gunboat Jaseur, m order to salve the wreck. The armored cruiser Immortalite and two destroyers have left Sheerness to search, for bodies of the missing. SURVIVOR'S NARRATIVE. The only Shields survivor of the dis- . aster, William Bates, was interviewed at his home last night, and gave a striking narrative of the disaster. He states that he had just turned into his hammock when he heard shoutings and the blowing of whistles. He rushed on deck, when there were two shocks, and it was evident that the vessel had struck on a sand-shoal. She appeared to be fast amidships, and oscillated as though on a swivel. An effort was made to launch the boats, there being five m all on board. Only one, however, was safely got into the water. This was the dinghy, which h;id a canvas covering, but for which she could not have been successfully launched. Another boat was immediately swamped. Only eight men had got away m the dinghy, but Bates dived into the sea aud swam after it, and got hold of the stern. By this time the Cobra had parted m two, and her stem and stern were upreared m a remarkable manner, while the middle portion was submerged. IN THE STOKEHOLD. The dramatic story of his rescue was told by Stoker Collins, who was the last to be taken on board the dinghy. Collins, it may be mentioned, some sis weeks ago lost his father, who was drowned when the Oceanic ran down the Kincora. Collins said:— "l was on duty m the stokehold when the vessel struck. The water began to pour m almost immediately, and coming m contact with the boilers, caused great clouds of steam to rise. "Rushing up to the deck m my trousers and singlet, accompanied by other men who were below, a terrible spectacle met my gaze. Waves were breaking over the doomed ship, and men, with cries and "shouts, Mere rushing m a- body for the ship's whaleboat. "Hastily snatching a lifebelt, I went m the same direction and found a place 111 the. boat. Others tumbled m one on the other without regard to the appealing cries of those- already m the boat, warning them that the »vha!er would be overturned. "I estimate that some 40 or 50 men rushed into the boat, with the result that it overturned, and the whole of its

living freight w;is consigned into the r.'gmg s.'a. •| lwiinil tliiil my leg had been injuivd m tlie overturning of llie wimler, lmi 1 siiiu.K out lor tin- dinghy. ;iml uKing" to tlie stern with two otneis. ilie occupants of the dinghy dared not take me aboard until calmer water was reached, and it was a long rime afterwards that 1 was dragged m, thoroughly exhausted, and unable to hold on any longer. "A umbers of the men from the whaler were already floating m the water dead, notwithstanding the lifebelts they wore, for the waves rendered the belts little better than useless. Some poor fellows raised piteous appeals for help and mercy as the dinghy, already loaded beyond its capacity, drew gradually away. One man, who belonged to Messrs. Parsous' -works, was heard to cry just us the waves closed over him for ever, 'Oh, my God ! my wife and my children ! Others of the whaler's victims were sucked m under the vessel and speedily drowned." HOW THE COMMANDER DIED. Lieutenant Bosworth-Smith, who was m command of the vessel, died at his post like the gallant officer and gentleman that he wiis. Having given the few instructions that were necessary, he stood on the bridge with folded arms, and watched with unmoved mien the departure of the only link between himself and the world. Onlookers who saw the last of him as the dinghy drew away declare that he hardly, to judge by his countenance, seemed to realise his fate. Chief Engineer Percey had stood upon the bridge by his side until the very last moment, and then, diving into the sea, he was picked up by the occupants j of the dingliy.