FIGHT FOR LIFE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3322, 14 September 1911, Page 5

FIGHT FOR LIFE.

THE LOSS OF THE PARISIANA. Said to be the only place in the world where cats and .rats live together in amity, St. Paul’s Island, situated between Capetown and Adelaide, has for the second time in its history figured in a thrilling shipwreck story. In 1871 H.M.S 1 . Megaera was beached there, the crew being rescued after nearly three months’ residence. An inquiry by the Board of Trade into the abandonment of the steamship Parisiana, of West Hartlepool, was recently opened at Caxton Hall, London. Mr Hamar Greenwood (for the Board of Trade) said Lord Furness was the registered owner, but he believed the real owners were the Empire Transport Company. The ship left St. Vincent, Cape Verde, on October 11th. for Melbourne, with a. crew* of 35 bands, and) no passengers, .and about 7500 tons of general cargo, valued at about £55,000. On Sunday, December 11, the ship was found to .be on fire, and on December 20 she was abandoned in the South Indian Ocean. One of the firemen died' on hoard, and tlie fourth engineer and another fireman died on St. Paul’s Island, where the crew finally landed. _ There were some insurances on the ship, aggregating £55,000. The cargo, consisted of resin, which was stored in barrels, making a tier four or five-barrels high between decks, agricultural machinery, and coils of rope. It was amongst tlie resin that the fire was alleged to have started. There wtas only one ordinary canvas hose on board, and 1 no fire hose. After desperate efforts to put out the fire, it was decided! to abandon tlie vessel. Most of the hands were ordered into a boat on the Tuesday, and later the master* and officers took to another boat. About four or five p.m. on that, day tlie two boats left the vessel, and shaped l a course for ®t. Paul’s Island, which the‘captain judged to be 41 miles off. The glare of the vessel was seen next day 71 miles south-east, and the master was convinced that there was no chance of her remaining afloat. The inquiry was adjourned.