EXPERIENCE IN THE LIFEBOATS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 12698, 16 March 1910, Page 5

EXPERIENCE IN THE LIFEBOATS.

SYDNEY, March 5. The 'steamer Moresby, which stranded on the Barrier ; Reef whjle. proceeding from the; Solomon Group and Papua tv Cooktown, struck early on Friday motn. ing. It was perfectly •■■calm, at "the time, the sea being like a millppnd. : There were two bumps, but the. shock! was not. severe, and passengers; on reaching the deck, found the' ship Hard. and fast on the Barrier. .It . -, was high water when she struck. Efforts were made, to back off, but ; without success, .Captain Vo*y then despatched the launch - iii charge; of the ..chief ■ officer , for assistance. "'As the tide> fell keidges out, and with the Vising tide- further .' attempt* were . made •to back off, . but they were unsuccessful. 1 .' Saturday morning's tide was better, than- .that of. the previous" evening, and yDaptain Voy made a further attempt to get the ship aflpat r but she refused to -budge :an- inch. .. , > A suggestion • that - the passengers should -be landed on' Lizard Island met with . all : round \ approval, arid -the ship's officers 'had -the .Boats, run-out and fully; provisioned for ''the 7 trip. ■ The distance from the.stranded; ■ steamer ■■] to Lizard. Island was oniy-j 20 miles', ' and with ..the fine' t weatherV pjrevailin'g it^was tholight theriAndkig^'crtuldtSbe effected' before davkf, ,'■ /-ThS '\ ladie^ and'Vthildren '.[ Were plqsed m, the ijrs^btMft-^-a ne>v • lifeboat— the' tiiirij ..officer^ being m ohaugfi, - with nine jiands; four vbekigi \Solomon' Island, natives. The saloon^assenger<t \verit ,\ti No.' 2 boat." Thei;e ; Wfef-e ;l4 all; told, inchiding tliree. riativesj the; purser being placed m. charge,; and the. steerage' passengers, > principally 'miher.^ Were despatched m the third-boat, ■ ; tailing-: a steward \vith theni;. The jpurjipy 'start, ed^ at slack Water, abdut lO.iJO a.m. - on. Saturday * Arid it was expected a ' landipg^ would be m/ide abb-ut 6. p.m. that dayV The boats, however, got .separated/ tfle first id iand being No. 3 boat,' with the steerage 'passengers, early on : B'unday morning, this being followed by ilio saloon passengersj 'about .piidday., pn; 'Suriday, ;wlnle; theii.boat with, tJifei-ladiek -Was: swept ;' a;>y ay 1 bjy. the civrreji^ and ■; JBnaliy re'ache,d_ .the Howick?^ Gjroup',. Adhere -it-hie castawAys were! picked up by theVsteamei 1 ' John Douglas. ■ ... ..;.-.;