WRECK OF THE VENTNOR.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7544, 29 October 1902, Page 3

WRECK OF THE VENTNOR.

. 4 A MORTUARY VESSEL FOUNDERS. 500 BODIES LOST. [From Our Correspondent.] AUCKLAND, Oct. 29. The steamer Ventnor, from Wellington, bound' to Hongkong, loaded winh bodies of resurrected Chinese, struck Cape ligmont on Sunday night, and foundered off Hokianga. Two boats, with tho officers and a parb of the crew, have landed. The rest of the crew have been seen in two boats seven miles out. The steamer Energy has been sent to their assistance. [Per Press Association.] LATER. The Ventnor had five hundred Chinese bodies and 6400 tons of coal on board. A special wire to the "Star" states that on Monday, at 12.30 a.m., the vessel^ struck the rocks southward of Cape Egmont. After a shoit time she managed to get off, and proceeded on her voyage. The water gained in I No. 1 hold till Tuesday, when the ballast tanks were found to be full of water., and the steamer was going down by the head. On Tuesday evening stie became unmanageable, and was found gradually sinking. About 9 p.m. she was going down fast, and all hands were ordered to. the 'boats. They had barely time to get clear before the steamer sank. The Hokianga Heads light was seen at a distance of about ten miles. Two boats, containing the chief officer (Mr Cameron) and the second and third engineers and fourteen members of the crew, landed on Omapere Beach at daylight this morning. Another boat has been sighted, and is expected to arrive shortly. The third boat's crew from the Ventnor is reported safe. WELLINGTON, Oct. 29. Of the coffins carried by the Ventnor, 489 are insured in the Alliance Assurance Company for £5490, and the fungus is insured for about £320 in various offices in Wellington. The Ventnor was four inches light of her marks, as not sufficient coal had arrived from "Westport, and as she was on time charter the agents despatched her without waiting for more. Oct. 29. One hundred and seventy-seven Chinese bodies or the remains of bodies were shipped at Greymouth. Some 'had been in the cemetery for twenty years, while others had never been interred. The Chinese community here is in a great state of excitement over the foundering' of the Ventnor with the bodies on board. DUNEDIN, Oct. 29. The Alliance Assurance Company had a risk of £3650 on the Ventnor \s bodies, numbering 480. and of this amount £1860 was re-insured in the South British Office. The bodies came from Greymouth, Wellington and Dunedin. The Ventnor was under charter to the Admiralty to take coal from Westport fo Hongkong. She belonged to the Vontiior Shipping Company, of Glasgow, where she was built in 1901." She was a steel steamer, of 3961 tons gross and 346 nominal horsepower.