THE CLANRANALD WRECK.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2416, 3 February 1909, Page 5

THE CLANRANALD WRECK.

GABLE NEWS

FURTHER DETAILS.

FORTY LIVES LOST,

United Press Association, Copyright

ADELAIDE, Fob. 2. The survivors arrived at Editliburg this evening. The mate states: “All went well till 2 o’clock on Sunday afternoon, when the vessel took ta sudden list and became unmanageable. All hands came on deck, and remained on the high part of the ship. We lost two boats, and the other two could not be launched. The vessel was drifting towards shore. The vessel foundered iat TO o’clock at night. All hands were thrown into the water.” The second officer was in charge when she listed. The crew consisted of the captain, Gladstone; Rose, first mate; Campbell, second mate; Wilson,, third mate; Stewart, chief engineer; Ford-yee, second engineer; Walls, third engineer; Patterson, fourth engineer; Stewart, chief steward; Shaw, carpenter; and 54 Asiatics. The names of the survivors are Rose, Fordyce, Shaw, and Wilson, and 20 Asiatics. • Heartrending, cries were heard as the men were cast into the sea. The Clanranald was bound for Durban as the first port, and carried a South African mail.

A SURVIVOR’S EXPERIENCE. THE CARPENTER’S STORY. ADELAIDE, Feb. 2. A feature of the disaster is that only those members who could swim reached the shore. The first mate and second engineer were an hour in the water before they reached the shore. The latter came across an upturnd boat, and clung to her. One of the lascars .stated that six or seven died during the night after landing. Mr. Shaw, who is about 60 years of age, swam ashore with the aid of a lifebelt. He states : “The vessel was about five miles from the shore when a wave struck her. From the time she took the first sheer till she sank six or seven hours elapsed. “Two boats were washed away with the stays, and two others were smashed in the effort to launch them. lb was impossible to get at the other on account of the extreme list and the gale. “A warning was given of the impending danger, and everyone was on deck when the ship took the filial plunge. 1 had been eight yea it; on the ship, and had never known her to behave in such a fashion before. I could not say whether the shifting of the cargo caused the disaster. Certainly it was not the bad weather and she was a splendid sea boat. “On approaching tlic beach the surf carried mo 300 yards. Three others were carried up the beach in a similar manner.

“Some people were on the shore, and when we got there they had a fire burning to warm us. We had plenty of water, bread, butter, and brandy,, and they made us as comfortable as possible. I noticed the captain on the rail just before the ship went under.” Several of colored crew clung tenaciously to a rudely-constructed raft, which they put hurriedly together, and reached shore by its means. A GHASTLY SPECTACLE. MANY BODIES COMING ASHORE. ADELAIDE, Feb. 2. Mr. Fordyce stated that the third engineer proffered him a lifebelt, but he declined it, as lie was a strong swimmer. He endeavored to tie the belt round the third engineer, but the latter would not accept it. At that moment the ship sank in a whirlpool. That was the last seen of the third engineer. The vessel is completely out of sight. She went down in II fathoms of water.

The lascar crew displayed groat calmness. Nautical men believe that the steamer struck the reef. It is clear that the water put the fires out after the vessel heaved over. The beach at the spot presented a ghastly spctacle, dead bodies lying in all directions. Improvised stretchers were used, and the bodies carried up the face of the cliff, some 200 feet. All the dead found so far had lifebelts on. The bodies bore marks of being battered on the rocks. One body was found on the top of a cliff. The man had climbed it, but after the ascent died of exhaustion at the top.

Thirty bodies have already been recovered.

The pilot who took the vessel off the port says that she had a slight list to starboard, but it was nothing out of the ordinary that could not have been lightened by the consumption of coal. CAUSE OF THE DISASTER. SURVIVORS RETICENT. . (Received Feb. 2, '5.7 p.m.) ADELAIDE, Feb. 2. The white members of the crew, are reticent as to the actual cause of the

disaster. From what can be learned, however, it appears that something I must have occurred aboard the ClauI r ana Id.’ The hypothesis is that the ship struck the Marion Reef, which lies to the south-east of Troubridge ‘Hill. Attempts to obtain anything definite are futile. “There is too much at stake,” was the reply of the ! first , officer when pressed for informa- ! tion. ! BURIAL OF THE VICTIMS. | COMPLAINTS OF TARDY ASSISTANCE. ! Onited Press Association. Copyright ' ((Received Feb. 3, 1.6 a.m.) i j ADELAIDE, Feb. 2. J The victims of the Clanranald wreck have been, buried at Edithburg. The Lascars were buried ina large trench 25 feet long, and the i whites in a smaller trench.

t Some complaints are made that as--1 si stance was not promptly sent. News that an unknown vessel was in distress was received on Sunday night, ■ but assistance was not sent till eight . on Monday morning.