SOLE SURVIVOR'S STORY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 3678, 13 November 1912, Page 8

SOLE SURVIVOR'S STORY.

FOUR HOURS ON A PLANK IN STORMY SEA.

A thrilling account of the escape of the sole survivor of the crew of twon-ty-one when the Cardiff steamer North Briton sank in a gale off Ushant Avas told at the Board of Trade enquiry at Cardiff the other day. Tlie North Briton left Sunderland for (Sul in a. on February 29th with cargo of coal. She foundered on March sth, and all the creAv with the exception of Jenson, tho boatsAvain, Avere drowned.

The sinking of the vessel was due to tho washing away of a big ventilator Avhieh communicated with the bolds. The crew Avere unable to plug tho cavity thus caused, and Avater from the Avaves Avliich consfantlv broke over the ship poured beloAy in such quantities that the \mssel filled and sank. When it was seen that the vessel was sinking efforts Avere made to launch the boats. r l’he port lifeboat, however. Avas tbroAvn across the en-gine-room skylight and the . other boats Avere smashed by.the rolling of the ship. Rockets were fired and the Avhistlo Avas sounded, but no ships Avere in sight. When the vessel went doAvn, Jenson stated, all the men Avere on the bridge deck and in. -the wheel-house. There was no panic, and the engineers and firemen continued to Avork until about ten minutes before the vessel foundered. As the ship sank a great many of the crew jumped, into a small boat, Jenson being one of them. The boat was immediately swamped and Jenson lost consciousness. The next tiling ho realised was that he was floating close to the ship’s funnel, Avhieh Avas a yard or two out ol the Avater. He swam and clung to a floating plank Aintil four hours later a small boat floated by. He got into this,'and seven hours after the North Briton sank-he Avas pief-ed. up by tlio Swedish vessel Candia. For three days after he was picked up Jenson was unconscious.