LIVERPOOL MERCURY
25th January 1913
News has reached Liverpool of a collision during thick and stormy weather nr Newport News. Va, between the Liverpool steamer INDRAKUALA, bound from Japan to Baltimore and New York and the tramp steamer, LUKENBACH. The latter vessel foundered immediately with Capt GILBERT and his wife and 13 crew members. 7 survivors leashed themselves to the masts were they remained, enduring terrible suffering, for 6 hrs until rescued by the steamer PENNSYLVANIA.
Officer HUNT a survivor of the LUKENBACH said, his vessel struck the INDRAKUALA amid ships And she was practically cut in two. All were taken unawares. Capt GILBERT when in the water, reached his wife, but a big sea tore her away from him. He ignored the shouts of the crew and swam around the ship in freezing water, calling her name. He grew weaker and weaker and was washed farther and farther away.
The St Johns ship EARLSHALL from Swansea to Newfoundland, arrived at Queenstown on Tuesday in a battered and crippled condition. She hit a hurricane and sustained damage to her, foremast, main topmast, bulwarks, stanchions rails and deck fittings were carried away. Her lifeboats were smashed and falling wreckage injured many of her crew.
The steamer ROKEBY, PYMAN Steamship Co of West Hartlepool, lying in the Kings Dock at Liverpool, had an exciting experience while crossing the Atlantic. She left Newport News on Dec 31st And had 2 days fine weather then ran into a hurricane. The Hamburg Amerika liner ABYSSINIA was sighted flying signals of distress, a dense fog came down and she was lost sight of..
The weather cleared and her signals read, “ Damaged rudder cannot steer”, A line was past but it snapped. The ROKEBY stood by all night but then for her own safety took cover, promising to inform the next vessel coming that way of the position of the ROKEBY. Icicles hung on both vessels, snow was 3 ft deep and seas as high as the masts swept the decks.
Exciting scenes were witnessed during the rescue by the rocket brigade of a crew of 44 of the, Blue Star Liner, BRODLAND, ashore near Aberavon on Monday night, during a fierce gale as she was leaving Port Talbot, with a cargo for the Magellan Straits. Hundreds of workmen raced to the beach to give assistance. Huge waves swept over the boat, sometimes she was hidden from view. It was impossible for the lifeboat to put out, gradually she started to break up.
The rescue took 3 hrs and all the crew where eventually brought ashore. The BRODLAND [Ex HIGHLAND MARY] 2989 tons, built 1891, she contained refrigerated machinery and has brought many cargos of frozen meat from South America, valued at £35.000.
John JONES, the mate of the ZELIA, which was lost in heavy seas in the Irish Channel, east of Dublin, on November 13th, last, told his story of the disaster, at the Board of Trade inquiry at Liverpool. Witness stated, that two other crew members, HANRATTY and DEVITT, got into a lifeboat the rest remained on board. Within 4 mins of them getting in the lifeboat the ship went down. The rest had refused to leave the vessel, but had chance to do so. The three survivors were on the seas from, 2 am on the 13th to 3pm on the 14th, when they were picked up by the LADY BACON, Nr, Bardsey Island, off the North Wales Coast.
Terrible scenes witnessed at sea on the Russian Liner ESTONIA, 3.000 tons, formerly the, BIBBY Liner WARWICKSHIRE. Which took fire in the Red Sea on the 15th. The fire spread with such rapidity that the officers were unable to get back to the bridge to instruct the engineers to stop the vessel. The 3rd Engineer was burnt to death, The Captain and 10 others died by burning or being driven overboard. Survivors were took off by the PRIAM and were taken to Aden.
At the Court of Appeal on behalf of the Secretary of India, a claim was made against the P and O, Steam Navigation Co, in respect of cargo of the DELHI, which went ashore at Cape Spartel off the coast of Morocco on December 1911.
Lloyds Agent at Fayall, telegraphed on Saturday, that the British steamer, MANCHESTER MARINER, from Manchester for Philadelphia, arrived with fire in No 1 hold. On the 14th an explosion occurred in the forward hold.
The Great Southern Railway Co, of Buenos Ayres have no further news regarding the steamer SOLA, and her complete loss with all on board is feared. She left Newport on Dec 23rd last for Buenos Ayres with a crew of 18 and several passengers, employees of the Company and their relatives.
The Hamburg Amerika Line, Motor Ship CHRISTIANSEN, which passed the Lizard on the 9th inst, on a voyage to Boston, suffered machine damage in the storms. The Captain returned to Queenstown for repairs.
The Furness Liner MALVERN GRANGE, Captain FOXWORTHY, on 1st inst, from Baltimore to Copenhagan with a cargo of maize, encountered the hurricane on the 12th, which lasted 4 days. Has sought refuge in Queenstown.
Liverpool Mercury, February 1st, 1913
Falmouth.
German sailing ship sunk, 30 lives lost.
A Harve telegram states on Monday the steamer PHRYNE bound from Algeria to Rouen, ran into the German four-masted sailing ship PANGANI from Hamburg to Valparasio, off Cape La Hague. The PANGANI sank rapidly, although 4 men were picked up by the PHRYNE, 30 others were lost.
The PANGANI was a steel 4 masted barque of 3,054 tons built at Geestemunde registered at Hamburg. She was bound for Hamburg and Antwerp for Iquique.
The PHRYNE is a French steamer of 2,800 tons she was badly damaged.
A Lloyds telegram from Rouen says the British steamer SWANSEA BAY, inward bound has been in a collision with a vessel, supposed the ELECTRA, outward bound.
The SWANSEA BAY has not arrived at Rouen yet, but reported damaged, several crew injured. Lloyds agent for Honfleur says the ELECTRA reports having been in collision with an unknown vessel in the Honfleur roads and put back seriously damaged.
The 3 masted iron auxiliary motor schooner EARLSHALL of 700 tons reached the Mersey in tow on Monday with mainmasts gone and bulwarks swept away, in a disabled condition.
She left Swansea on the 18th Dec last, laden with coal for Newfoundland.
She had hardly left the Channel when a succession of gales were encountered, on 19th Jan, a north west hurricane sprang up. None of the crew were hurt, but one man injured a leg later when he slipped on deck.
Capt MC COONEY and crew were kept busy clearing away the tangle and he decided to abandon the voyage to Newfoundland and make for Queenstown, he reached there with only the assistance of his motor, which drives at 5 knots in smooth water.
On Sunday he left Queenstown reaching Liverpool safely in tow on Monday morning.
Liverpool Mercury Mar 9th, 1913
Overdue Clan liner
The “Times” in its report of the Marine Insurance Market, reported as from Tues, from Port Louis, Mauritius, that two cyclones had hit the island and that the British steamer CLAN STUART was three days overdue on the voyage from Delagoa Bay. She left Delagoa Bay on Feb 23rd. In view of the weather, against which she might be unable to make any headway, not more than 20 percent was quoted for reinsurance.
The CLAN STUART is a turret deck steamer of 3594 tons, built in 1906, valued at £35.000. She left Liverpool for Delagoa Bay, Mauritius on Jan 17th and was at the time likely to have had little cargo on board.
Liverpool Mercury Mar 15th, 1913
British steamer lost
A Lloyd’s telegram from Nelson, New Zealand says the British steamer RED PINE has been wrecked and totally lost, ship and cargo. All on board saved.
Wrecked trawler’s boat capsized
The Hull steamer trawler, ADMIRAL TOGO went ashore off the Icelandic coast. The crew took to the boat which capsized, all hands were drowned.
The ADMIRAL TOGO carried a crew of 12 hands. The vessel left Hull a fortnight ago for the fishing grounds, and according to information received by the owners, Messers PICKERING and HALDANE, Hull, she stranded on the rocks near Reykjanes on Friday night, and was badly holed.
Stranded Liverpool steamer
Further despatches regarding the Liverpool steamer LUGANO on Ajax Reef, Key West, Florida, state the vessel struck the reef at 1 am on Sunday.
Her wireless calls for help were unanswered for several hours, when they were heard a tug proceeded to her assistance immediately.
There were 110 passengers taken off by the tug and landed at Key West.
Except two, the passengers are Spanish emigrants for Cuba.
The Captain and crew remained on the vessel, reports on Monday night stated the position of the LUGANO was critical in the extreme. A tug has gone from Kingston to her assistance.
British sailing ship sunk
The English vessel GLENALOON, bound from Argentine to Hamburg with a cargo of salt petre, sank on Wednesday off Heligoland. It is supposed the disaster resulted from a collision with the Hamburg steamer PRINZESS. The British ship is a total loss, but no lives were lost.
Safety of a Liverpool ship after 163 days
The Liverpool ship DOVENBY owned by Messers Peter IREDALE and sons, which was on the overdue list as reached England safely.
Three Liverpool ships loaded at the Isle of Lobos de Afriera, in the Pacific and left within three days of each other
The DENBIGH CASTLE was the first off but unfortunately foundered off the coast of England. The CRICCIETH CASTLE put into an Irish port battered and torn but the DOVENBY except being sighted by the CRICCIETH CASTLE was not heard of till Jan 5th, when she was spotted to the north of the line. To the gratification of relatives and the owners, she on Monday night passed the Lizard on her way to London having been 165 days on her journey.
Liverpool Echo Nov 29th 1913
JUNO, Bremen, Nov 25th, attempts to get the JUNO, have been unsuccessful, another attempt will be made next tide, but it is feared she will not float, as the leak is increasing, engines disabled. Nov 26th, attempts to float unsuccessful. Intended to pump engine room clear and discharge cargo into lighter.
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