Disastrous Wreck of a Spanish Troopship.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 284, 9 April 1889, Page 2

Disastrous Wreck of a Spanish Troopship.

Pabticulabs are to hand of the total loss of the Spanish troopship Remus, near the coast of Manila, on the 80th January last. She had on hoard 109 officers and soldiers as relief crews for the stations in the Phillipine Islands. Whilst between Ormoo and Catabologan, about two days’ steam from Manila, she struck a reef near Point Biliarutn early in the morning. She got off, and it was thought that she oould reach Catabolan, but during the night a bulkhead suddenly gave way, and she began to fill rapidly. With great difficulty the boats were launched but she sank almost immediately in 85 fathoms, 42 persons going down with her, among them being two priests, a military surgeon, a Spanish lady, and a commander of the Civil guard. A later account to hand says : —Only eight minutes elapsed between the shock and the sinking of the vessel. The confusion on Board was beyond control. A rush was made for the boats ; the ropes were ent, and the passengers precipitated themselves into the boats regardless of the danger of capsizing them. The first boat, containing the commander of police and a Franciscan friar, on coming into contact with tbe blades of the ship’s propeller, immediately capsized. The captain of the Remus lost no time in throwing overboard all he could lay hand on, to help those struggling in the water to float. Lieutenant Colonel Tatnavo, who was in his cabin when the shock was felt, rushed on deck and finding that the passengers were overcrowding the boats, fired a shot from his revolver and obtained eugjcient submission te enable him, in conjunction with the captain, to organise an orderly landing of the remaining passengers. The two last boats had barely left the ship when she gradually sank stern foremost. The total number lost was 42, 12“ having survived the disaster, of whom 81 were passengers and 4G belonged to the crew.