DETAILED INITIAL REPORT.

The Northern Miner, 29 March, 1911.

THE MISSING YONGALA.

(By Telegraph.)

Great Interest has been manifested

in the non-arrival of the Yongala,

particularly after it was reported that

the vessel had passed the Dent 

Island lighthouse on Thursday evening

last. The excitement was at no time, 
however, so acute as about this

time nine years ago, when the Aramac, 

with a large number of Charters Towers 

passengers aboard, got aground and 

those on board had to take to the boats.

Hopes, however, were entertained

until yesterday that the vessel might

have run for shelter, or that her

machinery had broken down. The

discovery of the wreckage has, how

ever, destroyed these hopes, and

only the worst is feared.

Mr. Pengelly, of this town, has a

brother, who is an engineer, on the

Yongala, but as his name does not

appear in the list, he has probably

escaped, by changing off his usual run.

Among the Yongala's passengers

was Mr. W. Smith, father of Mr. Sam

Smith, grocer of Townsville, who had

left to visit the coronation. In response 

to a wire stating his daughter, Mrs. E. 

Hooper, was very ill in the hospital, 

he joined the Yongala on her way up.

The Mrs. Manby who is mentioned

in the passenger list, had just re-

turned from England, and her son had

gone to Brisbane to meet her.

Two Towers men named Sutherland 

were also aboard.

Everything now points to the pro-

bability of the Yongala having struck

one of the reefs between Flinders

Passage and Keeper Reef, instead of

having met with mishap between

Whitsunday Passage and Cape Bow-

ling Green. Assuming that she struck

Keeper Reef, she must have over-run

her objective by about 20 miles.

When news was received of the

discovery in Cleveland Bay, Mr. Ware

ham said he did not think it likely

it came from the Yongala. In the

first place the vessel had no coal 

baskets, and the oil drums might have

come from any ship. As for the timber, 

he did not think any damage the vessel 

may have sustained would have been 

sufficient to allow lengths of timber to 

break out of her hold.

It is extraordinary that Mr. Wareham was prepared to make such sweeping statements. It was, however, a good strategic move planting a seed in the public domain that Yongala must have struck something and not succumbed to instability.

The passenger hitherto spoken of as

Nurse Magee, is the wife of Mr. B. J.

Magee, of Duffey Bros., Bundaberg,

and sister of D. J. Magee, of Chilaloe.

The passengers named Mr. and Mrs.

Manbey on board the Yongala, are

Mr. and Mrs. Manbey, of Bluff Road.

mother and Son. Mrs. Manbey has

just returned from an eight months

trip to the Old Country, and her son,

Charlie, met her in Sydney to accompany 
her home, and they had the misfortune 
to strike the ill-fated vessel. The missing 
lady was mother of Mrs. J. G. Smith, 
Sadd's Ridge, and also of  Mr. Andy Manbey,

TOWNSVILLE, March 28.

Several bags of produce have been

washed ashore at Cape Bowling Green

Lighthouse.

A telegram timed at 1.30, Brisbane

states that the marks on the bags

have been identified as similar to a

consignment placed In the lower hold

of the steamer Yongala at Brisbane

for Townsville.

The steamer Magnet left Townsville

under instructions from the Premier

to proceed to Cape Bowling Green to

ascertain if further traces of the missing 

vessel can be discovered.

It is considered in shipping circles

that the fact of the cargo washed

ashore being identified as similar to

that consigned in the lower hold of

the Yongala, is ominous, and the

gravest apprehension regarding the 

missing steamer is entertained.

The produce found is said to be

consigned to the people's Cash Store.

It consists of bran, pollard, pumpkins

and chaff.

The tug Alert returned to Townsville 

at 7 o'clock to-night, bringing mail bags, 

a door of one of the cabins, and other 

wreckage, all of which were picked up 

at Cape Bowling Green.

The search steamer Alert, which left

for the Barrier Reef at 3 a.m. to-day,

returned to town about 6.30 p.m.

Captain Putty reports having proceeded 

to the Barrier Reef, then along to

Keeper Reef, and returned back

through Magnetic Passage. In the

vicinity of Keeper Reef they picked up

two cases of kerosene, one case being

marked A.P. over M.N.A.D. over L.P.;

two bathroom gratings (teak), portion of a

cabin trunk, two lifebuoys, bearing no

marks, half of a cabin door, one basket 

of mails, label having been washed

off, a broken oar, two pillows marked

A.S. Co., a piece of timber with hat

peg attached.

courtesy Google Earth

The Harbor Board tug Alert, which

had been out searching the Keeper

Reef, arrived about 6.30 p.m. It

was quickly learned that she brought

relics of the disaster. which only con-

firmed the news previously received.

Captain Tully reported to the police

that he had on board a quantity of

wreckage, picked up in the vicinity of

the reef, including a hamper of mails.

The articles were, by the direction of

Inspector Malone. at once brought to

his office, where Postmaster Mr. E. W.

Smith, Postal Inspector Mr. S. Dunlop, 

and the local manager of the Adelaide 

S.S. Company. Mr. W. Dalgleish: the 

accountant, Mr. Kesson, was also in 

attendance. The articles were brought 

up in the police van.

And their identity with the ill-fated

steamer was at once established.

The articles included two cases of

kerosene marked A. P. over Macnade

over L. P.; a life buoy without any

marks of identification; two small

gratings, such as are used in bath

rooms ; two pillows marked A. S. Co.;

portion of a cabin trunk, and a long

board evidently portion of a cabin

fitting, with a silver-plated hook 

attached. and a 16 ft oar; a case of oil

marked H.M.S. over Cairns ; one door

with fancy glass panels, and a hamper

basket of mails. 

The door at once established the 

vessel's identity, for Mr. Kesson 

recognised it as one of the entrance 

doors to the music room of the Yongala. 

The upper portion was in fancy glass 

panels, on which appeared the word 

"Festina," whilst on the opposite side 

was a broken pane, with the motto of 

the company.

" Festina Lente" (hasten slowly), and

it scarcely required the additional

evidence afforded by the words 

"Incorporated 1900" (the year of the 

incorporation of the company) to establish

the fact. 

The cabin trunk, which was a half wooden 

trunk, covered with brown leather, and 

bound with metal at the corners, was 

empty, and there are no identifying marks 

upon it.

The Postmaster and Inspector opened 

the mail hamper, which proved to be out 

for the carriage of parcels. The contents, 

of course, were wringing wet, the paper 

wrappings reduced very largely to pulp, 

and the addresses generally very difficult 

to decipher. On the bag being opened the 

first thing taken from the bag was a tiny 

pair of pantalettes for a little girl, which,

had evidently broken out of some parcel. 
One parcel bore a label, " T. E. Beirne," 
Brisbane, Draper," and the parcel itself 
was addressed to "E. Rigby, c/o L. Coa.... 
but the rest of the writing was illegible.

The postmaster, however, thought

it was possible, when the parcels were

dried, that the addresses might be

made out having opened the hamper

and taken out some of the contents,

the articles were returned, and the

postmaster again locked the basket,

which was conveyed to the Post Office

in the mail wagon, the other articles

being left with the police.

The news that something had been

discovered quickly got round, for

whilst the things were being placed

in the office a large crowd gathered

round the building, the verandahs

being crowded, and faces peered 
through, the windows. Many were 
doubtless there for curiosity, but from 
the tearful countenances also to be 
seen it was evident that friends and 
relatives of those on the vessel were 
there also.

TOWNSVILLE, March 28.

The cruise of the Alert, Capt. Tutty,

interviewed at his home on Tuesday

evening, stated that the Alert left

Townsville at 2 o'clock on Tuesday

morning for the Barrier Reef, the

course being set straight out a little

to the south of Keeper Reef, which is

about about N. N.E by E. from Cape

Cleveland, and about 30 miles from

the mainland.

About 10 in the morning, a little to

the south of Keeper Reef, they fell

in with wreckage coming upon a

quantity floating within a comparatively 

small radius. They first found a 16 

feet oar. then two cases of kerosene oil, 

then the other articles, all within a 

comparatively small radius of about a 

mile. They found a little more wreckage 

between Keeper Reef and the main 

Barrier Reef.

The Alert then ran to the outer

edge of the Barrier and worked into

Magnetic Passage, coming back

through that passage, but they found

nothing north of that passage.

Capt. Tutty said he considered the

advisability of stopping out near the

Reef for the night, but feeling certain 

that the wreckage he had secured

were portions of the ill-fated steamer

or her cargo, and knowing the state

of uncertainty existing when he left,

he determined to return to town with

what he had secured.

When he returned to town he heard

of the bags of produce which had been

been picked up off Cape Bowling

Green, which would be approximately

about 50 miles from where he picked

up the wreckage.

Keeper Reef, Capt Tutty stated

was simply a number of big black

headed rocks, which showed above

the water but which were all awash

with the waves. It was impossible

that they could afford any shelter for

any one. The fact of his securing

the wreckage near Keeper Reef would,

he thought, be no necessary indication

that the vessel met disaster in that

locality. It would be quite possible

in the time which had elapsed, for the

articles to have floated from the

neighbourhood of Cape Bowling Green

or over from Cape Upstart. The things 

might have drifted any number of miles. 

They saw no sign of any bodies. He 

would be very much surprised if any 

were recovered, unless they struck 

with certainty the portion of the ship.

As to the nature of the disaster or

probable locality. Capt. Tutty would

advance no theory. If she was struck

by the cyclone it was impossible to

guess what had happened, and from

the tone of his remarks he had evidently 

very little hope of any survivor telling 

the tale.

Having had little or no sleep the

previous night, Capt. Tutty was pretty

well tired out, but expressed his

readiness to start out again, in the

morning or as soon as instructed.

INGHAM, March 28.

Constables Rolfe and Cooper left

Lucinda yesterday evening in a motor

boat to patrol the coast from Lucinda

towards Townsville; no wreckage has

been reported in the vicinity.

courtesy Google Earth

AYR, March 28.

The lighthouse keeper at Cape Bowling 

Green reports having found on

the beach, abreast of the Station, a

bag of chaff branded "Lyall, Geelong, 

a bag of pumpkins branded "W.L.R, St.," 

a bag of bran branded "H.T.J.," and two 

bags of pollard branded "C&RB."

The above marks, we understand,

correspond with cargo shipped in the

Yongala's lower hold.

Patrols have searched the beach for

60 miles, but nothing further has

been found.

Later.

AYR, March 28.

Tappendon, one of a party of three

living at the Anabranch, mouth of the

Burdekin River, came over to Ayr

this afteroon and reports they heard

a whistle and an explosion on Friday.

The sound came from between Cape

Upstart, and Cape Bowling Green.

They were not aware of the wreck

until this afternoon.

A fascinating report suggesting that there might have been crew on board a lifeboat which got away from the sinking ship. Friday was after Yongala had gone down.

CAIRNS, March 28.

There Is tremendous excitement

here, and further news of the Yongala 

is awaited anxiously. Hundreds of 

people are round the "Cairns Post" 

newspaper office, where specials

are being published.

The Harbour Board have the tug,

Cecil Rhodes to search the coast

between here and Townsville, and they

approached the Premier, who tendered 

his utmost thanks to Captain Romer. 

Townsville, had been advised there 

was little likelihood of wreckage coming 

further North than Lucinda Point. He would

wire Capt. Romar in the morning

and ascertain if the Cecil Rhodes

could be of use.

MACKAY, March 27.

Mr. Greenfield, occulist, and Mr.

O'Brien were the only passengers

from Mackay.

The Government steamer, Relief, left

to-night to search the Islands as far

as Bowen.

BRISBANE, March 28.

Mr. Wareham, the manager of the

Adelaide Steamship Coy., received a

telegram from Brisbane late last

night stating that the steamer

Tarcoola arrived at 9 p.m.

The Captain reported having searched 

every Island and bay between Dent

Island and Bowen, but found no trace

of the missing Yongala, nor any

wreckage. The search was carried

out by means of a boat being repeatedly 
sent ashore.

courtesy Google Earth

The message added that the Tarcoola 

would leave. Bowen at 3 a.m. for the 

Tate Reef and after reaching the 148th 

Meridian, would search along the Barrier 

Reef until abreast of Cape Upstart, when 

she would double over to the Cape and 

work back to Bowen, arriving there to-morrow

night.

non Help

The Yongala was last seen passing

Dent Island, which is situated at the

southern end of Whitsunday Island.

There is a revolving light on this island 

to guide shipping into the passage. 

Passing through Whitsunday Passage 

the Yongala, would head for Cape 

Gloucester. It was just here that she 

would enter the cyclonic area. As she

ran further north it is possible that the

heavy weather and unusual conditions

threw the vessel to the east of her

course, and eventually onto the

reefs that fringe the outskirts of the

Barrier. The track which coastal

shipping adheres to is shown on

the above plan (poorly decipherable)

by a black line. The coast from

Cape Gloucester is poorly lighted;

the north head of Port Denison has

a white and red fixed light, visible

for 11 miles. Cape Bowling Green

has a revolving light visible for 14

miles; and Cape Cleveland's

revolving white and red light can

be seen for 20 miles.

courtesy Google Earth

Another message from Bowen

stated that the steamer Ouraka

was searching the Barrier Reef

from Cape Cleveland to Townsville.

It is expected to reach the latter

place at day-light tomorrow.

The second saloon passengers

were - to Townsville; Mr. and Mrs.

Manbey; Messrs V. P. Thompson, 

B, Barclay, C. H. Carraroy, K. Tarevas, 

S. Brickenridge, E. Schneider, W. 

Coade, H. Coade, P. and J. Sutherland.

For Cairns: Messrs D. J. Jolly, Davis, 

A. Penta, W. Griffiths, and E. G. Pankhurst.

It may be added that Miss Gaffney had 

booked a first saloon passage for

Innisfall at some time in advance,

but it was not known for certain if

she actually was on board.

It was ascertained to-night there was 

another passenger aboard the Yongala 

in addition to the list already given. This 

was Mr. William Smith, who secured his

ticket aboard the steamer just as the 

vessel was leaving. Smith was a resident 

of Charters' Towers, had come to Brisbane 

to travel by the Otway to England. While in 

Brisbane, however, he received a telegram 

from Chanters' Towers stating his daughter 

was dying. He cancelled his berth on the 

Otway and arrived at the wharf just as the 

Yongala was leaving, and at once left by her.

The Yongala did not call in at Keppel Bay as 

the Adelaide S.S. Company omit this port 

as a port of call.

Among the passengers was Mrs.

Murray, wife of Mr. Murray, solicitor,

of Cairns, and sister of Mr. J. D.

Murray, wife of Mr. Murray, solicitor,

Mrs. Murray was accompanied by her

two sons and two daughters and Miss

Murray, who lately arrived from

Scotland, and whom they had been

meeting.

Mr. Walter Brackenridge, another

passenger to Townsville, has parents

at Lake's Creek.

BRISBANE, March 28.

The manager of the Adelaide S.S.

Company identifies the brands for the

bags of bran and pollard found at

Cape Bowling Green as having been

shipped at Brisbane in the No. 3

lower hold at the Yongala.

Later.

Crowds of people thronged the

newspaper offices with eager

enquiries for information about the 

Yongala, while telephone calls and 

inquiries came from all parts of the

State.

In the morning Mr. Wareham wired

Townsville asking the agent there to

arrange with the police to thoroughly

search the coast line from Cape

Bowling Green to Cape Upstart, in

the hope of discovering some of the

survivors, There were no tidings until 

shortly after noon, when a message 

was received of the finding of cargo

at Cape Bowling Green, and Mr. 

Wareham was quickly able to identify 

the marks on the cargo that had come 
ashore.

The bad news was received with

no little consternation, though the

circumstances connected with the

failure of the Yongala to get into 

communication with the coast towns

somewhat prepared the public mind.

The general impression was that it

has been washed overboard during 

a severe storm, but the fact that this 

cargo has having been stored in No. 

3 hold naturally led to the belief that 

the Yongala must have met with some

bad mishap.

Mr. Wareham says that Captain McKenzie

of the Innaminka, and Captain Sim, of the 

Grantala, are now under the impression

that as cargo is being washed ashore at

Cape Bowling Green, the probability is

that the Yongala must have been carried 

out of her course and struck one of the 

reefs north of Flinders Passage. Mr.

Wareham has therefore issued instructions

to the Tarcoola to proceed tomorrow to 

search the Barrier Reef from Flinders

Passage to Cairns. In the meantime

the Tarcoola is today engaged in

searching the Barrier Reef between

Bowen and Cape Upstart, in order to

see if there is any sign of life or wreckage.

Chatting about Captain Knight, Mr. Wareham

said that it was just a week ago that he had

lunch with the Captain. The Captain had

introduced some of the first saloon

passengers to him and bade him farewell

ten minutes before the vessel left the wharf.

The Cooma arrived from the North today, she

left Brisbane on Tuesday the same time after

the Yongala. He was asked if he had seen

anything of the Yongala and replied that he

overtook her on the voyage up the coast

leaving her up as far as Lady Elliot's Island.

The Yongala had her time well in hand,

running on easy steam, as it was not

necessary for her to arrive at Mackay

until daylight. At Dent Island, Captain

Smith hailed the station and inquired

on which side of the passage the 

Yongala was. The answer was that the

Yongala had gone through on the 

Thursday night.

A wire from Mackay stated that only two

passengers joined the Yongala at Mackay,

Mr. Ernest Greenfield, representative of

Greenfield Bros., opticians, and Mr. O'Brien

a commercial traveller. Three passengers

left the steamer at Mackay; J.E. Must, 

E. Real, and Banner. This includes 

steerage passengers.

Mr. O'Brien is probably C. J. O'Brien, 

who is a country traveller for the Outridge 

Printing Co. He was formerly in the employ 

of Penford's, Sydney, and is about 26 or 

27, and not long married. His wife is a

resident of Brisbane. Miss Carroll, who was 

bound for Townsville, was an employee of 

T. C. Beirne and Co., and was going North 

for the purpose of seeing her sister, who 

was lying on her death bed in the Convent 

at Townsville. She lost her mother only a 

short time ago.

SYDNEY, March 28.

The manager in Sydney, while disappointed 

at no tidings as to the safety of the Yongala,

expresses his belief that on a more thorough 

search on the part of the vessels now being

sent out from Townsville and Mackay will be 

successful. He thought nothing more serious 

than a breakdown of the Yongala's machinery 

had taken place.

K. Williams, the chief officer of the Yongala

had been in the service of the Adelaide Co. 

for a good many rears, first in the Grantala, 

then onto the Yongala. The Second Office,

H. B. Harden, has been In the company's 

employ for about 5 years. The Chief Engineer, 

G. H. Jarvis. was an old servant of the 

company for many years. He has filled similar 

a position on the Innamincka. Roberts, the

purser, belonged to Newcastle. He is a single 

man, his parents died recently; he is the sole 

supporter of four younger members of his 

family.

The Chief Steward, E. Mawby, was formerly 

in charge of a department in Sydney. He was 

married. but had no family.

Captain Ellis, Marine Superintendent of the 

Adelaide Co. to Sydney interviewed to-night 

said he knew the Yongala well. He had 

commanded her on more than one occasion, 

and had travelled frequently in her as a

passenger. The Yongala, he said, was a 

high powered steamer, and he did not think 

her engines would breakdown, unless through 

damage caused by her "racing" in very rough 

weather.

In light condition and confronted by a ground swell associated with the cyclone, Yongala would have pitched and rolled to a significant degree, exposing her propeller and causing it to 'race'. Indirectly Captain Ellis was acknowledging how tender Yongala actually was.

Asked as to what he thought had

become of the steamer, Capt. Ellis

replied that the cargo was sald to have

been identified as that of the Yongala 

could not have been washed out of her 

hold, unless the vessel was under water, 

and things were beginning to have a 

nasty look. 

Indeed it was.

Supporting that the Yongala was still afloat,

where was she likely to be? If she got the 

cyclone from the east she would he 

somewhere near Cape Upstart. If she got 

it from the west, she would be well up towards 

the Barrier Reef, and perhaps well outside it.

It certainly came from the northeast and roughly 24 miles north of Cape Upstart Yongala's rudder swung half to starboard bringing the steamer into the force of the gale, heading north, where she abruptly succumbed, rolling beyond her righting lever vanishing point; water gushing in (including via a crew porthole left wide open to the elements) and with one last gasp, the steamer was gone. 

She may have got ashore on the reef and the 

search vessels may have missed her.

MELBOURNE, March 29.

Mr. Northcote, the general manager of the 

Adelaide Steamship Company, expressed 

his belief that the Yongala would be found 

all right. He had wired instructions for vessels 

to search between 148.30 degrees and 149

degrees longitude. The Yongala, he says,may 

have run into the cyclone after leaving the 

Whitsunday Passage and the captain decided 

the course was to get out into open sea and 

heave to. The Yongala's machinery might have 

become disabled and the vessel drifted on to 

one of the outlying shoals of the Barrier Reef.

ADELAIDE, March 28

The news of the finding of portion of the

steamer Yongala's cargo near to Cape 

Bowling Green came like a thunderbolt

to the nautical men of Port Adelaide, 

most of whom had been optimistic about

the missing vessel. Their optimism, is

however, changed to pessimism, and 

while hoping for the best, the majority 

of seafarers could only shake their

heads this afternoon, and the idea of

the steamer having turned turtle was

generally scouted, because the 

Yongala at Port Adelaide has always

been regarded as a stable vessel.

Mr. Harris, engineer and adviser to 

the Marine Board, who was on her

sister ship, the Grantala, for a number

of years, reported that he was never

in a better vessel in all his life, and 

this seems to be the universal opinion

of those who have travelled in her.

Captain Gilborn, Lloyd's surveyor, 

when asked to express some theory

as to the loss of the Yongala, said:

"It is impossible to tell what happened,

for she may have struck a reef or 

uncharted rock and gone down; one

never knows in these matters. There

is a big section of that North East

coastline that has never been properly

surveyed. You will recall the loss of the

steamer Quetta. In her case it was an

uncharted rock. Of course, on the other

hand, the Yongala night have become

disabled in a cyclone, but there ---

what's the point of speculation in a

matter of this sort. Some of the 

Yongala's officers and crew are 

known intimately at Port Adelaide.

Captain Knight has been trading

there for so many years that he is

almost regarded as South Australian.

No master in the service of the Adelaide 

S. Co. is more respected for his ability 

as a seaman and navigator.

R. Harden, second engineer, is a son

in-law of Capt. Thompson, master

of the company's coasting steamer,

Paringa. His wife resides in Sydney.

T. Jarvls, chief engineer, and oldest

official in the engine room department

of the company, was for many years

a resident of Semaphore. He has been 

in most of the steamers of the fleet.

The Chief Steward; E. Mawby, was

also well known at Pt. Adelaide, and

one of the senior stewards of the

company, and R. Williams, chief officer

was there in 1907, as chief mate of 

the Rupara.

Although the telegraphed list gave

the name of J. Roberts, as purser, it

is believed he is in a hospital at

Sydney, and that his place was taken

by A. L. Garling, formerly Purser in

the Marloo.

O. Owen Thomas, who for some

years was Railway Station-master at

Adelaide, and has been in charge of

the Petersburg Station, one of the

most important posts in the service,

had a remarkable experience in 

connection with the Yongala. His annual

leave was due, and he made 

arrangements for a trip to Cairns. He 

went by train to Sydney and joined the 

boat there, but on his arrival in Brisbane

he found the balance of his period of

leave was expiring, and decided to

take the Allinga back to Sydney, Mr.

Thomas arrived at Adelaide several

days ago, and when the reporter 

interviewed him to-day and informed

him that some cargo from the Yongala

was being washed up on the coastline,

he showed considerable emotion. He

stated that the run from Sydney to

Brisbane was one of the most enjoyable 

trips he had experienced. He estimated 

there were about 25 In the saloon and 

about 60 in the other classes, and the 

run to Brisbane which occupied about 

43 hours, was full of enjoyment.

One of the first men Mr. Thomas

met was S. Mainwaring, a well known

mining expert from Tasmania who was 

journeying to Cairns in connection with 

a mining venture. He also met R. Stack, 

the Townsville representative of the 

Adelaide S. Co. a most congenial

companion.

Capt. Knight and the officers could not 

do enough for the passengers. They were 

extremely popular with everybody on 

board, and when not on duty devoted a 

large amount of their leisure time to

providing entertainment.

courtesy Trove