The Times, Tuesday, April 4, 1882

THE LOSS OF THE DOURO
(REUTERíS TELEGRAM)

VIGO, APRIL 3

The collision between the Royal Mail steamer Douro and the Spanish steamer Yrurac Bat occurred at 11 oíclock on Saturday night. The weather was fine, and there was no fog.

The Yurac Bat struck the Douro forward of the mainmast. The latter sunk in half an hour. The survivors were taken on board the English steamer Hidalgo two hours after the collision. Another steamer and a sailing vessel were in the vicinity at the time of the disaster. Four of the passengers and 18 of the crew of the Douro are missing, including the captain, four officers , the purser, and the first and second engineers. Several of the survivors received injuries by the collision.

The surgeon of the Douro had his collar-bone broken, and a lady lost several fingers. All the women and children were saved with the exception of a servant, who is missing. The English engineers of the Yrurac Bat were saved. One officer had his leg fractured.

CORRUNA, APRIL 2.

The British ship Hidalgo has picked up and brought into this port 120 of the persons on board the Douro at the time of the with the Yrurac Bat, and 36 from the latter vessel. Thirty persons of those on board Yurac Bat are reported drowned.

LISBON, APRIL 3. EVENING

The Douro had on board 55 passengers for Southampton - namely, 38 from Lisbon, nine from Rio de Janeiro, two from Bahia, and six from Pernambuco. The crew numbered 80 hands. It is announced here that not more than four passengers were drowned, their names being Schwind, Fell, Camara, and a maid who was travelling with Lady Beecher. All mails, specie, and baggage were lost.

SOUTHAMPTON, APRIL 3.

No additional information has been received here relative to the fatal collision on Sunday morning, off Cape Finisterre, between the illfated steamers Douro and Yrurac Bat. The intelligence of the disaster was first made generally known by the receipt of the London morning papers at about 9 oíclock, and the sad news spread rapidly through the town. Most of the Douroís officers and crew have families or relatives residing at this port, and consequently anxious inquirers soon gathered round the Royal Mail Companyís offices in Canute-road. During the morning Captain Bevis, the companyís superintendent, posted a notice outside the office-doors, stating that - " no certain information has yet been received as to the survivors. The names have been telegraphed for, and will be posted here as soon as received" -

The Douro under the command of Captain Kemp: passengers - Souza Coulon, Luis Conzaga Jayme, Pedro Teixeira, Soares,Jose Luiz Bukhoes Pedreira, Alfredo de Barros, Madureira Joaquin, Sonto Maior, Manoel Paes, Dr.Joao Raymundo,Pereira da Silva-Assis Brazil, Raul díAvila, Pompea Joaquin Xavier da Silveira, Barros Sianco Joaquin de Toledo,Jao Bello,Luiz Monteiro de Barros, Joaquin dos Santos, Jose Brunetti, Demetrio Brunelli, and 36 passengers in transit.

A later telegram from Corunna, dated April 3, 5.55 p.m., says:
" The Douro collided with Yrurac Bat at 11 on Saturday night. Weather clear. Large hole made in starboard side amidships :
boats carried away. Douro sank in 30 minutes. Forty-nine passengers and 63 crew escaped in boats, and were picked up by the steamer Hidalgo. Specie, baggage, and mails all lost. Survivors entirely destitute. Mrs. Well, Schwind, Commendator, Camara, Lady Becherís maid, captain, four officers, purser, and chief engineers missing. Numbers uncertain. The bows of the Yrurac Bat were stove in, and she sunk in 15 minutes; 36 persons saved and about 30 lost."

The ëManchester Examiner and Timesí of this morning states that there were several Manchester gentlemen on board the Douro. This, too, is the time when the buyers from the Brazils come over to the Manchester market, and it is probable that some merchants on this errand were passengers by the Douro. Private telegrams were received in Manchester during yesterday and Sunday from three rescued passengers, two of whom are omitted from Lloydís telegram received yesterday afternoon. The one included in Lloydís intelligence was described as B. Goldsmith. This should be Charles Goldsmidt, who is the son of Mr.Philip Goldsmidt, a member of the Manchester City Council, and a prominent Manchester merchant. Mr. C. Goldsmidt joined the vessel at Rio on his way home, and telegraphed on Sunday night to his father announcing his safety. Another passenger who joined at Rio was Mr. Charles Stoehr, son of Mr. G.M. Stoehr, a Manchester merchant. Mr. C. Stoehr had been travelling round the world, and was on his way home in the Douro. He telegraphed to his father on Sunday - the message was found at the office of the firm yesterday morning - that he was safe, but have saved nothing but his life. Another passenger from whom a telegram was received yesterday was Mr. Adolf Hanemann, traveller for Messrs. S.L. Behrens and Co., Manchester, who advised his employers of his safety. A fourth Manchester gentleman known to have joined the Douro was Mr. Charles Schwind, a member of the firm of E. Ashworth and Co., Cumberland-street, Manchester. Mr. Schwind was a passenger from Rio, and up to last evening nothing had been heard of him. Mr. Goldschmidt in his telegram announces that he is returning home overland.

 

Read the next news report The Loss of the Douro - Wednesday, April 5, 1882

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