FOUNDERED WITH ALL HANDS.

The Advertiser (Adelaide) Wednesday 1 April, 1911.

FOUNDERED WITH ALL HANDS.

GENERAL MANAGER'S VIEW.

Mr. E. Northcote, general manager of

the Adelaide Steamship Company, in 

Melbourne, interviewed on Wednesday, 

said it was evident that the Yongala had 

foundered with all hands during the recent 

bad weather on the Queensland coast. He

hardly thought that any lives would be

saved, as no boat could live for an instant

in the sea during a cyclonic disturbance.

The Yongala was built in 1903. Asked

how he accounted for the date ''1900" being

engraved near the word "Festina' on the

music-room door found by the Alert,

Mr. Northcote replied that the Adelaide

Steamship Company was incorporated in

1900, being reconstructed and an increase

made in the capital. The word "Festina"

was part of the company's crest and motto,

"Festina Lente," and the year 1900 was

engraved underneath. The door was an

inner one, opening into the music-room

from a landing off the promenade deck.

CASTAWAYS. SLENDER HOPE.

Questioned as to the probable locality of

the wreck, as indicated by the wreckage,

an officer who has for over 20 years been

trading regularly to Queensland ports, said 

Captain Knight, on emerging from the

shelter of Hook Island, would haul round

to the north-north-east. The site of the

wreck must be one of the reefs fringing

the Barrier Reef. At the commencement

of a storm on that portion of the coast,

the wind blew from the south-east. That

would account for wreckage having been

found as far up as Keepers' Reef. The

currents varied daily, setting north with

the ebb and south with the flood-tide.

It is strange that this experienced officer suggested that Yongala would have 'hauled' round to the 'north-north-east', after leaving the shelter of Hook Island. If one looks at the image below, this would be heading away from Yongala's destination, towards the Barrier Reef.