The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1886-08-21 00:00:00

DIOASTERS AT SEA,

A. serious collision took place off Plymouth on
Monday between her Majesty's training brig Nautilus',
Lieutenant-Commander W. H. Somerset, and the
Plymouth trawler Formosa, Thomas T....ylcrr skipper.
The latter left Sutton Harbour at eight a.m. with a
crew of five all told for the fishing ground. At about
eleven a.m. she shot her trawl four talks south-south-
east of the Eddystone. There was a fresh westerly
breeze blowing and a loppy sea. The Formosa was
running under reefed mainsail, and a few minutes
after she shot her trawl the crew observed the
Nautilus, which was cruising under reefed topsails,
bearing down on them. The Formosa was on ths
port tack and the Nautilus on the starboard. Find-
ing, it is stated, that the latter did not stand away,
the craw of the Formosa shouted loudly and blew
their horn. No notice, however, appeared to he
taken of this, and finding a collision inevitable,
the crew of the Formosa launched their boat.
Hardly had they pushed away from the trawler when
the Nautilus struck her with great force on the star-
board bow, splitting the stern, and carrying away her
bowsprit and all the head gear. The Nautilus
received considerable damage to her bows. After
the collision the Formosa's craw returned 4.,0 their'
vessel. One of the crew named Burns, residing in
Lambhay-street, in jumping into the boat injured his
leg. From inquiries made it has been ascertained
that a young sub-lieutenant was in charge of the
bridge at the time of the collision. The trawler was
teported right ahead by the look-out, but the officer
of the watch presumably did not hear the report.
The commander, who was below, hearing a commo-
tion on deck, hurried up, and seeing the position of
the ships ordered the helm to be ported, which was
done, and thus the Formosa was saved from being
cut down. The trawler will be repaired by the dock-
yard authoriLies.

The correspondent of the Western Daily ~11ercury
at Cape Town, writing on July 26, says: "The Cape
Royal Mail steamer Venice arrived at this port yes-
terday, having on board the captain and part of the
crew of the iron barque Crownthorpe_ The Venice
reported that she spoke the British ship Dunally, of
Glasgow, on July 25, 79 days out, from Rangoon,
bound to Liverpool, and on being requested took off
the crew of the Crownthorpe, which the Banally had
picked up at sea on thn 21st inst., and landed them at
Cape Town. The captain of the Crowntliorpe reports
having fallen in with five gales, in which the ship
was dismasted and the decks swept. On the 30th of
June, in lat. 41 S., long. 18 W., the mate, Mr. J.
Evans; carpenter, Mr. M'Gregor ; and the cook, A.
Evans, were washed overboard, and no assistance
could be rendered owing to the violence of the gale.
The boats and all movables were washed away. The
ship was abandoned on the 21st inst., when the
captain and crew were taken on board the Dunally!'
The Cardiff steam tug John 0. James was run into
and sunk off Nash Point, in the Bristol Channel. on
Monday morning, by the French brigantine Petra
Merit, of Nantes, for Cardiff. The crew of the tug
saved themselves in their own small boat, which they
pulled all the way up channel to Cardiff, arriving
there in the evening. The brigantine arrived in
Penarth Roads shortly afterwards.