Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), Saturday 19 December 1896, page 9


COLLISION IN THE HARBOUR.

SINKING OF THE STEAMER MERKSWORTH.

BEACHED OFF CREMORNE.

Between 1 and 2 p m yesterday the steam collier Merksworth, bound from the Wallarah Coal Com-any's mine, laden with coal, was heading up the harbour making a course for Miller's Point or somewhere about there, where she usually gets orders as to what wharf or ship she is to discharge her cargo at, when she met with a disastrous collision. She had rounded Bradley's Head, and was making an inside course to pass Pinchgut. Following her came the Manly Beach Company's new steamer Manly, one of the fastest ferry steamers in the harbour, and soon after passing Bradley's these two steamers, presumably under complete control, came so close that the one hit the other what is technically known as a "slid-ing blow" That graceful act proved sufficient for the struck ship to almost immediately sink, and cause an almost miraculous escape of her crew. It would, in the absence of the official reports and the official inquiry which the Marine Board must hold, be improper to spaculate as to which ship was the offender. The fact remains that the well-found steam collier the Merksworth re-ceived such injury as ended her career for the time being in her particular sphere of usefulness. The accounts given by some of those who were aboard the Merksworth differ in minor details, though they are unanimous in that they were ahead until the nose of the Manly was poked into the midship part of their ship, smashing the bridge and some of the upper work.s It came as a surprise, and after realising that they had been struck nobody suggested that the blow was serious until the hissing caused by the inrush of water below into the boiler room was heard; and it came in quickly, for before

the Merksworth could reach Kirribilli Point she was doomed, and the best that could be done was done under the circumstances, namely, head her for the nearest land and jam her head there, thus saving risking the lives of the men. The other steamer, Manly, was by that time well up the harbour on her way to the Manly wharf. "They hit us on our starboard side," said one of the crew of the Merksworth, "and we didn't think there was much in it, but she has a projecting propeller head, and that must have rammed us underneath." And that is the accepted theory of the cause of the sink-ing of the Merksworth.

All went silent on the ferry-boat when official reports were asked for, but the passengers were less disposed to be reticent. "The thing was all done in a moment," said one. "There was some whisthling and singing out, but the hit was not a loud one, and we really thought the other boat was but little damaged. Imagine when, after arriving in the city, we heard that the collier had sunk. We had no idea of such a thing. As to who was in the right or the wrong I should be sorry to say. Naturally we were a bit scared, and there was some excitement, but nothing very sensational. " On being seen by a reporter, the master of the Manly declined to make a statement.

The steamer Merksworth lies in little to the west-ward of the entrance to Mosman's Bay. Her stem is sticking a few feet above water on rock. The stern is in eight fathoms on a sandv bottom. A foot or so of her mizzenmast was visible yesterday afternoon, and a little more of the foremast, but the top of her funnel was at least left under water. A lot of boats were out in the evening to inspect the place in which the steamer sank, and, judging from the rugged formation of that part of the harbour, the idea forces itself on one's mind that it was a case of "touch and go," of beaching or sinking in deep

water.

Tater policer police were quickly on the scene. In-spector Hyem, in reply to an inquiry, said "It was lucky there were no lives lost. We brought ashore eight of the crew, the captain and four others remained by the wreck. The men brought

their baggage, and they saved the Merksworth cat, which seemed to have been a sort of pet on board."

The Manly, the new steamer which originally was built for the new Co-operative Company and the name changed subsequently from Emancipator to Manly, was so little damaged that she continued her time-table service throughout the remainder of the day. At the company's office it was stated that the damage would he covered by £5.

The steam collier Merksworth was once a crack steamer on this coast carrying mails and passengers. Like many other well-built ships, when she became a bit old her place was taken by younger, larger, and more imposing steamers. She was launched at Paisley, Scotland, 22 ears ago, an iron steamer of 270 tons, 10 horse-power nominal, and is now owned by the Wallarah Coal Company.

The prime policy on tbo Morksworth is hold by the South British Insurance Company, with re«

insurances