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LOSS OF THE STEAMER
GOTHENBURG.
ONE HUNDRED AND SEVEN PERSONS
MISSING.
It is fortunately along time since it has
been our lot to chronicle an occurrence
fraught with such thrilling interest to the
public as that which was made known to the
people of South Australia early on the
morning of Wednesday, March 3-the wreck
of the steamer Gothenburg on her return
trip to
Adelaide from the Northern Territory.
with considerably over a hundred people
on board - passengers
and crew.
The which was caused as the news spread was very
great
and clusters of citizens was to be seen about
the principal parts of the city talking over
all that was known and making .........
enquiries for further particulars of the sad
occurrence. The first news of the event,
which seems to have taken place on the
coast of Queensland about five hundred miles
north-west of Brisbane and a hundred or more
from Port Mackay on the night of the 24th of
February during very heavy weather, was
sent forward via Brisbane by Mr. B. C.
Delissa, our morning contemporary's correspondent,
who is now residing at Port Mackay.
Owing to storms and floods communication
between Brisbane and the ports further up the
coast has been for some days interrupted. To
show how severe these must have been, we
may quote our Brisbane telegram of February 26th,
which said: - "The heaviest rain
ever known here has now been experienced.
Great floods have prevailed; a portion
of the Albert District has been submerged,
and city buildings have been damaged.
A heavy gale is prevailing along the coast"
No news was therefore obtainable by means
of the electric wire. The information which
came forward must, we presume, have
reached Brisbane by the steamer Leichardt,
which probably arrived at Moreton Bay late
on Tuesday evening. The telegram was
doubtless penned in haste, and same of
its details were afterwards materially
modified. Mr. DeIisaa's telegram
stated that the wreck took place on
Flinders Island, that two boats were picked
up by the Leichardt steamer near Port
Denison, and that three boats were still
adrift. Later information, it will be seen,
has shown that only one boat was picked up,
and that there is no evidence that the other
boats put off from the steamer before she
went down. That Flinders Island was the
scene of wreck was evidently a misconception.
The Gothenburg was on her seventh trip
between Adelaide and Port Darwin, and
sailed from the latter port on the 16th
February with 80 passengers and 33 of a
crew. The telegrams which we publish below
differ slightly as to numbers, but these
figures are based upon the enumeration of
all the persons mentioned in the lists of those
on board. We know nothing of her progress
till she reached the Flinders Passage,
which we believe is about 50 miles from the
coast of Queensland, at a distance which
cannot be less than 650 miles from
Brisbane, 150 from Port Mackay, and
about 250 from Rockhampton. On the
evening of Wednesday, February 24, when
in the south-east of Flinders Pasuge, and in
midst of a violent gale from the north west,
with very heavy sea, thunder and lightning,
and blinding rain, she struck upon the
Barrier Reef. A boat seems, from the information
contained in our telegrams, to have
been lowered for the purpose of pulling round
the stern. Four men named below were in
it; but according to their account
they were unable to effect their purpose,
as the sea was running so strong
as to at once wash them away to leeward.
Early on the morning of Thursday, 25th
February, the steamer Leichardt, of 273
tons, bound from Cooktown to the
southern ports of Queensland, picked
up the castaway boat. She returned
to the scene of the wreck, which is stated
to be in lat. 19° 17' 30' S., long 148°
40. A boat was sent off to the wreck, but
nothing was to be seen of passengers or crew.
The vessel had sunk up to the masthead,
and it was impossible to tell whether
those who had been on board had succeeded
in putting off in boats or whether
the boats had gone down with the wreck,
and the look-out kept at the masthead
could make out no sign of boats. A lady's
plaid shawl, a comforter, and a mattress
were hanging on to the yardarm, and the
funnel of the steamer had been swept away.
The Leichardt, consequently, gave up the
search, and seems to have gone away first to
Port Mackay and thence to Brisbane. This
is nearly all that is known of the occurrence.
The Tinonee steamer, of 265 tons,
belonging to the A. S. N. Company, was at
Port Mackay, and Mr. B. C. De Lissa
reports that he offered on the part
of the Government of South Australia
to guarantee a portion of the cost of
going at once to search for the missing
voyagers, but the captain would not entertain
his proposal The weather seems to
have been unusually severe, as will be seen
by our latest telegrams. The steamers
Brisbane and Governor Blackall reported
having encountered terrific weather, and lost
all their deck cargo. It will be seen also
that fears are entertained for the safety of
all who are at present missing, owing to the
severity of the storm. The Superintendent
of Telegraphs, on Wednesday morning,
received from Port Darwin a list of the
passengers on board, which we are enabled to
publish in a corrected form below. From
Melbourne we have obtained the names of
the ship's company, which will also be
found appended. It will be seen that amongst
those who are missing are anumber of persons
holding high positions here or in the
Northern Territory and widely known to the
people of South Australia. The Circuit
Court sent to the Territory for the
trial of offenders there had finished its
sittings, and the functionaries who had gone
from Adelaide were passengers by the ill
fated steamer. Mr. Justice Wearing, third
Judge of the Supreme Court, was therefore a
passenger, as will be seen by the list We
notice also the names of Dr. Millner, the
late Acting Government Resident, Mrs.
Millnar, and their two daughters; Mr. L. J.
Pelham, Mr. Justice Wearing's Associate ;
Mr. J. J. Whitby, who went with the
Circuit Court as Acting Crown Prosecutor;
the wife tad family of Mr. Price, the
Resident Magistrate at Palmenton, formerly
Clerk of the Adelaide Police Court; Mr.
Wells, Editor of the Northern Territory
Time*; Mr. Otto Peters, late of the firm of
Peters ft Martin, of this city ; and Mr. W.
Shoobridge, formerly clerk to Messrs.
Acramaa, Main, & Co., and of late Secretary
to various Mining Companies in the
Territory. But we need hardly particularise,
for in nearly every case the
missing have doubtless friends in South
Australia who will spend anxious days
and nights until some distinct tidings
of them come to hand. This may soon be
looked for. Telegraphic communication was
restored between Brisbane and Rockhampton
last evening, and it is expected that that
with the ports further north may be opened
up this morning. This being so, if any
further facts are ascertained the public
will at once be made acquainted with
them. The A.S.N. Company have telegraphed
to all the Queensland ports ordering
all their steamers to keep a good look-out far
the Gothenburg's boats, and render every
assistance required. We have made some
enquiries with reference to the number of
boats which were carried by the Gothenburg,
but have not been able to ascertain exact
particulars, as the owners in Melbourne did
not feel justified in giving information on
certain points. It is thought that she had
five.
The Gothenburg was a screw steamer,
iron-built and barque-rigged, built in Lord m
in 1855 by Lungky, and named the Celt
She waa then a vessel of 426 tons, her fiist
owner being Balguerre, of Rotterdam, and
she wsj intended for the London and
Rotterdam trade. Her length was
176 feet, her team 26 feet, and her depth 16
feet 6 inches, and she had four bulkheads;
and was classed Al for 12 years when
launched in 1855. In 1862 she was registered
in Melbourne for the Australian trade,
her tonnage being 459. McMeckan, Blackwood,
& Co. are her owners, and she has
been running in the intercolonial passenger
trade for some years, and was a favourite
boat, although not a very fast one. She has
been identified with the Northern Territory
service almost from its earliest days. Her
master, R. G. A. Pearce, has been a very
attentive officer, and has succeeded in obtaining
an excellent reputation, not only for his
vessel, but for himself.
Below we give the telegrams which we
received on Wednesday in the order in which
they came : —
Brisbane, via Sydney, Wednesday Morning.
[Associated Press Telegram.]
The steamer Leichardt reports that at
daylight on Thursday she picked up a boat
with four men washed away from the steamer
Gothenburg, which struck the previous
evening on the Barrier Beef, south-east of
Flinders Passage, during heavy thunder,
lightning, and blinding rain; in fact, a
fearful night. She had 85 passengers,
35 crew, and 3,000 ounces of gold.
The position of the wreck is lat. 19° 17' 30*,
long. 14S* 40,. She sent a boat to the wreck
and found that not a soul was left. There
were a lady's plaid shawl, a comforter, and
a mattress hanging to the yard arm.
Nothing could be seen of the boats from
the Leichardt's masthead. The rescued
men said that the boats were hanging at
the davits when they left. The saved are
Nelson, the forecabin steward, Hudson, a
coal trimmer, Hermanzen, a sailor, and
Burns, a lamp trimmer.
The following messages were received
during the forenoon by Mr. Todd from Mr.
Cracknell, Superintendent of Telegraphs in
Queensland, in reply to a request for further
information: —
' Will enquire at once, and let you know
all particulars that can be got Names of
saved — Harry Nelson, Salaci Hermanzen,
Wm. Burns, Joseph Hudson. Place is
Flinders Passage. She struck on Barrier
Reef. It is possible that some vessel has
taken off the passengers and crew.'
To Chas. Todd, Esq.
Brisbane, March 3.
The Leichardt put back and examined
wreck of Gothenburg, but saw nothing of
passengers or crew. Vessel sunk to the eyes
of lower rigging. The four men picked up
in boat say that they were sent to row round
the stern of the steamer after she struck, but
they were carried away from the vessel by
heavy sea, and drifted rapidly to leeward.
Other boats may since have reached the
coast. The opinion of the chief
officer of the Leichardt is that
if lowered they would be swamped.
Only one boat was picked up containing
four men— Nelson, forecabin steward; Hermanzen,
A.B. ; Burns, lamptrimmer ; and
Hudson, coal trimmer. The boat shipped a
sea, and was very nearly swamprd; a very
heavy sea running, and it blowing hard. In
the rigging were found a lady's shawl, a
comforter. Funnel gone, and foremast
toppling. Owing to effects of cyclone and
floods we have at present no communication
with Bowen or Rockhampton. Tinonee
left Bowen for Rockhampton on Sunday.
Not aware of any steamer available for
Bowen. Distance from wreck, 100 miles.
The Florence Irving left here yesterday
for Bowen and Cooktown. No steamer
again until 13th. Next steamer arrives from
Bowen on 15th. I will supply any further
information you may require.
[Associated Press Telegram.]
The following is a complete list of the
passengers as obtained by the Superintendent
of Telegraphs from Port Darwin:—
In the cabin— Dr. and Mrs. Millner, Misses
G. and D. Millner, and Master Millner, Hon. T.
end Mrs. Reynolds. Judge Wearing, Messrs. L.
J. Pelham and J. J. Whitby, Mrs. Price, Misses
A. and J. Price, Master Price, and two infanta,
Messrs. W. Shoobridge and J. Runge, Mrs. Cox,
Mr. P. Cox, and Miss B. Cox, Mem. Wells,
Musgrave, S. Delissa, O. Peters, — Ross W.
Thomas, T. Rudfotd, and E. Durand.
In the steerage— Messrs. M. McCallum, R
McCraith, Mrs. L. Vigar, Messrs. J. McCarthy.
P. J. Hogan, W. Dithmer, W. Fairball,
W. Minn, Mr*, and Master Ortermann,
Mr. and Mrs. Hunt, Messrs. J. Kroger, T.
Copeland, F. Cameron, W. Floyd, W. Eastber,
A. 8tone, J. McKay, J. Griffin, 8. Johns, W.
D. Wilion, R. Martin. W« and J. Goulder, J.
Campbell, J. Newcomb, D. Harris, W. Lauechel,
W. Thompson, J. Edgar, J. Williams, 8. O.
Andrew, C. Fry, J. Dean, J. Slocomb, E. and
T. Cartwright, M. Mitchell, J. Cltlland, W.
McCrsig, W. H. Graham, W. and Mrs. Nation,
H. Glenister, J. Fogarty, W. Roberts, B.
Bazell, X dive, J. J. Fitzgerald, J. Craig.
[From a Correspondent]
Melbourne, March 3, Evening.
The following are the names of the officers
and crew of the Gothenburg :— Captain, R.
G. A. Pearce ; chief officer, R. T. Davies [Richard Tudor Davies;
second officer, R. Stephen; engineer,
David Short; second engineer, Charles
Green; third engineer, John Anderson;
carpenter, David Ross; stewards, George
Cheese, Charles Brown, Harry Nelson, P.
Bond, W. C. Nook, and James Smith;
stewardess, M. A. Robertson ; cook, James
Hodness ; second cook, Wm. Randall ; cook's
mate, Charles Dernott; lamp-trimmer, Wm.
Bryan ; able seamen, W. F. Falk, James
March, Thomas Butter, Ricnard Bells, A.
Pevenes, John Reynolds, David Wild, Salve
Hermanzen, and C. Jeckson ; firemen, Adam
Hunter, John Flegg, James Tyrrell, William
Clark, Gnstava Rosena, and John Delaney.
The Gothenburg is not insured for her full
value. The owners are their own under
writers for a certain amount. The agents
refuse at present to state the amount of the
insurance or what offices are affected.
We telegraphed to the Brisbane Courier
for further particulars, and are indebted
to the Edftor for the following particulars,
some of which it will be noticed had previously
reached us : —
Brisbane, March 3, lib. 20m.
The steamer Leichardt, from Cooktown,
reports having at daylight on Thursday,
February 25, picked up a boat with four men,
who stated that they had been washed away
from the steamer Gothenburg, Pearce, master,
bound from Port Darwin to Melbourne, and
which had been wrecked through having
struck on the evening of Wednesday,
February 24, on the Barrier Reef, south
east of Flinders Passage, during a
heavy north -west gale, accompanied
by thunder, lightning,- and blinding
rain. It was a most fearful night at sea.
There were 85 passengers and 36 in the
crew, and 3,000 ozs. of gold on board. The
wreck lies in latitude 19' 17' 30' S., longitude
148° 40' E. The Leichardt sent a boat to
the wreck and found not a soul left. A
lady's plaid shawl, comforter, and straw
mattress were hanging in the yardarm. The
vessel was a complete wreck. The funnel
was gone and the steamer had sunk to
the eyes of the lower rigging. The masts
were standing. It was impossible to ascertain
if the boats were on the davits or had
left the ship, and nothing could be seen
from the masthead of the Leichardt
of the three boats which were hanging
to the davits of the Gothenburg when
the boat was washed away. Unfortunately,
consequent upon the recent flood, communication
with all the northern ports has been
suspended during the past week, and continues
to be so. The first information came
through a chance arrival here. The survivors
must have come by steamer. We
regret to say that hopes of the survivors
reaching a place of safety are doubtful, as
the weather has been frightful. The Government
are anxious to send the Tinonee to
search along the coast and among the
islands. She is now engaged northwards,
but telegraphic communication is wanting to
learn her movements.
We are afraid the survivors are few, if
any. From the statements received the
steamer appears to have slipped into deep
water before there was time to launch the
boats, and foundered at once. On communication
being restored we will institute
search and telegraph results. Our efforts to
interview the survivors have proved unsuccessful.
Brisbane, via Sydney, March 3, 12.10.
Communications on all the Northern
telegraph lines beyond Brisbane is interrupted,
and it is impossible to say yet
weather any of the Gotheburg's boats have
reached land. Fears are entertained that
the remainder of the passengers and the crew
have perished. The steamers Brisbane and
Governor Blackall encountered terrific
weather, and lost their deck cargo. When
the boat from the steamer Leichardt reached
the Gothenburg the vessel was submerged
up to the masthead, and the funnel gone.
Melbourne, March 3, Evening.
The Gothenburg was insured in the
Southern and other offices, but not to the
full amount of her value.
Sydney, March 3, Afternoon.
The A.S.N. Company have telegraphed
to the Queensland ports, ordering all their
steamers to keep a good look-out for the
Gothenburg's boats and give them every
assistance If required.
Mr. Todd has telegraphed to Mr. Cracknell,
Superintendent of Telegraphs in Queensland,
to ascertain what boat the men were
in when they left the Gothenburg, what
time the Leichardt visited the wreck, the
direction of the wind at that time, and
whether it was moderating when the
Leichardt left. He also asked whether
they were certain or not that the boats had
been lowered from the davits of the Gothenburg.
Up to an early hour this morning no
information was received upon the queries
as asked.
A Funs Ynre.— We have seen on the property
of Mr. Killiooat, King William-street south, a
J ultana vine, which was planted in August, 1870,
as a cutting, having been obtained from Dr.
t-'ebomburgk, Director of the Botanic Garden,
vhen he was distributing, and has now two
&1 en s of between two and three inches diameter.
It has reached the top of a two-storey building,
-?) read laterally about 20 fe«t, and yielded a
i rge crop of fine fruit. One bunch of grapes
- ell massed weighed 5| lbs., and several others
n ached from 4 to 5 lbs. It is probable that
nhere the cutting was set there had been in
'(rnser yean some rich deposit, otherwise the
extraordinary growth and fruitfulnessin so short
a till e would be difficult to account for, as no
special means have been uaed lately to promote
the welfare of the vine. It is certainly worthy
of v ?pectioD.
SILVER MARRIAGES. - The twenty-fifth anni
vem.ry.day of a marriage is a sort of institu
tion among our German cousins, and is almost
alwa ys oelebrated in a festive manner. Such an
evtst happened to Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Sggers
on Tuesday last, they havine entered the mar
riage state on the 2nd March, 1250. Though it
is not customary by Germans to issue special
invitations to such festivals, relations aad friends
make it a point to call upon the couple, and Mr.
Fggen's house in Gilbert Town saw a numerous
company assembled. Mr. Wm. Eggert having
been the main representative of the German
Press in South Australia, and moreover having
filled just 25 yaars ago the post of President of
the then LiederUfel, the members of the pre
sent Society showed their respect of their coun
tryman by a serenade in the best German
st-le. To the great surprise and delight
of Mr. and Mrs. Sggers and their
assembled family and friends, a grand
choius by Mendelssohn arose before their house*
about 9 o'clock in the evening, followed by a
number of the best songs the German Iieder
tafel have In their repertoiie. -Invited in the
house a most enjoyable evening was spent. In
propesieg the first toast, ' The Foung Couple,**
the President of the Society, Mr. Nettelbeck,
remarked that this was the first time that the
Liedertafel had assisted at a regular silver
mairiage, and the members had thought it the-
more their duty to do so as Mr. Eggers bad
always in his German newspaper, as well as ia
the English Press, defended his countrymen
and German interests generally. The toast
being drank with the musical honours of the
Society, Mr. Armbruster toasted the German
Frets, and remarked that South Australia
tupped all the other Australian Colonies with
its German literature. Mr. Eggers, in acknow
ledging the sentiments of his friends,
remarked that Adelaide had had the first
Liedertafel, and that therefore our local Society
could claim to be the path-breaker of all the
Liedertafels now to be found in almost every
large town in Australia. He therefore called
upon the company assembled to drink a bumper
lass to the suocees of the German liedertafel
f all Australia. The tout waa honoured with
nthusfasm, and it was long past midnight before
he merry company broke up. During the
evening some poetical gratulationa, also a Ger
man feature of such occasionB, sent in by absent
frier ds, were read.
Tbb Central Soabd or Hsaith. — This
public body has received 32 applications for the
position of Inspector, rendered vacant by the
death of Mr. B. Holroyd,
|V» Mr. J. H. Parr desires us to draw par
icuiar notice to his Sale at 2 o'clock This
Afternoon at the Commercial-Buildings, Cnrrie
strett (under instructions from Messrs. B&teson,
Austin, ft Co.), of the Carcuma, Wow Wow,
and Wettbrooke Stations, near last Wellington,
in three separate lota to suit purchasers.
IT We are requested by Mr. J. H. Parr to
call special attention to his Bale at 11 o'clock
This Morning, at No. 5 Bond, Peel.street, of
470 mats and bags Queensland 8ugara. A
clearing*out sale.
?T The understated will make a rtotral
radustlon in all 'Bummer Drapery and Beady
Mad* Clothing' from Saturday, 30th January, la
order to effect a speedy clearance for Ksw
8kajoh's Goods. Suita to order. FH guaranteed*
A large Stock of Geelosg. West of lagland, and
Gwsaaa Tweeds to select from, warranted
shrunk, Fashionable Millinery Hats and
Bonnets at moderate prises. A large Stock of
Newest Materials in Fancy Dress*, and a first
class Dressmaker on the premises. ?
TflDTOBS to ADBUUDl and GOTH0 wfll
effect a gnat Baving by purchasing theur
Drapery asd Ready-made Clothing from T.
Lommax, 92, Hindlsy-street (next Solomon
sad Salon's), and Brighton-terrace, Glenelg.
I.B.-L?t*t Profits, Quick Returns for Cash.
SOthscf ,
$