THE OVERDUE YONGOLA.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXVI, Issue 13337, 28 March 1911, Page 5

THE OVERDUE YONGOLA.

150 PEOPLE ABOARD. Press Association.—Telegraph.-Copyright. BRISBANE, March 27. Thor© are no tidings of the Y'ongala. Altogether there, arc about 150 souls aboard, including; the ship’s company, numbering 72. Several steamers, inclnd ing throe Government vessels, arc continuing the search. Captain Knight, of the Yongala, is an experienced officer. The belief is expressed that ho either ran to the open sea to escape the cyclone, or possibly the machinery is damaged, and the vessel is sheltering inshore. The coast between here and Mackay is intricate, and will require close searching. A PESSIMISTIC VIEW. Received March 28, 10.20 a.m. BRISBANE, March 28. 'Die captains of arriving vessels report a severe cyclonic storm wjth blinding rain at the time theYongala was off Dent Island, where she was last sighted. The viciuity is beset with reefs and islands, i c.l they do not take a'hopeful view. : Having been able to head out seawards, the owners are hopeful. The Yongala was staunch and well found, and in charge of an experienced captain. They hold the opinion that the machinery may have broken down, or that the vessel is sheltering in the outlying islands of the Barrier Reef. Besides 700 tons of coal, she has an equal quantity of cargo aboard. The passengers include 10 from Sydney.

Early in the present month the steamer Yongala had an exceptionally rough trip from Queensland to Sydney. No sooner had sho begun 'her run south on the Ist inst. from Cairns than she met the full force of a strong .southerly Wow, with heavy rain squalls and a big sea. These conditions lasted as far as Townsville. On putting to sea again on tile 2nd inst., the Y'ongala. ran into a E.S.E. gale, which raised rough seas, and alio could not get clear of it until she put into Bowen. Leaving there again on the .3rd inst. for Flattop it. was'-found that windmrid sea had inAt times the gale blew with hurricane force, and almost brought the vessel up. Plenty of water broke aboard, and kept the passengers W>low. Flat-top was reached at 9.30 o’clock the same night, but owing to the severity of the gale and the tremendous' seas running Captain Knight doomed it inadvisable to proceed in {hero, and the Yongala was headed for Brisbane. Soon after the steamer was put on her course, however, the weather became so thick that everything beyond the ship’s bows was obscured, and progress under such conditions was risky, so the Yongala cruised to and fro near Fiat-top till daylight, when she made for Mackay and anchored at G a.m. cu the 4th inst. After a short spell of two hours in the smooth water the Yongala steered for the open sea again, only to run into the freshening gale. Mountainous seas were running, and the steamer’s docks were constantly in a state of flood. She was kept at it, however, and after darkness set in the conditions moderated a gool deal, hut when the Yongala ran into Brisbane on the (sth inst. the weather was quite had enough outside for the ordinary seafarer. That was the last of the bad weather met with by the steamer, as smooth seas prevailed between Brisbane and Sydney. The Yongala had a large number of passengers aboard during her stormy experience, but she proved hcrsclL'a great seaboat.