LOSS OF THE CARNEGIE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17144, 28 December 1929, Page 15

LOSS OF THE CARNEGIE

EXPLOSION AT APIA HEAT FROM BURNING OIL * CAUSE OF DISASTER UNKNOWN Passengers from Apia who arrived at Auckland by the Tolua. brought- vivid descriptions of the loss there of the famous American scientific yacht Carnegie on November 30. The disaster caused a sensation in Samoa. Passengens state that an inquiry has already been held, but without any finding as to the cause of the explosion which destroyed tho vessel. Mr. A. Cameron, who has returned to Auckland after two years’ service in the Apia branch of the Bank of New Zealand, was sitting on the verandah of the hank, near the waterfront, when the explosion occurred. “It was during the lunch hour, and the whole town was more or less asleep,’’ he said. “Suddenly there was a. shattering explosion, followed by leaping flames and further loud reports. From where I was sitting it- seemed that the -stern of the yacht was thrown clean out of the water.”

■ Mr. Cameron said that Captain J. P. Ault, commander of the Carnegie and leader of the scientific expedition, was thrown overboard by the force of the explosion. Ho was picked up by a ship’s boat only half conscious and scarcely •able to keep afloat. He was unable to speak and died on bis way to the hospital. No trace had been found of the missing galley boy, and it was thought that he perished in the flames. “The chief engineer, Mr, Carl Stuck, was the only one who could have given any reason for the explosion,” Mr. Cameron said. “Ho was seriously injured and was unable to give evidence at the inquiry. Before we left Apia it was reported that ho was progressing favor- | ably.” I “The destruction of the Carnegie, vfitli ’ loss of life, cast quite a gloom over iApia,” said Mr. A. McCarthy, Crown , Prosecutor of Samoa. The three ex- ; plosions shook every place in, the town, and were heard as far away as Government House, three miles distant. The burning vessel made an awe-inspiring sight. Bursts of flame seemed almost to reach the shore, and the onlooking Samoans scattered in fear. The heat was tremendous. The Ratira, a three,-masted schooner, bad to be moved twice to avoid the danger of being set on fire, The authorities feared to dynamite the Carnegie, thus quickening her destruction, because of the danger that the oil from her tanks would flow bver the j waters of the harbor and endanger three ' vessels which were there loading copra. The remains of the Carnegie were still alight 10 days after the explosions occurred. At night, when the wind fanned the embers, the hull would glow ; from end to end. i Captain Wileocks, harbormaster fit Apia, bad been appointed receiver for , the owners, and was salvaging anything of value. This would include the two anchors, said 1 to be worth £SOO each.