THE COLLISION BETWEEN THE WAITARA AND HURUNUI.

Timaru Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 2777, 17 August 1883, Page 3

THE COLLISION BETWEEN THE WAITARA AND HURUNUI.

The following further particulars of this event are taken from tho Hume News of Juno 29th : —

A collision occurred on Juno 22nd m tho English Channel, resulting m tho loss of a line ship and twenty-five lives. The vessel which sank, tho Waitara, belongs to tho New Zoaland Shipping Company. She loft Gr.ivcsend for Now Zealand on June 19th m tow under favorable circumstances, and the tug continued with her until after passing Beachy Head, where she cast off nnd returned to London, leaving tho Waitura to proceed on her way under sail. Another vessel belonging to the same Company, named tho H until 11 i, it seems also left Gravesend for New Zealand on the eiamo day, and was towed down Channel m tho same way as tho Waitara, tho tug leaving her after passing Beachy Head. All went well until Juno 22nd, when at about 10 p.m. the officer of tho watch on board the Waitara reported a largo vessel 011 tho starboard bow, but before tho ship's course could bo alterod tha Hurunui was upon her, striking her with full force amidships. Instantly all was excitement on board. The dozen passengers on the ship hurried up from bolow, and then almost beforo they could realise what had occurred, tho strange ship came on again with another terrific stroke and cut the Waitara to tho water's edge, tho water rushing by tons into the vessel's hold. It was apparent that only a few minutes could ellipse beforo the vessel sank, and a frantic effort was made by Lieut. H. J. Middleton, tho chief oilicer, and some of the crew to launch a boat. Tho effort unhappily was unI successful, a3 tho vessel heeled over and went under whilo some of tho men were still striving to got the boat afloat. For just a moment after the second collision tho rigging of tho two ships remained interlocked, and m this way a few of the crew and passengers wero enablod to save their lives by climbing up the rigging of tho sinking ship and clambeiing along tho bowsprit to tho dock of tho vessel which had run into them, and which it wan then ascertained was a vcaael of their own fleet, viz., tho Himinni, the ship that left Gravesend with them. From the time the Waitara was first struck to tho time she. sank could scarcely have been four minutes, so rapidly did she fill after the collision. Directly tho position of affairs was realised, the Hurunui was brought to and a boat lowered with a view to saving life. A few were picked up, but tho majority of those on board went down with the vessel. It 13 a noteworthy fact that of tho eight steerago passengers on board not ono was saved, whilo four of tho eight cabin passengers wero rescued. Tho Hurutiui on examination was found to bo considerably damaged about tho bows, and after remaining on the spot for some hours whilo tho boat searched m vain for further survivors sho put about for London. Tho Waitara was an iron ship of 883 tons gross, and was built at Glasgow m 18G3. She was constructed with two bulkheads. The Hurunui is also an iron ship, but is somewhat larger than tho Waitara, being of 1054 tons gross. Sbo was built by Palmers, of Newcastle, m 1875.

The following is an official statement m respect to the disaster, which has been furnished by tho New Zealand Shipping Company. The ship Waitara, It. Webster master, left Gravesond on Tuesday, June 19th, m charge of a pilot and m tow of tho tug Victoria, and bound for Wellington, Now Zealand, with a full cargo of merchandise, sixteen passengers and a crew of twenty-five hands, all told. I The tug was let go off Beachy Head, and tho ship proceeded down Channel under sail. At 10 p.m. on Friday, Juno 22nd, a vessel was reported on the starboard bow, and beforo the course of tho Waitara was altered struck her amidships, rebounded, and struck her again m front of the poop, cutting hor below the water's edge and causing her to fill and sink immediately. For a moment tho headgear of tho colliding vessel, tho Hurunui, became entangled m the mizenrigging of the Waitara, and by this means some of the crewand passengers saved their lives. An attempt was made by the chief officer and some hands to launch a boat from tho Waitara, but the ship sank so rapidly that they failed to do so. Tho Hurunui was brought to immediately and boats lowered to pick up survivors. The following passengers were saved : — Mrs Cheek, W. Noble, L. B. Dale, H. f>. Russell, and 11. Webster, master; H. T. Middleton, chief officer ; H. Self, carpenter ; Hyde, boatswain ; Cutten, steward. Drowned : — Mr Cheek, tho Misses Taylor (two young lady passengors), and A. Noblo, cabin passengers ; eight Bteerago passengers, and thirteen of the crew, including Mr Saunders, second officer, tho chief steward, and two apprentices. None of the steerago passengers wero saved. Tho only Baloou passengers on board tho Hurunui were Mr J. W. Toplis and Miss G. Bird.

The following account of the collision has been given by a passenger on board the Hurunui: — "We had frequently sighted the ill-fated Waitara. She had left Gravesend tho aamo timo as ourselves, and was also bound for a Now Zoaland port, she for Wellington, and tho Hurunui for Port Chalmers. On Friday evening, June 22nd, wo wero off Portland. At about 10.15, Boon after we had retired for the night, I was awakened by a sudden shock, and at the same timo the captain burst into the cabin ordering everyone on deck, A largo vessel was at our bows, and its whito ports stood out plainly m the dark night. It had just ceased raining, but tho moon was quite hidden m tho mist. On ascertaining that the ship we wero m was for a few minutes, at least, snfe, I rushed bolow to wrap up m case we might have to use the boats. I was not down a miirtite, and when. I returned the ship had already disappeared, the lifeboat already launched and sent off iv charge of our second mate, and another boat also m charge of tho third officer. Rockets were sent up and blue lights and flare-ups burnt to call the attention of other vessels. One large steamer was close at hand, but although Bhe must have seen our signals sho totally ignored them. A barque also was close at hand, but although m answer to our signals she promised to lie close by and help us, she also immediately left us. We had struck tho ill-starred vessel just above her saloon on tho starboard aido. One of the passengers said afterwards it did not seem to crush, but to break through the sides like so much cardboard. Wo wero soon busy attending to tha rescued. These were two gentlemen from the saloon and the undorsteward. The captain of the Waitara had a miraculous escape. He was caught m the rigging, and absolutely dragged away from his ship, but he instantly returned to it m the lifeboat. After a com-

plete search our boat returned. It brought back six more. Ono poor young fellow soemed absolutely numbed, but I am glad to say is doing woll, although at one time I quite despaired of bringing him round again. One gallant young sailor, named Arnold, handed hia lifebuoy to a lady, the only ono saved, and ho also succeeded m reaching the boat. We all thought, theao were the only survivors, and were overjoyed to Gnd five more seamen had found their way to the ferecastle. I believe thero were sixteen rescued, leaving twenty-five to be accounted for, Whilo we were attending to tho poor sufferers, we wore told the datnago we had sustained. In fact, all the damage to the Hurunui was confined to tho watertight bulkhead. Had it been otherwise tho catastrophe would have been still moro heartrending. Our captain (Captain Hazelwood) was indofatigablo m his exertions, and no ono can possibly appreciate too highly his exertions and the self-possessed manner m which he both took care of his own ship and strained every nerve to rescue fas many as possible of the unfortunate Waitara, Captain Webster, too, strove hard to provent any loss of life, for after they had brought back all they could find, they traversed again and again tho place where tho dreadful catastrophe took place, vainly endeavoring to augment the ii umber of tho rescuod. In fact, from their appearance one would not have dreamed of the torriblo disaster or of the imminent danger wo were m. Until tho pilot came on board Captain Hazelivood did not rotiro from duty. One of our lady passengers was of immense servico m nursing the invalids, and was not m her berth after tho accident. Wo wero fortunate enough to rescue tho first mate, W. Middleton. He was only just sensible when picked up, and perfectly cold and numbed. He bad been vainly endeavoring to launch a boat, but I suppose the calamity was too sudden and speedy to allow it. In fact, two minutes would almost havo covered tho tirno from whon the Waitara was struck and whon sho wa3 boneath tho waves. Tho second officer, whose watch it was, was nnfortunatoly not found. Some few othors may have been saved, but I am afraid tho spot was too carefully searched to allow any such hope to be cherished."

Tho Huruuui arrived m tho Albert Docks on June 25th. Sho has a great holo m her head, and it is thought surprising that sho was not stove m as far as the watertight compartment. The bowsprit, too, is carried away from the middle. Most of the passengers have left the vessel for their homes, but the crews of both ships aro now on board tho Hurunui. It is expected that a month or more must elapse before she can bo ready for sea, as she will havo first to unload. The passengers who remain on board speak m tho highest terms of the conduct of the officers of the Hurunui, which they attribute to tho calm and fearless demeanor maiutained by the captain, Mr Hazelwood, and tho chief officer, Mr Mays. Immediately the passengers and crow saved from the Waitara were safely on board tho Hurunui, the captain of the latter distributed the clothes m his chest among the sufferers, and his crew followed his example.' Two boats were lowered from tho Hurunui, and these succeeded m picking up seven persons.

Captain Webster, of the Waitara, has made a statement, m the courso of which ho says that ho saw a steamer close at hand just at tho time tho collision took place. Ho did not take any particular notice of her, for ho did not dream for a moment that sho would pass on without giving any assistance, or nt all events offering help. At the timo of the collision there was no nn'st. The Waitara was m charge of the second officer, MrSaundors, and Captain Webster had gone below for an hour to look at tho charts. He never saw anything of the steerage passengers after the accident. There could not have been an interval of four minutes botweon the first collision and tho sinking of tho Waitara, and this was too abort a time for the steerage passengers to get on deck. The saloon passengers were all on deck before the Waitara went down. They rushed up at once from their berths. Directly the socond officer saw the Hurunui approaching ho Bent Captain Webster a message, and the latter rushed on deck but was too late to do anything effectual. Tho chief and second officers tried to launch the port life-boat of tho Waitara as Boon as tho collision occurred. There was, however, no time to do this. If there had been another minute ho thought it possible they might havo succeeded iv getting tho boat off, but a3 it was tho ship went down beforo they could do so. The sea was was smooth, bo that there was no difficulty tocontendagainst m that respect. Captain Webster was standing on the poop of the Waitara, after rushing up from bolow, when tho second collision occurred, and ho got entangled m the head gear of tho Hurunui when the latter struck. He was thus pulled on board the Hurunui, but lost no time m getting into ono of the boats and rowing all round the spot where the Waitara had gone down. He was thus onabled to save about six or seven persons.