CITY EDITION. PUBLISHED AT 5 P.M. SHIPPING CASUALTIES

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10538, 13 August 1912, Page 3

CITY EDITION. PUBLISHED AT 5 P.M. SHIPPING CASUALTIES

LOSS OF A SHIP. PERILS OF THE SEA. Uni'ed Press Association—By Eleotrio Tolotraph—Copyright. (Received August' 13, 11.35 a.m.) MELBOURNE, August 13. A fishing smack has arrived from Hummock Island," Bass Straits, with twenty-one members of the crew of the ship G. W. Wolff, from Buenos Ayres to Newcastle, in ballast, reported to have been driven ashore in a heavy gale on Wednesday morning. Captain {fhomas was drowned. At the time of Sighting land, there was strong wind and a heavy, adverse tide. The gale became worse, and they were unable to weather the land, but drove ashore stem on. Big breakers soon began to play havoo with the vessel,,which was pounding heavily. The mainmast snapped and fell overboard, and shortly after the foremast, then the mizzenmast. The crew donned their lifebelts, the ship showing signs of a general breaking up. The second mate, Pultzke, and three men, were many times driven back badly bruised, but managed to cross the seventy yards of broken water to the shore, and secured a line, on which twenty-one members of the crew crossed to land safely. The first mate, Jenkins, had a narrow escape. Ho was swept off the line, and a seamnn dived and rescued him. It was then discovered that the captain was missing. He was last seen going below, it is supposed to secure the ship's papers. In the meantime the main-deck opened, the vessel parting in two. No sign of the captain was visible, though the coast was (Ksarched. The survivors saved only the clothes they were wearing, and made their way across the island, .where the smack was anchored, and (were taken aboard and well treated. Before they left the island the wreck Tiad completely disappeared. Mrs •Thomas's father and two brothers, and now her husband, were drowned at sea.