PERILS OF THE SEA.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 50, 13 October 1911, Page 5

PERILS OF THE SEA.

WRECKED IX A FOG. STEAMER TURNS TURTLE. (By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (United Press Association.) Sydney, October 12. The steamer MacLeay is ashore at Broughton Island. Particulars are meagre. It is feared she is a total wreck and that many lives have been lost. Two sailors came ashore on planks. It is feared the vessel is breaking up. W reckago is coming ashore near Newcastle from, it is supposed, the MacLeay. Two tugs have been despatched to Broughton Island. No passengers wore aboard the MacLeay, but the crew numbered twenty. Only two are known to have been saved. '1 he MacLeay is a vessel of 400 tons, and belonged to the North Coast Company. She was bound from Newcastle to Clarence river, and is supposed to have foundered in a fog. Later. A disaster in connection with the MacLeay appears to be certain. _ A message from Tea Party (a station near Port Stevens) states that the body of Jones, a steward cf the MacLeay, was washed up. The survivors, named Swanney and Peterson, ablebodkd seamen, declare that at 8 o’clock last night in a fog, while tho first officer was on lire bridge, the vessel struck a rock. The impact was terrific, and the steamer heeled over and practically “turned turtle” before she sank. The' survivors accompanied a search party, which is not expected back before tho morning. THE MISSING. i (Received 13, 8.5 a.m.) Sydney, October 13. Tho MacLeay’s missing are:—Don:ld Keith (master), Goldsmith (chief officer), McLean (second officer), Tartloton (first engineer), (lowing (second engineer), Alexander (lamp trimmer), Jones (steward), Median (cook), Jablin, Drevar, Taboll, Hausen, Joyce seamen), Monks, and Killen (firemen). A SURVIVOR'S STORY. (Received 13, D a.m.) Sydney, October 13. The MacLeay was cn 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, states that the •liief officer had just relieved the second officer. He called the officer’s aticntion to something white ahead. Tho ifficer declared that it was' only a school of fish-. In another instant, while tho steamer was going about nine knots, she struck. Tho captain rushed on deck and ordered an attempt to be made to beach tho vessel. The holm was swung round, but tho MacLeay slid sideways off the rock, and the water commenced to pour in forward. In ten minutes she heeled over and sank. The boats bad been swung out preparatory to launching, but swung back as the vessel ncelcd over, and they could not be launched. All aboard were thrown struggling into the water. Petersen got on a hurdle. Everyone was crying out. The excitement was increas'd by a number of horses struggling in the water. Tho steward got hold if a horse’s tail and afterwards climbed on a hurdle. Petersen was thirteen hours in tho water. All through a long, cold night Jig hung to the hurdle; when tho moon rose ho saw Swanney and another man on some hurdles tied together. When morning broke they were close to the surf and in the breakers the two men were washed off Swanuey’s raft, and being too exhausted to help themselves, they were drowned. The two survivors were terribly spent. They managed to struggle ashore. The scene of the wreck was One Cabbage Tree Rocks, where the steamer Oakland was lost some years ago.