Burned at Sea.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 29, 4 February 1914, Page 5

Burned at Sea.

BARQUE BATTLE ABBEY.

THE CREW’S EXPERIENCE. [By Electric Telegraph—Copyright] [United Press Association.] a.rn.) Sydney, February 4. The American mail steamer brought details of the burning at sea of the British barque Battle Abbey, bound from Newcastle to Vancouver, coal laden. The barque Eilbek landed the capitain, his wife, and two young daughters, and sixteen officers of the crew of the Battle Abbey at Oregon. The Battle Abbey left Newcastle on October 18th, and when three weeks out a fire was discovered amongst the coal in the bolds. It spread rapidly, and after three days’ fighting, when an explosion was apparently imminent, it was decided to abandon the vessel The weather was rough, and the first two boats were smashed in the launching, but all aboard got away safely in the third and last boat. From Wednesday morning to Friday evening, they tossed about on tho stormy sea, and were drenched, but had plenty of food and water. Then they sighted the Eilbek and were taken aboard.

The captain declared that the Battle Abbey had surely blown up, as she was smoking before and aft and the gas was generating fast when she was abandoned.