A TOTAL WRECK.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 110, 15 June 1914, Page 7

A TOTAL WRECK.

WHALER GOES ASHORE. THE CREW LAND SAFELY. BATTLING IN THE DARKNESS. THRILLING EXPERIENCES IN BOATS.

By Cable.—Press Asstci*ti»n. —CtpyriffM. (Received June 15, 8;10 a.m.) MELBOURNE, June 15. The whaler Campbell, en route to West Australian whaling fleet, went ashore on Corsair Reef, Port Nepean* - •: •• The crew landed safely. The vessel is a. total: wreck. The Campbell's machinery broke when she was off Cape Qtway. .. She was attempting to enter Port Phillip for repairs at eleven o'clock at night Without a pilot when she was carried oi} to the reef-by a strong ebb tide. •. Five of the crsw of nine launched, a boat whieh was damaged, but getting afloat they-plugged the hole with their caps;. - v' , }

The boat ; was; taken out .ta.ssea by a strong tide, and; • the crew lost their oars, .biit. ,improvised oars..After battling, for several hours in the and when the tide turned they su<Beeede,d, in reaching Queenseliffe ijp an exhausted condition, and-reported the disaster, _ In'the'-meantime-the "remaining four of the crow-, including the captain,: left the Campbell in another boat, which a tug picked up.. The Campbell is regarded as being a total loss. ' She is * valued at £IB,OOO, and is covered ?by insurahees in Nor-

[The Campbell is a steel screw Norwegian wjialer of 135 tons,, constructed in 1911 by Nylands Vaersted, Christiania, and owned-by the Ak-ties Australia Company. Her. dimensions are: Length 98.3 feet, breadth 19.1 feet, depth Il.4fee£]