 The
Times, Wednesday, April 5, 1882
THE LOSS OF THE DOURO
(From our correspondent)
MADRID, APRIL 3
I have just received the following telegram
from a trustworthy correspondent in Corunna referring to the collision between the Royal
Mail steamer Douro and the Spanish steamer Yrurac Bat:-
"On Saturday night the weather was clear. A large hole was made amidships of the
Douro. The boats were immediately cleared away, but the Douro sank in 30 minutes.
Forty-nine passengers and 60 of the crew escaped in the boats, and were picked up by the
British steamer Hidalgo, which landed them at Corunna. The mails, specie, baggage and
everything else were lost. The survivors are completely destitute, many being only half
clothed. Messrs. Tell and Schwind, Commendador Camara, and Lady Beecher's maid are
missing, also the captain and four officers, the purser, and chief engineer, but the total
number is uncertain. The bows of the Yrurac Bat were stove in, and she sank by the head in
15 minutes. Thirty-six persons were saved, 12 by the boats of the Hidalgo, but about 30
were lost."
A telegram from Corunna, dated April 3, 8.25 p.m., received at Lloyd's yesterday,
states that the Douro, when 45 miles north of Finisterre, the wind being from the
north-north-east, strong, with a heavy sea, sighted a light on the starboard bow. The
chief officer, who was on the bridge, gave the order to port, but it was too late to
prevent the collision. The Douro was struck at 10.50 p.m. The officers did not lose their
presence of mind, but no authority could be maintained after the collision occurred.
Confusion was perceptible in lowering the boats. The tackle fouled, and no knives could be
got to cut away. At 11 o' clock the Douro was sinking fast, stern first. By that time
seven boats had got away safely. The Hidalgo stood by and rendered every assistance.
SOUTHAMPTON, APRIL 4
The intense anxiety which prevailed here on
Monday has been sensibly relieved by the later telegrams which have come to hand from
Corunna. It is now pretty clearly ascertained that 17 is the maximum number of those
belonging to the Douro who are drowned or still missing - a sad death death roll as it is,
but happily far below what was at first apprehended. A telegram received from the Royal
Mail Company's offices in London at 5.50 p.m., and posted at their establishment in
Canute-road, says:-
"Names on articles of Douro completely accounted for, except captain,
four officers, purser, chief and second engineers, Marshall, Jones, Bury, Gou (supposed
You), Symonds, Miller, Adams, Anderson and Senior; but among saved are reported John
Andrews, Lewis, and Brown, there able-bodied seamen, whom we do not find on
articles." The list of able seamen which was published in The Times contains the name
of J.G. Andrews, and this is supposed to be the same man now reported as John Andrews. The
captain, purser, and the first, second and fourth officers were unmarried; the third
officer and the chief and second engineers were married. Of the other nine of the crew who
are unaccounted for , the proportion of married and single have not yet been ascertained.
The Manchester Examiner and Times states that a private telegram received in Manchester
yesterday shows that the troubles of the survivors of the wreck of the Douro are not yet
at an end. The shipwrecked passengers lost all their personal effects, and one, Mr. Richard
Goldschmidt, yesterday telegraphed to his father, Mr. Philip
Goldschmidt, of Manchester,
that he has no means of leaving for England; and no doubt, other survivors are in the same
predicament. There is some difficulty in at once placing money in the hands of the
survivors, but a means of reaching them with assistance will probably be found before
long. Nothing has been heard from Mr. Schwin, who would in all probability have
communicated with his firm and relatives before this had he been rescued.
Read the next news report The Loss
of the Douro - Thursday, April 6, 1882
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