Brisbane Courier 11 March 1899
THE HURRICANE
REPORTS FROM TOWNSVILLE
PROBABLE HEAVY LOSS OF LIFE
DESPATCH OF SEARCH PARTIES
WARREGO AND WHITE STAR SENT
The wires received in town yesterday with
reference to the recent severe hurricane in
the North have not by any means allayed the
fears of those interested in the Torres Straits
pearlshell fishing fleets. The captain of
the Nippon Yusen Company's steamer Kasuga
Maru, which arrived at Townsville yesterday
morning from Japan, reported that, in addition
to the Meg Merrilees and Tarawa the
schooners Silvery Wave and Sagitta had also
been lost. A private wire received stated
that the Aladdin is on the Barrier Reef. The
news, which the wire stated had been brought
in by one of the boats, has, however, not
yet been verified. It is thought that, in addition
to the fleets of the different companles, a large number of the Japanese were
in the vicinity of the Howicks at the time
of the storm, and if such was the case the
loss of life will most probably prove to be
even greater than was at first anticipated.
MR. OUTRIDGE'S VIEWS.
Mr. P. P. Outridge, who knows the geography
of the inner route thoroughly, states
that in the vicinity of the Howicks there are
quite a number of large reefs, and it is his
opinion that if the missing vessels were
piled up on these there is every probability
of the crews being rescued. The hurricane
coming as it did from the south-west
would tend to drive the vessels out on to the
Barrier Reef, and it is there Mr. Outridge
thinks that a thorough search should be
made.
SHELL WITHDRAWN FROM SALE.
From inquiries made, it has been learned
that the next pearlshell sales take place in
London on the 14th instant. The loss of the
Northern fishing fleets is expected to appreciably
affect the home market, and in consequence Mr. Clark
has instructed the secretary of his company to wire
to London withdrawing all the company's shell from the
sale.
TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION RESTORED.
Telegraphic communication was restored
between Brisbane and Thursday Island
shortly before noon yesterday, and upon
the fact becoming known, numerous wires
of inquiry were sent through to the island.
From telegrams sent in reply it appears
that the news first reached Thursday Island
by the B.I. Company's steamer Duke of
Portland, to which it will be remembered
the Duke of Norfolk transhipped the wife
and child of the captain of the disabled
schooner Crest of the Wave. Upon the,
matter being officially reported by the captain
of the Duke of Portland, the Government Resident
immediately despatched the
schooner White Star to the assistance of the
Crest of the Wave. Mr. George Smith, who
is managing at Thursday Island for what is
known as the Clark Combination, accompanied
the White Star, taking with him a
number of carpenters and gear to repair. If
possible, some of the stranded boats. No
definite information has yet been received
from the island as to the number of fleets
that were working down at the Claremonts
and the Howicks, but a private wire received
last evening stated that it had been heard
on good authority that the schooner Olive
was safe.
THE WARREGO SEARCHING
The steamer Warrego, which has been
placed at the disposal of the Government
by the Australasian United Steam Navigation
Company for the purpose of assisting in the search for the missing lightship and
schooners, and rendering whatever assistance
is necessary to the crews of the
stranded luggers, left Cooktown at 11.30 a.m.
yesterday. The harbour-master accompanied
the vessel, taking with him a whaleboat
and crew.
LIGHTSHIP FOR CHANNEL ROCK
Arrangements are being made to have a
spare lightship towed up from Townsville
to the Channel Rock. The necessary moorings will be sent North bv the A.U.S.N.
Company's steamer Aravatta, leaving this
afternoon.
THE FLEETS—THEIR VALUE—HOW THEY WORK
In conversation yesterday afternoon with
a gentleman largely interested in the Torres
Straits pearlshell fisheries, the following information
concerning tbe fishing fleets was
obtained. A fleet is usually comprised of
one large schooner, and from fourteen to
sixteen luggers. The schooners carry crews
of about eighteen all told, whilst eight is
the average complement of a lugger. A
schooner such as the Tarawa or the Meg
Merrilees, would be Wworth from about £2000
to £2500, while the average cost of the
luggers employed would amount to about
£500. From these figures it will be seen
that if the loss of luggers proves to be as
great as is at present feared the loss, exclusive
of the schooners, will run into something
like £50,000.
NEWS BY JAPANESE STEAMER
RIEPORT OF THE KASUGA MARU
PARTICULARS OF VESSELS LOST
NUMEROUS WRECKS
LOSS OF LIFE ESTIMATED AT 200
CHANNEL ROCK LIGHTSHIP.
THURSDAY ISLAND ESCAPED
TOWNSVILLE March 10.
The steamer Kasuga Maru, which arrived
here to-day, brings, news confirming the reports to heavy loss of life and damage to
the pearling fleets along the coast during
the recent hurricane. Captain Haswell reports
that on his way down the coast he
stopped to communicate with the ketch
Eleanor, the master of which intimated that
the schooner Tarawa was stranded on Pelican
Island, but did not appear to be much
damaged. The ketches Xarifa, Two Brothers, and Rosa were total wrecks, but
all the gear had been saved. The Barb and
Martha were considerably damaged, and the
Ruby was ashore on a sandbank near at
hand, but the whereabouts of the Ouya,
Kapoa, and Gertrude had not been ascertained.
The Meg Merrilees, a new boat
belonging to Bowden Bros., had become a
total wreck.
At 7 a.m. on the 8th instant the Kasuga
Maru was stopped off Cape Melvile to communicate
with the dismasted schooner Crest
of the Wave. Captain Porter confirmed the
report of the captain of the Duke of Norfolk,
and also reports that the schooners
Silvery Wave and Sagitta, with their fleet
of luggers, had been lost, as well as the
fleet of the schooner Skirty Belle. Captain
Porter estimates the loss of life at 200.
Dead bodies were seen floating past all
the previous day. Most of the crew from
the Crest of the Wave were camped in tents
ashore. No news had been received of the
Channel Rock lightship, and Captain Porter
thinks it has gone down with all hands.
After leaving the Crest of the Wave,
Captain Haswell saw two wrecks on shore,
and passed three dead bodies.
The Kasuga Maru experienced thick,
rainy weather all the way down the coast,
and at Thursday Island she encountered a
strong north-westerly gale, which was the
first bad weather she had experienced on the
voyage. The people of Thursday Island
knew nothing about the wrecks of the
pearling fleets, and no damage had been
done on the island. The captain is under
the impression that the gale must have
struck about the Clermont Islands, and travelled
down the coast.
On the 9th instant, at 5 p.m., the Kasuga
Maru anchored under the lee of Palm
Island, as the glass was falling rapidly, anl
tho captain did not consider it advisable to
proceed on his voyage. He passed Cooktown
at 4 p.m. on the 8th instant, and
spoke the Pilot Station, the weather being
thick at the time. Yesterday the Kasuga
Maru passed a dead body amid a great quantity of debris. Captain Haswell thinks
there are more wrecks to the north-east of
Cape Melville, as several dead bodies came
from that direction. Owing to the heavy
weather prevailing, he could not ascertain
anything more definite. |
Brisbane Courier 13 March 1899 page 4
THE NORTHERN HURRICANE
Mr. James Clark received a wire on
Saturday morning from Mr. E. Munro,
managing owner of the Aladdin fleet,
conveying the gratifying news that
the schooner Aladdin weathered the
hurricane, and is safe at anchor off
the Claremont Islands. It was added, however,
that many boats were piled on the
reefs. Another telegram has been received
stating that three out of the six fleets of the
Clark combination — those belonging to the
schooners Silvery Wave, Crest of the Wave
and Sagitta — have been totally destroyed.
These fleets number forty luggers, manned
by about 240 coloured men, all of whom are
supposed to be lost.
Brisbane Courier 13 March 1899
THE RECENT HURRICANE.
NEWS OF THE PEARLING FLEETS.
SAFETY OF A NUMBER OF LUGGERS.
(By Telegraph from Our Correspondent.)
March 11.
The steamer Australian reports that on
the 10th inst four pearlshelling luggers
were anchored at the North Beach, Burkett
Island, in Prince Charlotte Bay, two at Pelican Island and another northward of G Reef, in the Flinders Group. One of the four luggers anchored at Burkett Island was dismasted. A number of others were sailing about in the vicinity. The captain of the Australian did not see any signs of distress. He spoke the government steamer White Star at Cape Direction on the
same date, and delivered a message from
the Government Resident on Thursday
Island. The White Star was on her way to
the scene
of the recent disaster and would
arrive yesterday afternoon near Cape Melville. The Australian observed the Crest
of the Wave, schooner, in a dismasted condition with the steamer Victory in attendance.
Mrs. Porter and child were on board
the Victory, which wished to be reported all
well.
SOME FURTHER PARTICULARS
In connection
with the late hurricane in
the North, Mr. Outridge, of Clark's Pearlshelling Combination, has received a wire
from the captain of the schooner Crest of the Wave, stating
that it is feared that the Silvery Wave, Skitty Belle, and Sagitta,
with their fleets, are totally lost. Captain
Potter estimates the loss of life at between
200 and 300.
The wrecks which the captain of the Kasuga Maru reports having passed are expected
to be those of the schooners Silvery Wave
and the Sagitta. As these vesseis to have
been seen must have been high and dry,
there is every probability of their crews
being safe.
Mr James Clark left Brisbane on Saturday afternoon by the steamer Aramac for the
scene of the hurricane. He took with him a
20ft. sailing boat, some carpenters, and one
of the officers of the missing schooner Aladdin,
who had been down on a trip.
The Portmaster (Captain T. M. Almond)
received the following wire, dated the 10th
instant, from the harbour-master at Lucinda
on Saturday morning :-
Recent gale, 7th and
8th, cut away approach to Jetty 60ft., also
Lucinda Point light stand. Have erected
light on Jetty, the southern limit of sector
now bearing S.E. by E. southerly. Red
buoy off Leaf Peak out of position; will replace
soon as practicable. Other marks intact. |
Brisbane Courier 14 March 1899
THE LATE HURRICANE
FURTHER PARTICULARS
RETURN OF THE STEAMER WARREGA
LOSS OF LIFE EST1MATBD AT 300.
NATIVES BURYING THE DEAD
NEARLY 100 BOATS SUPPOSED TO
BE LOST
The return to Cooktown of the steamer
Warrego about midnight on Sunday, and the
arrival from Thursday Island of the Government
steamer White Star, which was
also seht to the relief of the distressed seamen,
enable us this morning to give some
detailed account of the disaster which has
overtaken the pearling fleet. Mr. Bennett,
the Sub-collector of Customs at Thursday
Island, who has come down in the White
Star, estimates the loss of life at over 300(?)
men (though some place it much higher),
and it is probable that his figures will be
fully borne out when the details of the
calamity are made known. Unfortunately
there waa considerable delay on the Cooktown
telegraph line yesterdby, and messages which should have come through in a
few minutes occupied something like twelve
hours. More complete details will be
awaited with anxiety; but it is painfully
evident that the first accounts of the destruction
wrought by the gale will be fully
borne out. A large portion of the fleet
seems unhappily to have been in the direct
path of the storm, and to have suffered accordingly.
Four schooners and about forty
five diving-boats, besides a number of swimming
diving-boats — that is, boats without
diving apparatus — have been lost. It is
some consolation to know that apparently
everything possible is being done to rescue
and relieve the survivors, and already a
number of them are being conveyed back to
Thursday Island.
(By Telegraph from our Special Corre*
spondent.)
COOKTOWN, March 13.
In connection with the late hurricane the
steamer Warrego reports that the schooners
Sagitta, Silvery Wave, and Admiral were
totally lost, also the Meg Merrilees. The
Tarwara was ashore, but was refloated.
The Crest of the Wave was dismasted. The
Olive and the Aladdin stood the gale, and are
safe. It Is estimated that the loss of life
is 400. The whites drowned are : E. J.
Jefferson (of Hull), J. Nicholas, A. H. Outridge, R. B. Murray, H. Outridge, and E.
Atthow. The Olive's glass, during tho
storm, recorded 29.60in. to 29.10in.
The hurricane came at first from southeast
by east, changed during the storm from
east, north, south-west, then to the west, and,
finally, died away. In the north-east.
Mr. N. G. Vidgen, of the Olive, is searching
the beach from the Flinders to Barron
Point. He reports that the natives are
burying the dead at Bathurst Bay, and that
there is a forest of sunken luggers' masts.
Mrs. Porter has gone to Thursday Island
by the Duke of Portland.
The Silvery Wave went down at 5 o'clock
on Sunday morning. One Malay stayed
aboard, and came ashore on a plank. All
the Sagitta's boats were lost. Thirteen porpoises
were found 15ft. up the cliff at Flinders.
The storm was raging on Saturday
night and Sunday morning, extending from
tho Howick group to the Channel Rock
lightship.
(By Telegraph from Our Correspondent.)
COOKTOWN, March 13.
The steamer Warrego returned here shortly
after midnight last night.
All the islands have been searched from
here as far as the Flinders Group. The
White Star and the Victory have assisted
all the disabled vessels to safety. The
blacks on the mainland buried the white
men. All the bodies found were mutilated by
the sharks and the weather. About 350(?) colored
men and twenty white men are missing.
The total loss of life is not certain until the
ships' articles are overhauled. The number oí
boats wrecked is six schooners, sixty odd
luggers, and twenty diving-boats, all of which
are supposed to have been wrecked in
the vicinity of Bathurst Bay. The natives
have shown the places where some of the
schooners have gone down. The coast
tribes are acting humanely. Not all the
tribes will go near the bodies. The White
Star on the trip down kept a sharp lookout,
and the Victory searched tho reefs and islands.
There was no wreckage between
here and Flinders Bay. The Victory had
gone searching all the islands to the east.
The White Star is going north-east of the
Barrier. All those allve have been rescued.
The Channel Rock Lightship is supposed to
have sunk at her mooring, and four men
have perished.
The following telegram has bsen received
by the Under Secretary and Superintendent
of Telegraphs from the officer in charge at
Cooktown :-
"The Warrego returned from
the scene of the wrecks this morning 18th.
Authentic reports state that fourteen white
men and about 400 coloured men were
drowned. Eighty luggers and six schooners
were wrecked. The damage is estimated al
from £40,000 to £50,000. The following
white men were drowned :-
A. and H. Outridge, R. B. Murray, and another man off the schooner Sagitta, E. J. Jefferson, J. Nicholas,
E. Atthow off Silvery Wave. Captain Powell
and two white men went down in the schooner
North Wales. The Channel Island lightship
and four men were lost at Douglas Spit.
A coloured man reached the shore with two
women after swimming for four days. The
beach is strewn with dead fish, snakes, and
birds."
The master of the lightship was named
Fuhrman, the mate Douglas Lee, and the
assistants H. Karr and John Anderson.
The Messrs. Outridge who are reported
in the telegram to have been drowned,
are Mr. Alfred Outrldge and his nephew
Harold (son of the head teacher
at the Nundah State School), brother and
nephew of Mr. Outridge, of Brisbane. The
unfortunate gentlemen, with a young man
named R. B. Murray, son of Captain
Murray, were on the schooner Sagitta at the
time of the hurricane.
The following message has teen received
at the Port Office from the harbour-master
at Cooktown, who accompanied the Warrego
-"Returned Flinders Group midnight. No
further use for Warrego. Met White Star
at Flinders. She probably calls here. White
Star and Victory there (at Flinders)."
Amongst the names of whites mentioned
as being lost are none of those who formed
the crew of the Claremont lightship, so
that there is hope that they have been
saved.
The local managers of the A.U.S N. Company
have received a telegram fiom the
agent at Townsville as follows:-
"The Warrego, which arrived at 1 o'clock this morning,
reports having searched the islands and
reefs, and found that eighty-seven boats,
five schooners, and the lightship, with about
400 lives, were lost during the late hurricane.
The Warrego found thirty-six boats
and three schooners anchored safely in
Flinders Bay. Despatching Warrego to
Townsvlle at 9.30."
Mr. Jefferson, who is reported in the telegram
as having been drowned, was the
managing partner cf the Silvery Wave fleet.
REPORTS FR0M THURSDAY ISLAND.
THURSDAY ISLAND, March 13
No definite news has yet been received
here of the late hurricane, except from the
Crest of the Wave, which was dismasted.
Mrs. Porter, the wife of the captain of the
Crest of the Wave, who was brought here by
the steamer Duke of Portland, relays that
the schooners Sagitta and Silvery Wave
were anchored near the Crest. After the
storm burst on them the position of the
Sagitta was dangerous to the Silvery Wave,
as the anchors were dragging. Guns were
fired by the vessels at interval« to warn
each other of their positions, but Mrs. Porter
fancied the Sagitta slipped her cable
and got away. Both the Silvery
Wave and the Sagitta had disappeared
during the night, as well as
the lightship. No news has reached here
since. The vessels working in the vicinity
between Claremont and Cape Melville, were
the Olive with sixteen luggers, the Sagitta
with ten, Crest of the Wave with fourteen,
Silvery Wave with fifteen, Aladdin with fifteen,
and the Admiral, a tender there, which
belongs to what is usually called the Clark
Combination. Besides these there were the
Tarawa, belonging to the Queensland Pearl
Fishing Company, with about eighteen luggers
and a tender, the Wai Weir, and Meg
Merrilees, belonging to Bowden and Doyle,
and fourteen luggers. The figures are only
approximate, but are somewhere near the
mark. Over 100 luggers altogether must have
been working in the vicinity, besides seven
larger craft and two tenders. Information
is expected here first from Cooktown. The
Tokio Maru is due here to-day from the
south, and she may bring some news. With
the exception of one squall on Monday last,
which lasted half-an-hour, nothing out of
the ordinary has been experienced here.
The greatest anxiety prevails here, so little
being known of the effects ot the hurricane,
and as to the safety of the schooners and
luggers.
Later.
The steamer Tokio Maru, which was due
from tbe South to-day, has not yet arrived,
and no information as to her movements is
to hand. The arrival of the vessel is
anxiously awaited, in order to obtain news
of the damage done to the pearling fleets
during the recent hurricane. The reports
received have created much consternation
here, as the friends and relations of the
men who were working in the pearling boats
are unable to ascertain their fate. The loss
of so much life and property affects Thursday Island to an enormous extent, and it
will take a long time to recover.
Some concern is felt as to the whereabouts
of the lugger North Wales, belonging
to Messrs, Aplin, Brown, and Co., which
spoke the Crest of the Wave a day or two
before the storm. It is thought probable
that the body and debris passed by the
steamer Kasuga Maru belonged to the North
Wales, which was bound for Townsville. No
news of her arrival there is yet to hand.
TELEGRAMS RECEIVED BY THE PORTMASTER.
IMPORTANT PARTICULARS.
The following telegram from the Harbourmaster
at Cooktown was received at about
6 o'clock yesterday afternoon by the Port
master, Captain Almond. The message appears
to have been delayed in transmission
as it was despatched at 10 o'clock yesterday
morning. It runs as follows :-
"Considered,
after conferring with Mr. Bennett,
officer on hoard the White Star, that
Warrego could accomplish no good by going
any further north than Flinders Island.
Instructed Captain of Warrego to return to
Cooktown, where we arrived midnight.
White Star left Flinders Island for Cape
Melville at 7 a.m. Sunday. It was arranged
to go from there towards reef north-east
from Pipon Island, and search north. This
has not been done, because passed her at
6.30 Sunday evening, between Murdoch and
Lookout Point, steaming south. Useless
searching south of Barrow Point. At 12.40
Saturday sighted steamer Victory, and bade
her stay. Signalled Come alongside, and,
after receiving report of Pilot Coles, instructed
her captain to proceed south along
coast as far as Barrow Point, searching
beach. If any bodies found to bury them,
and if white to obtain full particulars for
identification, and give flour to blacks for
burying dead. Then to return if time
permitted to Channel Rock, and anchor for
the night, next morning to proceed to C
Reef, off Flinders Point, and examine lugger,
ashore on side of reef. Also, to proceed
to King Island, looking for wreckage, and
afterwards proceed to Cooktown. Captain
Porter, of the Crest of the Wave, reports
saw lightship at 11 p.m. on Saturday at
her anchorage. Barometer fell then to 2(?)in.
Consensus of opinion is that lightship
foundered at her moorings. Water too
dirty to send diver down. If not there,
then foundered at Bathurst Bay; but of
opinion sank at moorings, and all hands
drowned. Captains of pearling fleet say
never experienced such weather, and believe
160 to 400 coloured men drowned, besides
the following white men :- Captain Jefferson,
of the Silvery Wave ; Captain Murray,
of the Sagitta ; A. J. Outridge, H. Outridge, and one man name unknown ; Captain
Powell, of the schooner North Wales,
and two men; captain of the Channel Rock
lightship; also, M. Atthow and I. Nicholas,
Silvery Wave. The following vessels are
reported lost :- Schooners – North Wales,
Sagitta, Silvery Wave, Admiral, Waiwera,
Meg Merrilees, forty-five luggers belonging
to the fleet, fifteen belonging to various
owners, about twenty swimming boats, and
the Channel Rock lightship. Have buried
fully sixty bodies, but only one white man,
Mr. H. Outridge. Suggest further search
of beach north of Barrow Point for bodies
for burial."
A further message has informed Captain
Almond of the arrival of the White Star at
Cooktown, and an urgent message was at
once sent asking that any information her
people possessed might be at once wired to
Brisbane.
THE WHITE STAR SEARCH PARTY.
Mr. O. H. Bennett, sub-collector of Customs
at Thursday Island, who accompanied
the Government steamer White Star on the
relief expedition, wired to Captain Almond
last night as follows :- "Left Thursday
island at 2 p.m. on the 8th instant In the
White Star. Searched from Cape Sidmouth
southward to Cooktown. Schooners Meg
Merrilees; Weiwera, luggers Xarifa, Two
Brothers; Rosa Martha, Pegasus, Givanna,
Peeress, Sprig, Jennie, Yamuta Tatal
wrecked. Nine lives lost in Givanna,
Peeress, and Sprig. Crews of all others
saved. Schooner Tarawa was on Pelican
Island, but got off strained, Several other
luggers ashore Pelican, Burkitt, and Hannah
Islands, but they will get off. Crews safe,
and in no want of assistance. All foregoing
at north end Princess Charlotte Bay. Came
from Pelican to Port Stanley, Flinders
Group, this morning. Found schooners
Olive and Aladdin safe and uninjured.
Schooner Crest of Wave dismasted and with
bulwarks gone towed in by Victory. Ascertained
that schooner Sagitta and eight luggers,
schooner Silvery Wave and thirteen
luggers, besides fifteen luggers of Crest of
the Wave fleet, and the tender schooner Admiral
— all totally lost with about 230 men,
including Jefferson, master of Silvery Wave;
Murray, master of Sagitta, two Outridges,
and, John Nicholas, clerk. Several small
swimming-diving boats lost, with parts of
crew, but many of crews escaped. Am sending
about thirty of them on to Thursday
Island in three chartered luggers, having
supplied them with provisions. Leave here
to-morrow to search for castaways on banks
and reef to eastward and north along the
Barrier. Will return here for any others
who want to go on to Thursday Island. May
have to go to Cooktown for cool. After that
will communicate further. Estimate total
loss of life at over 300, under 350. Loss ot
vessels, four schooners and about forty-five
diving boats. Cannot estimate loss of
swimming-diving boats and crews, nor will
be able to do so for some time. At present
know of about twelve. Am sending this
by Warrego to Cooktown." |