The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1883-06-26 00:00:00

Disastrous Collision off Portland.

LOSS OF MANY LINTS.
& collision, resulting in the lose of many lives, took
place in the (Jhaulm! on Nada, night, the vessel being
the ship Wattara, .1 Lytttai.u, iew Zeal/aid, 855
tons, built at Port Olas•gow in 1862, and the snip
Hurunui, of Loudon, 1,012 towx, oath at Jarrow-on-
Tyne in 1875. Loh yeast. were owned by the New
Z,alerad Stopping. Company, of Christchurch.
The following is ao sootiunt by a passenger :—We
had frequently sighted the ilroated Waiters. She bad
left tiravesend toe NUN time as ourseiveso_, and was
also bound for New Zealand port., she for We/Langton
mid the limuoul for Purt Chalmers. On Fritter we
were oft Portland at about 10.15. Moon slur we had
miked for the night, I was awakened oy a sadden
shock, and at the sauna time the Captain burst into the
caolo. ordering ovum,' on deck. A isrge vessel was
at our bows, and int white ports stood out plainly in
the dark night. It bed jam reseed raining, but the
moon was quite hidden in the inlet. tin ascertainuur
that the ship we were in was for • few minutes at Meet
safe, I rushed below to wrap up In CIAO WO might have
to use the boats. I was nut down a wirings, and 110011
I returned the ship had disappeared, the ideboat
already launched and sent off in charge of our second
mate, and another boat in charge of the thin I officer.
Rockets were sent up, and blue lights and flare-ups
burnt to call the attention of the other vessels. One
steamer was close at hand, but although she must have
seen our signals she totally ignored therm. A barque also
Was close at hand, but although in answer to our
signals she promised to lie close by and help us she
also immediately left us. We had struck the ill.
starred vessel just above the saloon on the starboard
side. One of the passengers said afterwards it did not
seem to crush, but to break through the sides, like so
much cardboard. We were soon busy attending to the
rescued. There were two gentlemen from the saloon,
end the under steward. The captain of the Waiters
(Captain Webster) had • mirsoulous wane. After
a complete search our boat returned. It brought
back six more survivors. One poor young fellow
seemed absolutely numbed; but I am glad to say bet.
doing well, although at one time I quite despaired of
bringlog him nolo again. One gadmit young sailor
named Arnold banded his life-buoy to • lady, the only
one saved, and he also succeeded in reaching the boat.
We all thoutlit that these were the only survivors and
were over) ,yed to find that five more seamen had found
their way to the forecastle. I believe there were 16
mooed, leaving 25 to be amounted for. While we
were attending to the poor sufferers we were told the
=• we had sustained. In fact, all the damage to
mud was confined to the waterpr of bulkhead.
Had it been otherwise the catastrophe would have
been still more heartrending. Our captain (Captain
• Hazelwood) was indefatigable in his exertion. and no
one can possibly appreciate too highly his exertions
and the self-possessed manner in wittub be botb took
care of his own ship and strained every nerve to
rescue as many as possible of the crew of the unfor-
tunate Waitara. Captain Webster, too, strove hard to
prevent any loss of life, for after they had brought
, back all they could find, they traversed again and
! again the same place where the catastrophe took
, place, vainly endeavouring to augment the number
, of the rescued. Ag sin, it is impossible to speak
too highly of tha officers and men of the Husunni.
All seemed strictly disciplined, and there was really no
confusion. In fart, from their appearanoe, one would
nit hays dreamed of the dreadful disaster. or of the
; imminent danger we? were in. Until the pilot tame on

boiltldaiptor
and was
wrlsagast of fwienfir:marhaerFurde,Wnwid.seittedil"da.nee:harat:r:iceht:Yeili!enOimerunioujite:frhyneet.
first mate, W. 31iddletoe. He we* only just eenaibie
when picked up, and perfectly oold and numbed. He
had been vainly endeavouring t launch a boat, but I
suppoite the calamity was too aid lea and speedy to
allow it. In tea,, two minute. would almost have
covered the time from when the Welters we. struck
until she WM beneath the waves. Tile secoud officer,
whose watch it was, was unfortunately not found.
Some few others may have been saved, but I am afraid
the spot was too h.:Wally searched to allow say each
hope tole cherished. AU the rescued are doing well.
The vessel which sank—the Waitara—belonge to the
Nee Z eland Shipping C 'weeny. She left Graveesed for
New Z eland on Tuesday lest in tow, under favourable
oircarastancea and the tue contineed with her until after
Passing Both, Heed where die cast off and returned to
L olden. leevicir the Welter. to proms" on her er.y under
sail. Another easel belonging to the ume oomoanr,
named the Harunul, it seems also left Graviaand for
N. Z ojand on the same day, and was toyed down
()eeriest in the same trey as the Wawa, the tug leaving
her altar peeing Becky Hest All went well until
Friday night, when at about ten p.m. the officer of the
watch on board the Waiters reported • large vowel on
the starboard bow, but before the Welters's purse
could be altered the ship was upon her, strik-
ing her with full fore. amidships. Instantly all
was excitement on bard, The dozen passengers
on the ship harried up from below, and teen
almost before they c mid realise what had warred
the strange ship came on again, and with another
terrific stroke eat the Waiters to the wster's
edge, the water rushing br tons into the vowels hold- It
was apparent that only a few minutes would elapse rotors
the vessel sank. arid a frantic effort was made by Yr. H.
T. Iliddleton, the chief °the-T, and soot, of the crew to
launch a boat. The eff irt, unhappily, was unisucceesful,
asthe veered heeled over and went under while lame of
the men were still striving to get the boat afloat. For
just a moment after the woad collision the rigging of
the two ships remained interlocked, and in this way • few
of the cr... sot pass mger earl enabled to nave their
lire, by climbing op tee ovum rigging of the sinking ship
and clambering along the bowsprit to the deck of the
vessel which had run into them, and which it was thee
atioertained was • vessel of their own fleet, via. the
Hurunut, the shire that left Gravesend with them. From
the time the Waiters was lirlt struck to the time she
sank could scarcely have, been four minute., so rapidly did
she fill alter the collision.
The following official statement in respect to the dl.-
actor ha. been furnished by the New Zealand Soipping
Company:—" The ship Waiter. K. Wender. muter, left on Tuesday, the , instant, In charge' of •
Pilot. sad In tow of the tug Victoria, bound for Wellies-
ton, New Zealand, with a full cargo of merchandise. 16
peesengere, and • crew of 95 hands all told. The tug wee
let go off Bache Heed, and the ship prooeeded doers
Channel underealL At 10 p.m. on Friday, the Iliad inst., a
weasel was report.' on the starboard tins, and, before the
course of the Waiters was altered, struck her amidships,
rebounded, and struck her again in front of the Poop,
cutting her below the water', odes and causing her to 611
and sink immediately. For • m meat the headgear of the
c 'Ming vessel, the Ottrunai, became entangled in the
arisen rigging of the Waiters, and by this means some of
the crew and pawner)rs eared their lives. An attempt
was made by the chief officer and some hands to launch •
boat from the Waitam, but the ship sank so rapidly
that they failed to do so. The Hurunui was brought-to
Immediately, and boats lowered to pick up ',tremors. The following were saved : —Hrs. (heck W. Noble, L
B. Dale, and 11 G. Ra••• 11, 3.bin passenger,; B, T.
Middleton, chief officer ; H Self, carpenter; Hyde, boat-
swain; Cotten, steward; Worel.y. apprentires • Arnold,
Ihvia, Phteriall, Sunderland. A.B.'i; and K..
CA.WhewNbl4o7lth,e,ecaVisstc4itHAZTerf.e.otilweoiogwhyintogusteengwriadeagrseydpps"eresowiennalgersers.:—easnlitrda
otifichirtesen,
th.ofchthieef
sctree.w..rdicro;
alutudisngtoolltra.,,aflosultu.ders„
aseca.d.
tires."

_ -
(BY ritkroph.
Ths ship Flamini, which o•llided with ths
ths Ohannsk wriviid in the Thaum this morning.
Csotain Webstsr. of the WMtsrs, awl there wes no
inlet at the time of tbs collision, and the owe was smooth.
The skip hod her full complement of busts.