THE CUMBERLAND'S FATE.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LX, Issue 17061, 14 August 1917, Page 3

THE CUMBERLAND'S FATE.

SINKS IN DE^P WATER

SYDNEY, August 13

Th« steamer Cumberland, after temporary patching and floating, was being towed to Twofold Bay, when she encountered a heavy sea and sank off Green Cape, in 35 fathoms of water. The crew were rescued by the accompanying vessels.

The Federal steamer Cumberland was seriously damaged by an explosion on July 6 when 15 miles off Gabo Isla.id, Within half an hour of the explosion all hands had abandoned the ship. The vessel—a drifting derelict—had 'developed a dangerous list, and was settling down by the head and appeared to le liopelees. But the liner, although she had a gapiug hole in her side, was kept afloat by the water-tight bulkheads, and Captain A. G. McGibbon (the master) and his chief engineer (Mr Drummond), together with th© ship's carpenter, a quartermaster, two stewards, and five tiremen, pluckily returned on board. While the engineer and firemen kept the steam going th© captain a'ud others, guided by .the lighthousekeeper in a boat, succeeded in beaching the vessel near Gabo Island. It seems certain that had the explosion occurred in bad weather the Cumberland would have quickly gone down with all hands As it was she was only just beached in time. .