The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1882-12-23
The Sinking of the Austral.

The Austrul, while lying snugly at anchor in
Neutral Bay, Sydney, on November 18th, re-
ceiving Goals from n tender alongside, suddenly
listed over, and her port holes being open. the
water poured in so rapidly that she founderod
i'll Il few minutes. There were on board at the
time the officers and crew, numbering between
20 and 80 men, and OF these five are known to
have persisted the others succeeded in saving
themselves by jumping into the lighter along
side the ship. The most of them were in their
berths sound asleep ut the time the alarm WINS
raised, and had only time TO rnsh out half naked
as they were and escape. OF course, as might
be justly imagined, a great uproar and confusion
arose on board amongst the terrified crew, and
their shrieks aud cries for assistance were, fortu-
natoly, by no means without avail. Very soon
boats were observed approaching the scene of
disaster, having been dispatched to the locality
from the different ships lying in the harbor, and
also from the shore. BY the assistance of lee
boats the crew-as many as had been fortunate
enough to get on board the lighters alongside
the vessel were nearly all removed at once to
the Sailors Home Mt Circular Qnay. Some of
them together with Captain Murdoch, the COM
mander, were taken Oh board the colonial war
ship Woiverene. They were mostly in "a half
clad state, whilst others had scarcely "A stitch Of
clothing about them, AZ they did not even have
time, after being aroused from their slumbers,
to obtain their clothes. On being awakened "A
general rush for the gaLgway was made, and
many of the alarmed occupants of the vessel
were subjected to severe jostling in their frantic
endeavors To escape, all on board having been
" NV VI VIC hIN4h
ter. An inquest WAS held on tho bodies OF
John James Perkins Qhe puiser), Thomas
Alexander. Tn inquest terminated on that
day, and ut 10 am. the jury retired TO consider
their verdict. and ut noon the Coroner inquired
as to whether they had agreed, and he was met
with a reply in the negative. He ordered them
to be locked mp again, and at "a quarter TO three
o'clock the Coroner was sent for. The foreman
then stated that there was no possibility Of a
verdict beng arrived at. The Coroner remarked
that he did not feel justified in discharginq them
until they had deliberated at greater length.
They were then locked up until nearly s o'clock.
when they brought in a verdict To the effect that
the captain and officers of the vessel had been
guilty OF gross negligence. Tho Coroner
pointed out that such a verdict amounted to one
of manslaughter, and he, therefore could not
accept it unless the officers were specified. The
verdict was withdrawn, and subsequently the
jury were locked up until 8 pm. when they re-
turned into court with a verdict to the effect
that the deceased men met their deaths through
drowning caused by the sinking of the AustraI,
they being on the vessel at the time. and TINT
the jury were Of opinion that the captain. his
chief officer, chief engineer, and carpenter COM
United grave errors of Judgment In not takipp
better precautions to secure the safety Of the
ship. The prelinary work in connection with
the raising of the Austrnl Ii being pushed for
ward with the utmost energy. 1t has been found
necessary to make some alterations with respect
to the operations of the divers. whose numbers
have been reinforced. There are now 10 divers
employed, and il has been fonnd more conyoni-
ent 10 have all working at the same time. And
TO expedlate as much as possible the work Of
closing the ventilators and ports, ii has been
arranged that the divers shall work from eight 10
nine hours daily. Thi. plan il more adyanta-
geous than that OF employing the divers in two
shifts. Tho divers have brought mp some of the
drawing-room furniture. and that has suffered
to a very serious extent from submersion in salt
water. Considerable progress has been made
with the erection of staging for the pumps. The
steamer is fitted with "A very complete system of
ventilation, and it is owing to the fact. 10 a
great extent, that he operations Of the divers
Will necessarily occupy some considerable time
longer. Sydney HeraM.