THE PERILS OF THE DEEP.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12814, 13 July 1912, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE PERILS OF THE DEEP.

In an article on "Lost Liners," m Chambers' Journal, Mr Joseph Homer recalls the number of vessels which haw, from time to time disappeared mysteriously, leaving not a single survivor to. tell the story. In the North Atlantic service alone, between 1841 and 1690, nO fewer than 24 big steamers were totally blotted out of human knowledge, together with their crews and passengiiis, numbering 1453. The President, with 136 souls on board, was the first of these to be lost for ever, iri 1841. The City of .Glasgow disappeared m, 1854, without leaving a trace, and she had 480. souls on, board. tn 1856 the Pacific, with a living freight of 240, sailed from Liverpool m June, airi was never more heard of. The Tempest, with 150 souls, mysteriously disappeared iu x 1859. The City of Bost6h,with 170 persons, vanished m 1870. The Huronian, an Allan liner, disappeared m 1902 ; and the British; gnu boat Condor was lost m the Pacific 'in; 1901. In 1893 a ....cattle steamer, the Naroriic, with 77 hands, was lost. As to the possible causes of the catastrophes, it is only possible, to surmise capsizing.; damage from within, such as explosion j breakdown of machinery, °r fire; or damage from without, such as collision with an iceberg or with a derelict, hulk, .have all been suggested to explain .the, losses of vessels. The Captain capsized, and htmdreds of lives were losti and it is now», generally assumed that the Waratah capsized by reason of top-heaviness. AAs to damage to machinery, we have the case of ttie City of Paris, which had a big smash m one .of her 'engine-rooms m 1890. She was near, the Irish coast, but, though both engine-rooms were filled with water m 10 minutes, she was kept afloat owing, to her water-tight compartments for three days, until help came to tow her into Queenstown. In -, the case of a fire, everything probably would; be consumed to the; water's edge, . and if "this happened far from land the .chances of r.es.cue would be remote. Heavy weather and tidal waves >yith the 'older .vessels, at any rate, were probably -other reasons ioi" shipwreck. ' . ,