FURTHER FRUITLESS SEARCH.

The Mercury (Hobart) Thursday 30 March, 1911.

THE YONGALA.

_______________________

FURTHER FRUITLESS SEARCH,

ILL-FATED VESSEL'S CARGO.

BRISBANE. March 29.

A telegram has been received at

Townsville from Cape Bowling Green,

stating that the coast has been searched

by the steamer Magnet up to a distance

of five miles south, but nothing has

been discovered of the missing Yongala.

The Yongala's cargo was a very 

comprehensive one, including foodstuffs of

all kinds, timber, tobacco, a quantity

of iron, kerosene, and other such 

necessaries for the far north. The bulk

of the cargo was taken on at Brisbane,

but there were large quantities from

Sydney and Melbourne, where a good

deal had been transhipped from other

vessels. One of the principal commodities 

on board appears to have been flour.

Most of the cargo was bound to

Townsville and Cairns, but there were

also portions for Port Douglas, Innisfail, 

Johnstone River, and Lucinda Point.

REVISED PASSENGER LIST.

When the Yongala left Mackay on

Thursday last she had on board the

following first saloon passengers.

For Townsville.-

Mr., Mrs., and Miss Rooney, Miss 

Uhr, Miss Buxton, Mr. Stach, Mr. 

and Mrs. Elsdale, Mr. F. Voney, 

Miss P. Carroll, Mr. and Mrs. 

W. Lin, Miss M. Shannon.

For Cairns.

Miss Davids, Mrs and Miss Murray, 

three children, and maid.

Mr. and Mrs. Reath, Mr. W. J. Fulton, 

Mr. A. S. Dette, Mr. M. Parton,

Mr. S. Manwaring, Mrs. M. A. 

Woodward, and Nurse Magee.

The second saloon passengers for

Townsville were:-

Mr. and Mrs. Manhey, Mr. O. F. 

Thompson, Mr. Barclay, Mr. A. 

Carraroy, Mr. K. Tareeves, Mr.

F. Brickenrige, Mr. E. Schneider, Mr.

W. Coade, Mr. R. Coade, Mr.F.

Sutherland, and Mr. J. Sutherland.

The second saloon passengers for

Cairns were:-

Mr. D. J. Jolley, Mr. D. Davis,

Mr. A. Peauta , Mr. W. Griffiths, 

and Mr. E. E. Pankhurst.

A lady named Miss Gaffney had 

booked a first saloon passage for 

Innisfail some time in advance of 

the sailing of the vessel, but it is 

not known whether she was 

actually on board.

THE TARCOOLA'S SEARCH.

NO TRACE UP NORTH.

A telegram from the captain of the

Tarcoola says that his vessel made 

another fruitless search- for the missing

Yongala, going as far north as Bowen.

A thorough search was made round 

Barrier Reef. but no trace of the steamer

or wreckage was found. The Tarcoola

left Bowen to search as far as Cairns.

Amongst the passengers of the ill-fated

vessel was John Campbell, of 

Townsville, horse trainer.

MELBOURNE PASSENGERS

ABOARD.

Two of the passengers on the ill-fated

Yongala embarked at Melbourne. They

were Messrs. Richard and Walter

Coade, second-class passengers, who re-

side at Yering, and who were travelling

to Townsville.

FURTHER CONJECTURES.

SYDNEY, March 29.

Captain McKenzie , of the s.s. 

Innamincka, expressed the opinion 

to-day that the Yongala met her 

doom on Broadhurst Reef, but 

Captain Sims, of the Grantala, 

thinks she struck the Keeper Reef. 

Both are of opinion that the Yongala 

overran her distances in the blackness 

of the storm, and was wrecked on a reef 

in Flinders Passage.

SEARCH TO BE CONTINUED.

Mr. Black, manager of the Sydney

office of the Adelaide Shipping 

Company, in referring to the loss of the

Yongala to-day, said:-"Our masters

and others who know the Yongala,and

had travelled in her, scout the idea

of the vessel having foundered. What

has happened, I think, is that she

either struck a rock or has been blown

out of her course on to a reef. If the

passengers had got ashore anywhere,

we would have heard from them before

now. There seems little hope: but the

search will be continued until every

vestige of hope has faded." The 

Wollowra will take up the running from

Sydney to Melbourne on April 7, and

then will go north in the Yongala's

ordinary run.

VESSEL INSURED FOR £90,000.

ADELAIDE, March 29.

The S.S. Yongala was insured for

£90,000. One fourth of this risk was

undertaken by the Adelaide Steamship

Company, which to that extent insures

its own vessels. The remaining three

fourths is divided between the Union

Insurance Company of Canton and

South British Insurance Company.

It appears that the Adelaide Steamship Company had to pay £22 500, which if one considers the profit for 1911, £38 402, this represented 56%. This loss must have had a significant impact on the finances of the company.

It is interesting that the Koombana, almost the same dimensions and specifications and 5 years newer, was insured for only £ 75 000, one year on. This strongly suggests that Koombana was under-insured possibly due to the fact that the company was experiencing some financial strain.

Captains Sim and McKenzie expressed the opinion that Yongala must have struck a reef rather than succumbing to the cyclone. This opinion reinforces a belief among those who knew the steamer that she was fundamentally seaworthy and did not fail in stormy conditions. However, a 'thorough search' had been made of the Barrier Reef with no signs of wreckage. There was more to circumstances surrounding the loss of the Yongala than met the eye.