24a
["A Nor'-West Cyclone", The West Australian, Monday 25 March 1912, page 7]
A NOR'-WEST CYCLONE.
COASTLINE SWEPT.
TWO SHIPS WRECKED.
HEAVY LOSS OF LIFE.
MANY LUGGERS MISSING.
BIGGEST FLOOD FOR FOURTEEN YEARS.
Once again the nor'-west coast has been brought into sad and sudden prominence by the visitation of one of those terrible cyclones which from time to time sweep down so ruthlessly and play such havoc with life and limb as well as with property on land and sea. It is barely fourteen months ago since a gale off Cossack sent the fine barque Glenbank to her doom, permitting one man only out of her crew of 21 to reach the shore alive. And only four months before that Broome was visited by the most awful cyclone the town has ever known, causing damage estimated at over £30,000 and a loss of life that in the case of one small fleet alone accounted for 23 men. On that occasion practically the whole length of the 90-mile beach was strewn with wreckage, and for many days after the sea continued to give up its dead. And now again the roll has been called, and to the name of many a sailor, perchance not a few landsmen too, there is no response. One vessel, the Crown of England, has become a hopeless derelict, and the captain and but a small, a very small, remnant of her crew are reported to have been saved. As usual, the pearling fleets have suffered much, and lugger after lugger seems to lave met the fate of the larger vessel. Even the s.s. Bullarra only managed to get through the fierceness of the storm at the expense of a broken funnel. And there would seem to be even some anxiety as to the Koombana, for according to a telegram received from the Resident Magistrate at Broome the well-known steamer was then 72 hours overdue from Port Hedland. It is well, however, to remember that owing to the interruption to the telegraph line it is quite possible for the steamer to have arrived and for no word to reach the metropolis that she had done so. The disturbance commenced on Tuesday, and appears to have been confined chiefly to that portion of the coast which lies between Roebourne and La Grange Bay, to the south of Broome. On Wednesday it was at its height, and was accompanied by such heavy downpours that by the third day nine inches of rain had fallen and the river Harding had risen higher than it has been for 14 years. Trainlines have been washed away, and the Port Sampson jetty has been battered almost to pieces. But if matters were bad ashore they must Have been fifty times worse at sea, where every moment the waves were growing larger and more powerful, and the chances of safely riding out the gale more remote. One of the first to succumb to the elements appar ently was the Crown of England, which seems to have been driven to destruction somewhere off Balla Balla, probably on Depuch Island, and of whose entire crew only Captain Olsen and one or two men were saved. The captain himself stated that six of the crew were buried on the island, while the bodies of the mate and steward had been accounted for even before that. The ship Concordia is ashore intact, her entire crew having been saved; the lighter Steady is high and dry on Depuch Island; the Enterprise is in pieces, and the Clyo has gone to the bottom. The pearling lugger Clara was beached off Depuch Island, and after spending a couple of days there two of her crew, Narkiachi and Sider, swam across to Balla Balla. The lugger Karrakatta was anchored close to the Clara when the latter drove ashore, and the Japanese survivors have expressed the opinion that she also went down. So far as can be ascertained in regard to these vessels seven men are still missing, and it is hoped that some of them at least may be found on the island, to which assistance has been despatched in the shape of a police cutter bearing, amongst others, Dr. Shelmerdine. From La Grange comes word of the total loss of the lugger Constance, owned by Mr. E. Hunter, all hands having been saved, and of the loss of at least four other boats of the same description. Exactly how many have perished as the result of the storm it will doubtless take some little time to ascertain, but that there has been a serious loss of life seems to be only too true. Further details should come to hand to-day from the various centres of communication.
...
BODIES WASHED ASHORE.
COURT WITNESSES DROWNED.
...
A tragic note invested the proceedings in connection with a murder trial which was set down for hearing at Roebourne. Fourteen witnesses left Balla Balla on a lighter to catch the s.s. Bullarra at Depuch Roads, amongst them being Mr. Maginnis (wharfinger for the Whim Creek Company at Balla Balla), and Mr. Thomas Hill (manager of the Federal Hotel, Whim Creek).
Mr. Maginnis took Messrs. Hill, Slavin and Thompson out in the Whim Well motor launch. Messrs. Maginnis and Hill went aboard the lighter Clyo, but Slavin and Thompson returned on account of illness. Three lighters including the Steady, Clyo, and Enterprise, were wrecked on Depuch Island. The dead bodies of Messrs. Maginnis and Hill were found, along with that of the mate and steward of the Crown of England."
...
The effects of the storm had been felt at Geraldton, and the roof of the police quarters at Mt. Magnet had been carried away.
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LUGGERS LOST.
ELEVEN BODIES RECOVERED.
Two Japanese - Narkiachi and Sider - reported at Balla Balla yesterday morning that the lugger Clara was wrecked off Depuch Island on the night of the 20th inst. Narkiachi and Sider were for three days on Depuch Island, and swam to Balla Balla, reporting that four coloured men and one white of the crew were still missing. The worst is feared.
The lugger Karrakatta, belonging to Mr. Talboys, and another lugger, supposed to be the Britannia, were anchored close to the Clara, but there was no trace of them after the blow. It is supposed that they sank, as the luggers could not live in such a sea.
...
Robert M. Thompson, a recent arrival at Whim Creek, is reported missing. He was one of the passengers on board the lighter Clyo, and is supposed to have been caught in the rigging of the Clyo when it was sinking. All the Whim Creek and Balla Balla people are now accounted for.
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POINT SAMSON.
JETTY WRECKED.
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THE BULLARRA.
A TEMPESTUOUS VOYAGE.
Fears were entertained for the safety of the Bullarra, but a telegram from Roebourne announced her appearance in Cossack Roads at noon on Saturday. The crew had a terrible experience battling in the teeth of the gale. The Bullarra's funnel and a lifeboat were washed away and about 40 cattle were lost overboard. Happily the boat steamed into the roads without having any loss of life to report. The crew and passengers speak highly of the pluck and seamanship displayed by the skipper (Captain Upjohn). The steamer is now safely anchored and the captain is awaiting orders from the agents.
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OFFICIAL TELEGRAMS.
On Saturday telegrams were received by the Public Works Department indicating the damage the Point Samson jetty had suffered, and that washaways had occurred on the Roebourne-Cossack Railway. The telephone lines were down in almost every direction. Serious inundations had occurred on the Port Hedland foreshore. The effects of the storm had been felt at Geraldton, and the roof of the police quarters at Mt. Magnet had been carried away.
ONSLOW SAFE.
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INTERRUPTED COMMUNICATIONS.
Meagre News From The North.
Reports from Roebourne state...
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S.S. KOOMBANA.
"NO CAUSE FOR ANXIETY."
Last night the Premier received the following telegram, signed by the Resident Magistrate and the Mayor of Broome:--
"Koombana now 72 hours overdue from Hedland. Intense anxiety. Oldest residents think serious accident. Consider absolutely necessary despatch steamer search promptly."
Mr W. E. Moxon, manager in Western Australia of the Adelaide S.S. Company, the owners of the steamship Koombana, when seen by one of our reporters last night, stated that he had heard of the telegram received by the Premier, but he felt no anxiety for the safety of the vessel, as Captain Allen, the officer in charge, is a very careful and cautious master, and would no doubt keep well out to sea. Mr. Moxon has no doubt that that course has been adopted on this occasion, and that that is the cause of the delay in arriving at Broome, an opinion in which Captain Irvine, the chief harbourmaster concurs. Mr. Moxon hopes this morning to hear definitely of the safety of the steamer.
THE "WILLY WILLY" SEASON.
CYCLONES OCCUR BETWEEN DECEMBER AND APRIL.
According to the sailing directions for the Nor'-West coast, cyclones are liable to occur in the Indian Ocean between the months of December and April. They have been experienced at times along the whole of the Nor'-West coast between Port Essington and Sharks Bay. In December they most frequently occur along the northern portion of the Nor'-West coast, and when as far south as Sharks Bay they usually happen towards the end of the cyclone season, namely, March. It is seldom that a year passes without one of these cyclonic storms being experienced. The space over which they have been known to expand themselves varies from 20 to 30 miles to more than 100 miles in diameter. In March, 1839, a storm was experienced in Sharks Bay, which came on without warning. On March 17, 1871, a severe gale was experienced at Sharks Bay and as far south as Geographe Bay: Another violent storm was recorded on November 27, 1839, when a cyclone swept over Port Essington. H.M.S. Pelorus was blown on her broadside at Minto Head, having lost eight men by drowning during the night. H.M.S. Britomarte was driven a mile from her anchorage, despite the fact that she had three anchors down and the bottom was a soft, tenacious clay. During recent years there have been some heavy gales, all of which have made a more or less heavy toll on human life. Just a little over twelve months ago, during the month of February, the Norwegian barque Glenbank was lost off Cossack. She, too, had been chartered to load ore from the Whim Creek copper mines, and had already taken in portion of her freight when the gale swept down the coast. Seeing that she would not hold to her anchors, her captain decided to put to sea. That night she was scurrying away from the coast under a minimum spread of canvas, when she struck the Legendre Reef and foundered in a few minutes. There was only one survivor, and he was of the opinion that the vessel had turned turtle, but the general opinion was that she had struck the reef, a theory which was afterwards confirmed when the wreck was located alongside the reef.
The Concordia, which was also blown ashore during the recent blow, appears to have been singularly ill-fated during her present voyage. On the outward trip to Balla Balla a fire occurred in her fore hold when the vessel was half-way across the Southern Ocean. The crew, however, pluckily stuck to their ship, and she was brought into Fremantle, where the fire was extinguished.
The Crown of England was an iron ship, of 1,847 tons register. She was built at Workington 29 years ago, by Messrs. R. William son and Co., but, like many another British owned ship, she passed into Norwegian hands. Her present owners are Messrs. J. P. Pedersen and Co., of Christians. According to Lloyd's the ill-fated vessel was under the command of Capt. M. Olsen. She was chartered to load ore at Whim Creek, and only recently arrived off the coast from Natal.
24b[Depuch Island Anchorage Gale, Harbour and Lights Department, Western Australia, State Records Office of Western Australia. Cons 1066 Item 1912/0432, Telegram, Gerrans, Postmaster, Whim Creek, to Chief Harbourmaster, Fremantle, Sunday 24 March 1912]
Whim Creek
Chief Harbormaster Ftle
Reported by two Japanese Bidi Narkichi & Sider This morning Pearling lugger Clara twelve tons wrecked off Depuch Island night of twentieth four Colored men and one white missing Narkichi and Sider Three Days on Depuch Island swam to Balla this morning lugger Karrakatta & another anchored close Clara no trace of either after storm Japanese consider these other two luggers could not live in sea two unknown luggers anchored some miles off also not in sight first three mentioned Scanlan's fleet Scanlan put in Hedland Stop Yesterdays telegram Complete list eleven bodies found Robert M Thompson Missing supposed caught in rigging Clyo when sinking all others accounted for Captain Olsen Crown of England and Balance of Crew arrived Balla last night luggers leaving Balla Search Beach today roebourne advises Hedland interrupted
G S Gerrans PM
24c[Storm on N.W. Coast - Ships 'Crown of England' and 'Concordia' wrecked, Western Australia Police Department, State Records Office of Western Australia. Cons 430 Item 1912/1727, Telegram, Sub-Inspector Houlahan, Roebourne, to Commissioner of Police, Perth, Monday 25 March 1912]
Roebourne
Commr Police Perth
Whim Creek wires two Japanese from lugger Clara swam from Depuch to Balla reports lugger wrecked night twentieth four Coloured and one white man missing Japs report luggers Karrakatta and Karrarra were anchored close but no trace since stop later reports police cutter arrived Depuch night twenty third picked up Eleven survivors and landed them Balla yesterday and left again search for bodies Missing luggers supposed wrecked on Depuch stop reported Malay walking along telegraph line to Roebourne yesterday five days without food requiring assistance impossible to render owing rivers uncrossable for Couple days stop number luggers arrived Cossack several others still missing some report having experienced terrific hurricane
Houlahan
SubInspr
2p