WRECK OF THE MACLEAY

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1259, 13 October 1911, Page 5

WRECK OF THE MACLEAY

ANOTHER NORTH COAST DTKAXTER

(Press Assn.— By Telegraph.— Copyright.) SYDNEY. Oct. 12. The steamer Macleay is ashore on H rough ton Island. Particulars are meagre, but it i.s feared she is a total wreck, and that lives have been lost. Two sailors came ashore on planks, and stated they feared she was breaking up. Wreckage is coming ashore near Newcastle, it is supposed from the Macleay. Two tugs have been despatched to Broughtoii Island. No passengers were aboard the Macleay, but the crew numbered twenty. Only two are known to have been saved. The Macleay was a vessel of 400 tons, and belonged to the North Coast Company. She was bound from Newcastle to Clarence River, and it is supposed foundered in a fog. Later. — The disaster in connection with the Macleay appears to be certain. A message from a search party at a station near Port Stevens states that the body of Jones, a steward on the Macleay, has been washed up. Two survivors, Swanney and Peter son — able-bodied seamen — declare that at eight o'clock last night, in a fog, the first officer was on the bridge, when the vessel struck a rock. The impact was terrific, and the steamer heeled over and practically turned turtle before she sank. The survivors have accompanied the search party, and are not expected back before the morning. (Received October 13, 8.30 a.m.) ! SYDNEY, October 13. Those who are missing from the steamer Macleay are : Captain Donald Keith, master ; Goldsmith, chief officer ; MacLean, second officer; Tarleton, first engineer ; Gowing, second engineer ; Alexander, lamp trimmer; Jones, steward ; Meechan, cook ; Joblin, Tabell, Drevar, Hansen, and Joyce, seamen ; Monks and Killen, firemen. (Received October 13, 9 a.m.) The steamer .Macleay was en route from Sydney to the Clarence river, with a- small general cargo, including three horses. Petersen, who had the wheel at the time of the disaster, stated that the chief officer had just .relieved the second officer. He called the officer's attention to something white abeam. , The- officer declared that it was only a shoal of fish. In another instant the steamer, which was going" at the rate of about nine knots, struck a rock. The captain rushed on deck, and ordered that an attempt be made to beach the vessel. The helm was swung round, and the vessel slid sideways off the rock. The water commenced to pour in forward, and in ten minutes the steamer heeled over and sank. The . boats had been swung out preparatory to launching, but swung back as the vessel heeled over, and could not be launched. All aboard were thrown struggling into the water. He (Petersen) got on a hurdle. Everyone was crying out. The excitement was increased by the horses struggling in the water. Stewart got ' hold of- a horse's tail, and afterwards [climbed on a hurdle. He was thirteen | hours in the water. All through the long, cold liight he hung to the hurdle. When the moon rose lie saw Swanney and another man on some hurdles tied together. ' When morning broke they were close to the surf. In the breakers the two men were washed off Swanney's raft, and being too exhausted to help themselves, were drowned. The two survivors were terribly spent, but managed to struggle ashore.' The scene of the wreck is one of the Cabbage Tree rocks, where the steamer Oakfland was lost some years ago. The ill-fated Rosedale belonged to the same company and was also engaged in the North Coast trade in New South Wales.