WRECK OF THE BRITISH ADMIRAL ON KING’S ISLAND.

Western Star, Issue 31, 13 June 1874, Page 1 (Supplement)

WRECK OF THE BRITISH ADMIRAL ON KING’S ISLAND.

SEVENTY-NINE PERSONS DROWNED,

The ’ast week or two has been prolific in disasters at sea. When the account was given, only a few days ago, of the dismasting of a third ship, the John Kerr, it was thought that we should have had an immunity for a long time floin such occurrences, but now another has happened, and of a far more serious character, involving as it does the total loss of the now large iron clipper ship British Admiral, a valuable cargo, and seventy-nine lives. Yes terday, shortly before one o’clock, a telegram from Queensoliff announced that the ketch Kangaroo had passed inward from King’s Island, with nine shipwrecked men, the sole survivors of eighty-eight from the ship British Admiral, wrecked off King’s Island, bound from Liverpool to this port. The British Admiral was very unfortunate at the commencement of her voyage, as she left originally in January, but losing several of her spars in the Bay of Biscay, put back to Liverpool, when, after refitting, she loft finally on the 20th of February, with two saloon, eleven second cabin, and thirty-six steerage passengers, and a crew of thirty-nine, all told. Nothing particular occurred until off the Cape of Good Hope, when she was, during a gale, struck by a heavy sea, which so shook the ship that Captain Taylor expressed himself afterwards that he thought it haa injured his chronometers, but everything went on well until the morning of the 23rd May, when the ship was lost. Almost immediate'y after she struck, the captain observed to Mr O’Grady, the saloon passenger saved, that it was an awful thing, and could attribute it to nothing but his chronometers being out. The ship was an entirely new vessel of 1751 tons register, built by Messrs Royden and Co., of Liverpool, for the British Shipowners Company (Mr James Beazley, managing owner), and was fitted up with all the latest improvements. The British Admiral was commanded by Captain Taylor, who was here about two years and a-half ago in the ship Jumna. Probably a large quantity of cargo will be saved. When the survivors left, there was a considerable quantity strewn along the beach. The following particulars are gleaned from the master of the ketch M. Wishart: —On the 25th of May was lying at New Year’s Island, when one of the hunters brought information of the wreck. Immediately got under way, and proceeded to examine along the coast line ; found the vessel had gone ashore on the west side of the island, about four miles south of where the Netherby was lost. During the day Mr O’Grady was seen, and picked up in a very exhausted condition. He stating that he had ’eft another man, named Jones, some distance behind, took Mr O’Grady to Harry Weight’s house, and found that Jones had got to _ the lighthouse ; then went along the coast again to as far as Currie’s Island, where five men, including the third officer, were found. Received information that there were two more men in the bush, so walked about fifteen miles along the coast, when seven bodies —two men, two women, and three girls—were picked up and buried. The two missing men found their way back the next day. The ketch was kept at anchor in Currie’s Harbor until Saturday. During that time the whole of the hunters on the island, and the lighthouse keeper, were communicated with, and as no other survivors had been seen it was concluded that a start for Melbourne should at once be made, and she left during that day. Owing to the intense darkness which prevailed at the time of the disaster, and the consternation and confusion which ensued when the vessel struck, the survivors appear to have a somewhat indistinct recollection of what actually transpired outside their own immediate experience.

Joseph Cunningham, one of the crew, states that a strong westerly wind was blowing during the night, and Captain Taylor was on deck, expecting every moment to sight Cape Otway. The vessel was then under easy sail, and the passengers all below, there not being the slightest apprehension of danger. About three o’clock the man on the look out shouted “ land ahead,” and it was soon discovered that the ship was standing right on to King’s Island. The watch turned out, and the captain gave the order to “ let go the spanker sheet, and to wear the vessel round on tlie oilier’ rack." Tills was no sooner accomplished than the look-out man again shouted “breakers ahead ” In a short time the vessel struck. She was then about six miles from land. The captain at once gave the order to clear the boats and call uo the passengers. A heart-rending scene ensued. Theunfortunate'people, with nothing on them but their night clothes, came rushing up from below, terrorstricken, expecting the vessel to sink every moment. The seas washed clean over the ship, which labored dreadfully, bumping and grinding against the reef. Cunningham, the second mate, and three or four others, cut away one of the boats and jumped in, and succeeded in pushing her off clear of the doomed ship. There were in the boat, along with Cunningham, Bilker, the second mate ; O’Grady, passenger ; Jones, seaman ; Arthur Wellesley, seaman ; Wm. Tyrer, and a boy named James Dutton. O’Grady had been in the mizen rigging, and seeing the boat pass near the side of the ship he let go his hold, and fortunately dropped into her. The boat was tossed about like a cork by the violence of the waves, but it kept drifting towards the laud. In crossing a reef a dreadful sea struck and upset her. Cunningham, Jones, and O’Grady contrived to swim about for a time, and at last, regained the boat, which now floated bottom upwards towards the shore. They reached land in an exhausted state about eight o’clock. When O’Grady was about to jump into the boat he saw W. Nicholson, with a number of children, beside him, crying for help. Mr Nicholson was asked to leap into the the boat, but he declined, saying he would stay by the youngsters. Chas. M'Ewan, the third mate, was below in his bunk at the time the ship struck. He jumped up and ran on deck, where he found everything in a state of confusion, and the captain standing on the poop giving orders, which no one could hear from the noise of the elements and the plunging of the vessel. M‘Ewan saw at once that there was very little chance of the vessel being saved, so he ran down to his bunk, put on some clothes, returned to the deck, and made for the rigging of the foremast. On his way he passed the captain, who was engaged with Woods, the carpenter, sounding and testing the pumps. It was clear that the vessel must go to pieces shortly, and as the remaining boats were either washed away or stove in, the only resource left was the rigging. This was soon crowded with human beings, hardly any of whom had anything on but their night-dresses. The mizen rigging had the greatest number clinging to the ropes, and endeavoring to obtain a footing. The chief mate, Charles George, was seen with two or three others to make a desperate attempt to clear the gig, but an immense sea washed over the ship, carrying the chief officer away, and he was not seen afterwards. M'Ewan succeeded in getting well up in the forerigging, where several others, principally members of the crew, had taken refuge. The scene at this time was perfectly appalling. The gale appeared to increase in fury, and was accompanied by heavy rain and sleet. The seas came tumbling over the ill-fated vessel, sweeping the deck and carrying away numbers as they emerged from their berths, the poor creatures’ shrieks as they disappeared over the side, and their frantic efforts to lay hold jf alnything within their reach, being enough to imieyve the strongest. One poor fellow, somewhat' advanced in years, and who during tbs voyage had been suffering severely from rleumatisfcn, contrived to reach the foreriggiig, and' clutched for his life to a rope, As the seas came over the vessel, however, \ he found his strength began io fail, aijd he called to one of the met above to help him. The sailor appealed io leaned down and seized the passenger by his ally garment but this gave way, and, seeing there was no hope, the passenger let go his bolu, and was immediately washed out of sight. The brace o' our foreyard, which was attached to an iron chain, sawed the rigging of the foremast up and down as the vessel heaved, clearing off many of the passengers and threatening the remainder every moment with a similar fate. Fortunately Davidson, one of the watch, had his knife, and managed to cut the rope by which the brace was held, and so far they were secure. Just then the wizen-mast, on which the greater portion of the passengers had collected, gave way with a terrible crash, falling over the side and disappearing in the gulf, with the people still clinging to it. It is

thought that the mizen-mast carried with it the poop, where Captain Taylor was seen, and as he was not heard afterwards he was doubtless amongst those washed away. In a few minutes afterwards the mainmast broke right off near the deck, and fell over the side, bringing down the fore-topgallant-mast. The fore-topmast soon follow’d!, the lower portion of the foremast, where M‘Ewan and Davidson were holding on, being alone left standing. A dreadful sea then came full tilt at the ship, which made her tremble in every timber, and sent her bumping on to the rocks. This carried Davidson and others away, but the former very providentially was washed by the return of the w’ave back to his former position, and he succeeded, by Mr M‘E wan’s help, iii securing his hold outlie rigging once mpre. The bulkw’arks had now been smashed, and the ait as well as the fore part of the ship appeared to have been stove in. A seaman named Row was w’ashed out of the forerigging along with Davidson, but he was seen no more. After remaining in this condition for about an hour, the vessel went down sternforemost, Cirrying those in the rigging down also. As soon as M‘Ewan found the vessel settle he let go his hold and floated to the surface. He observed a dark object before him struggling in the water, and cried out, “ Is that Davidson.” A response was given, “_Yes.” A voice was then heard shouting, “ This way for the timber.” Davidson and. M‘Ewan swam in the direction indicated, and found pieces of the wreck floating about in all directions. _ It was the boatswain, Scatter, who had hailed out about the timber, and on reaching the raft to which he was clinging, M‘Bwan found, along with him, a man named Baker. They lay on their faces, and were drifted towards the breakers. When these were about reached, at a point three miles or so from the shore, the boatswain was washed off the raft. They reached land about eight o’clock in a very exhausted state, and after they had been in the water several hours. They found a passenger named Harold lying on the beach so benumbed and exhausted that he was unable to stir, and it was not till he had been thoroughly rubbed with brandy, a ease of which had floated ashore, that he was able to move. They then rigged up' a tent, and after considerable difficulty, succeeded in lighting a fire. The survivor Davidson is a son of Alexander Davidson, engineer, of Auckland. John Harold, one of the steerage passengers, stated that, being able to swim well, he jumped off the side of the ship, and swam some distance, in the hope of being able to seize on a piece of floating timber. He had been swimming for about ten minutes when he came across a piece of wood about four feet long and one inch in thickness. He placed his arms across this and floated on it for a while, in quite an exhausted condition. A hen-coop, which bore Mr Nicholson, came close to him on the top of a wave, and Harold left the piece of wood and took hold of the op posite side of the hen-coop to Nicholson. The extra weight caused the coop to roll, and both men were submerged soon after by a large sea. Harold then let go his hold, and reached a large plank not far distant, when Nicholson followed him. In the dax-kness of the night he did not observe, until he got on the plank, that a steerage passenger named Keys had already hold of the plank. He and Keys occupied each end of the plank, while Nicholson had hold of the centre. The last-named became so exliausted that he said, “Oh, Harold, I am going.” Harold told him to keep up his courage, as he was sure land could not be far away. A wave came and swept Nicholson off the plank, but he managed to get hold of Harold’s leg, whiclx he held for some time, when the latter implored him to release his gi'asp. Nicholson released his hold and regained the plank, after sinking once or twice, but he was so weak that in a few minutes he dropped off the plank and disappeared in the gloom from Harold’s sight. Harold and Keys had now the plank to themselves, and at times each of them was stnick violently by floating pieces of the wreck. After buffeting the waves on this frail piece of timber for about a quarter of an hour Harold saw Keys leave the plank and walk on shore. He fol lowed his example, and got safe on shore in a most exhausted condition.

Frank Wagardo, an able seaman, says that the ship was under easy sail just before she struck the first time, and that the man on the forecastle sang out “ breakers a-head !” The nbiof nHirar eallofl +.IIO nrmtr r.n fleck, ami ordered all hands to make more sail, as there was not sufficient way on the vessel to bring her round. The ship struck soon after, and the boats were got ready. Wagardo was on the mizen-topsail yard when the mast went overboard, precipitating him into the water. After being in the water for about half-an-hour, he succeeded in securing a piece of wood, to which lie held on. A few minutes after, in the darkness, he saw the pig-house floating, and he swam to it, and found that it had been taken possession of by Godfrey Fielding, a passenger, and two of the ship’s boys. When they got near the shore Wagardo saw a, spar ahead of them containing at least a dozen passengers and sailors, but the sea shortly after washed it over the reef, and when he next saw the spar there was not a soul on it. The pig-house neared the same spot, and the shock with which it came against the reef, knocked Fielding and the two lads off into the sea. Wagardo strained his eyes to see them, but they never rose to the surface again. Shortly after he saw Nicholson, who floated against the pig-house, and turned and made a grasp at it, but failing, sank out of sight. The pig-house floated Wagardo ashore soon after this without further mishap. The names of the survivors are as follows :

L. O’Grady, cabin passenger; Chas M‘Ewan, third mate; John Harold, passenger; Thos. Jones, seaman; David Keys, passenger; Joseph Cunningham, seaman ; David Baker, seaman ; Frank Wagardo, seaman; Alex. Davidson, seaman.

The following is a list of the persons drowned :

Captain James Randolph ; Chas. George, first officer; Chas. H. Baker, second officer; Parker, fourth officer. Passenger—cabin: Wm. Nicholson. Second cabin : Mr and Mrs Thomas, Messrs Geodfrey Yielding, Allan, R. Burkett, Lawton, Hunt, Nose worthy, Cautarowitoh. Andresen; steward, Stewart. Steerage : Mrs Dale, Maggie Dale, Lizzie Dale, Lilly Dale, Messrs Connelly (2), Mrs Mills, Maggie Mills, Miss Hayes, Miss Mary Frahey. Mrs Blaokburne, Mrs Bogge, Messrs Bugge, Blackburne, Connelly, Connelly, jun, Murphy, Hayes, Hughes (2), Brooks, Hart, Wm. Pierce, Jas. Neiville, John Rice, Hawkins, Rowland, John M‘Garey, Wm. Miller, Dahlberger, Vaburg, and Alleely; steward, J<-s. Chow. Crew.—Starboard watch :B. Scatter, boatswain ; Frank Bryant, T. Rogers, Bozine, Wm. Tyer, Moloney, Martin, Peterson, John M'Oarthy, Edward Oarty (a colored man), Murphy, Days, Fleming, M‘Canl, and Hodge. Port watch : Smith, Row, Drawn, Perry, Ryan, Myers, Wesley, oberts, Havelock; boys, Liddle, Dulton, and Buckimgham ; Woods, carpenter ; Marshall, engineer; cook, W. A. Pierce.

The bodies of the following have been washed ashore, identified, and buried -Matilda Dale, a young girl about eleven years old, Mrs Blackbourne, Sirs Mills, Mrs Thomas, Helen Hays, Mary Conley, and vv m. Dyer Pierce. On Friday the body of Mary Traehey was found jammed in the rocks, and from its position could not be extricated. She was coming out to her father and mother, who are said to be keeping a public-house in Ireland street, West Melbourne. The British Admiral was a new iron ship, of 1,751 tons register, and this is her first voyage. It is surmised that it was the Waterwitch reef on which the vessel struck, and that is only three or three and a-half miles off shore.