The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-03-07 00:00:00

TERRIBLE SUFFERINGS AT SEA.

A tt rrible tale of the sea has been told by the sur
vivors of the barque Surrey, whose vessel was cap-
sized off the Newfoundland Coast, by which disaster
11 lives were lost. The vessel had originally a crew
of 17, all told, and of these only six were saved.
From the statement of the shipwrecked men, it
seems that the vessel was going from Pensacola to
Barrow. She had a cargo of timber, and
for three weeks after leaving the former
port experienced very bad weather. The vessel
was so strained that she became completely water-
logged., and was in this state off the Newfoundland
coast, when she suddenly capsized. This was about
noon on the 15th ult., and those of the crew who were
on deck were thrown into the water. Three men
were below at the time, and, having no means of
escape, were drowned. Several of the crew managed
to scramble on to the vessel as she lay broadside on
the sea. They here lashed themselves with ropes to
different places of security. The captain was one of
those who were thrown into the water by the
capsizing of the vessel, and he was seen swimming
to gain the floating wreck. There was another of
the crew near the captain who was making a
similar endeavour, but no sooner had the poor
fellow got within a few yards of the ship than
they were dashed violently under the water by a
tremendous wave, until finally both of them coul I
make no further efforts to save themselves and
were drowned. Two others of the crew also were
drowned, being unable to regain the vessel after she
capsized. The men who had lashed themselves
to the ship underwent a fearful time, and
were every moment in danger of being drowned.
Time after time they . were swept from the
vessel, but being tied by the ropes they were able to
draw themselves back. The mate was one of those
who was in this position, and the poor fellow could
not endure his sufferings any further, and died about
five hours after e barque turned over. The Surrey
was a Norwegian vessel, but there were several Eng-
lishmen amongst the crew. One of these, a young man
belonging to Swansea, was known to the
crew as Jack. His sufferings were so keen
that he ended them by jumping into the
sea. Another Englishman named Alfred
White, of Birkenhead, told his comrades that there
was no chance of their being saved and he would not
prolong his sufferings. He followed the example of
the other sailor, jumping overboard and being
drowned. Towards evening another sailor, who was
on the side of the upturned vessel, died from exhaus-
tion. There were now but six survivors left. About
six o'clock in the evening the vessel suddenly righted.
The inside of the poop and the inside of the forecastle
had been washed away. The house on the deck was
also washed away, the mizenmast had gone by
the deck, and the maintopmast was also carried
away. The decks, too, were breaking up, and
the poor fellows made for that portion of the
r;gging which was left standing, as the only place
where there was a possibility of their remaining
without being washed into the sea, as the waves were
making a clean sweep over the vessel. They remained
here all the night and for the next three days. Once,
when the weather moderated, some of them descended
to the deck in the hope of finding some food to appease
their terrible hunger, but in this they were unsuccess-
ful. The vessel's decks were then under water, and
the men had to rsturn to the rigging. Day succeeded
day without anything occurring which would in any
way alleviate their sufferings, or bring hope of a
rescue. On the 19th however a steamer hove in
sight, but the hope raised in the poor fellows' breasts
was dispelled when they saw her proceeding away
from them. A distress signal was flying from
the foremast Of the vessel, and in addition to this
one seaman in the maintop frantically raised a signal
with a hope of attracting attention. The steamer,
however, had searCely been lost from view when the
smoke of another was observed; and to the joy of the
men she made straight for them, having seen their
signals of distress. The vessel in question proved to
be the Liverpool steamer Lake Winnepeg. Notwith-
standing the terrible weather which prevailed a life-
boat was launched from the steamer, and in charge
of the chief officer was pulled towards the floating
wreck. The boat could not approach the
Surrey near enough, and life jackets were
passed to the shipwrecked men, who were
afterwards drawn through the water. On being
received on board the Lake Winnepeg the poor
fellows presented a shocking sight, their limbs being
greatly swollen from frost. They were very kindly
treated by those on board the Lake Winnepeg, the
doctor of which steamer was most assiduous in his
attentions. The captain of the Surrey was named
Kluger, and belonged to Frederickstadt, to which
place the vessel also belonged. The men, on arrival
at Liverpool, were received at the Sailors' Home, and
also cared for by the Norwegian Consul.