Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), Monday 3 March 1890, page 8


THE CAPTAIN'S STATEMENT.

Captain Wilson in an interview stated We left Kiama for Sydney at 6.20 a.m. on Saturday), and entered the Heads at 8 p m., with the wind pretty fresh from the south. Beat up the west channel, and was on a lack from shark Point heading for Garden Island, when the steamer Adelaide one in sight in the LOI thin side of Pinchgut. We saw her first at the time we cleared Bradley's Head. When coursing; almost midway between Bradley's Head and Garden island the Adelaide was heading towards Clark Island Had aba kept that course she would have cleared the schooner by about three points ashore on the standard quarter. She struck us, however, just what the fore rigging, and the whistle on board was blowing, but too late to avert a collision

The item on the steamer out into usually up to the combings of the main hatch, and we sank almost instantly didn't not a minute. Captain Wilson goes on to say" I think he had his propeller stopped, but cannot say positively, having enough to do to look out for my own vessel. I gave orders to clear the boat, and told the crew to look out from themselves. Frederick Taylor, the mate, was, when I last saw him, standing near the stern of the boat, which was lying; on the hatchway upright

He is said to be lost. He is . man of about 40 years of age, and has a b rot he a master mariner sailing out of Sydney in charge of the anchor per Morning Light. The other men on board were Janus Benson, cook and steward, John Torsuii A.B., A. Swanson, A.B., and Harry Lingreen, A.B I couldn't say whether the Lost was damaged in the collision-that is, whether the stem of

the Adelaide struck it. There was very little time.

As to the mate, Poor fellow, his alma be is poue. boots of the measure him going up the fore-rigging, and he probably got taught underneath it as the ship Went down. All the 10 en ran to the rigging when the i saw the schooner was doomed, their intention being to scramble on board the Adelaide over the bows, which were then got between the fore and main rigging Had they been thrown from the Meunier at this time I think the men could have been hauled on board, she

would certainly have had a better chance, but in the excitement the poor fellows had to do the best they could. As it was two of them got on board the steamer, and two went down with the schooner, but came to the surface directly after. They were resCUE by a sailing boat within sell. The boat turned out to belong to Mr. OSG»I Mackay, the caretaker at the School of Arts, and h acted bravely by us. As I say, two of the men got on, board the Adelaide. I was on the poop at the time, and I stopped there se the wheel until the vessel sank I tried then to get clear other with the lifebuoy on the weather quarter, but she took me down and I was in the later about quarter of an hour. Atur we were picked up we were put on the steamer Spark, and were taken to Circular Quay, where the water police took us to the hospital." '

Captain Wilson says that at the hospital they were very kindly treated. Two of the men are still there The whole of the effects belonging to himself and the. crew were lost. At the time of the occurrence (about 6 pm.) it was ebb tide (the captain's water, stopped exactly at b o'clock). ' He has commanded vessels on the coast for 20 years, and some four years ago had charge of this same vessel,

and was her first trip in the Kiama trade, The vessel. like the personal effects of the master and the crew, was not insured. hue is owned by Mr. John Phillips Bathurst-street, coal men hant. Captain »llaonlooU more dead than alive, and is evidently suffering from the effects of his immersion and the attendant anxiety

He is a very well known shipmaster out of by due,;, and was last in a vessel named the Venture.