HEAVY DEATH ROLL AND BULLARRA ACCOUNT.

Observer, Adelaide, Saturday 30 March, 1912.

HEAVY DEATH ROLL

PERTH, March 25.

Owing to the telegraph lines being down

north of Roebourne little additional news

was received to-day in regard to last week's

disastrous hurricane on the north-west coast.

Eleven lives are known to have been 

lost, but it is generally feared that the death

roll will be much heavier, as a number of

luggers are still missing, and the greatest

anxiety is felt for the safety of the Adelaide 

Company's steamer Koombana, which is 

four days overdue at Broome.

The Commissioner of Police this afternoon 

received the following telegram, dispatched 

from Roebourne on Sunday:—

"Police cutter arrived at Depuch on the

night of the 23rd inst, and picked up 11 

survivors, landing them at Balla Balla 

yesterday. She left again to search for 

bodies missing and for luggers (pearling

vessels) supposed to be wrecked on Depuch 

Island."It has been reported that a Malay 

was found walking along the telegraph line 

to Roebourne yesterday. He was five days 

without food, and was requiring assistance, 

which it is impossible to render, owing to the 

rivers being impassable for a couple of days. 

A number of luggers have arrived at Cossack,

and several others are still missing. Some

report having experienced a terrific hurricane.

—Bullara's Stormy Trip.—

The steamer Bullara (Koombana's sister ship), 

which sailed from Hedland for Cossack, via 

Balla Balla, on March 20 at 11 a.m., encountered 

a strong north-east gale. By 2 o'clock the gale 

had increased to a hurricane, and continued

until 1 p.m. on March 21. At noon the 

barometer had fallen to 27.70. At this stage

the hurricane had reached its strongest. On

March 20 the steamer's funnel blew off 

from the base and fell across the top deck 

with a tremendous crash. Great difficulty was

encountered in lashing the funnel to the

boat, as was also the case with many marine 

appliances, which were being blown away. 

Making 11.5 knots, the Bullarra would theoretically have been about 34.5 n miles west of Port Hedland when engaging with the cyclone, 2 pm, 20 March.

(log reported Bullarra averaged 10 knots) 

courtesy Google Earth

"The officers were placed in a perilous

position in getting the hatches over the

hold, owing to the tremendous seas and

hurricane blowing across the ship like a

snowstorm. Words cannot express the

credit and bravery due to the captain, 

officers, and crew, who took perilous risks.

'Getting the hatches over the hold' is intriguing. It suggests that the hatches were not secured before the storm struck. Dangerous practice? The rapidity with which a cyclone can move in has the potential to catch crew off guard. This reminds me of the Yongala case: Cargo from the lower hold was discovered in a swathe some 60 miles along the Queensland coast. The wreck of the Yongala does not show evidence of hull damage, suggesting that when she was overwhelmed by the 'cyclone' her after hatch was breached - or if we are to extrapolate from this case, the hatch may not have been secured in time !! On the flip side of this argument Bullarra was transporting cattle in her holds which required adequate ventilation via wind sails deployed through open cargo hatches.

The cargo of stock had a bad time, and

many animals were lost. The steamer hove 

to during the evening of Wednesday, March 

20 and headed north-east. The hurricane 

cable was out out in 120 fathoms, and full 

steam ahead was ordered, to protect the 

vessel from drifting, but in spite of the 

precautions she drifted a considerable 

distance.

It was impossible to tell the position of

the ship, and all aboard realized the serious

position, and resigned themselves for the

worst. The boat behaved magnificently

under the tremendous strain, although at

present she looks a derelict. It was remarkable 

that all were saved. At 6 p.m. on Thursday, 

March 21, the cyclone was re-encountered.

It blew with terrible force for 12 hours from the 

south-west. The Steamer had a cable out with 

full steam ahead during this period, and just 

held her position. The wind abated at midday 

on March 22; and the position of the ship was

obtained, 52 miles from Cossack. It was 

impossible to venture to Balla Balla, and the

Bullara arrived at Cossack at 11 a.m. on

March 23, three days out from Port Hedland.

At this early juncture it is significant to note that the humble Bullarra survived the onslaught of a cyclone over a period of 48 hours! Koombana had foundered and the Yongala, one year previously was also overwhelmed by a 'cyclone'. How is that possible? Clues must lie in the profiles of the respective steamers:

SS Bullarra: 1725 gross tons; length 260 ft. 2 in.; beam 37 ft. 2 in.; draft 16 ft. 5 in.. She was powered by a single triple expansion engine, making 11.5 knots. (courtesy State Library of Western Australia)

Koombana (courtesy wikipedia)

Yongala (courtesy Michael McFadyen's scuba website)

Note the significant top hampers (element of top heaviness) in both doomed steamers, which also had very tall funnels, compared with the Bullarra. Bullarra's funnel was blown off by the force of the gale, preventing the additional force from dragging the steamer over. Yongala's funnel was built into the structure of the steamer which may have resisted being blown off and contributed to dragging the steamer over. I suspect a similar design applied to Koombana. Crew managed to secure cargo hold hatches on Bullarra, which may not have been the case with the other two steamers. If we are to stop right here, there could be a convincing argument that the fancier steamers with decks reaching higher, raising centre of gravity, and reduced drafts, contributed to the respective disasters.

ROEBOURNE, March 25.

Latest particulars from Depuch are that

10 white men's bodies have been buried.

The captain of the Concordia buried six of

his own crew, and Messrs. T. K. Hill,

Maguinnees, and Thomson, a surveyor,

whose body was found in the rigging. The

last named gentleman arrived in the district

a few weeks ago. Among the witnesses in

the murder case who are missing are

Messrs. W. Kellcher. M. J. S. Sheehan,

Rupert Love, Harry Thompson and Nagel.

Two Japanese swam ashore from the lugger

Clara, and reported that the boat, four of

the crew, and a white man were lost. Another 

lugger with all hands has gone. All the Cossack 

luggers are believed to be safe. A wharfinger 

travelled along the line to Cossack yesterday 

with a trolly and horse. Light freights may be 

got through that way in a few days, provided 

that men are put on to repair the track. Prompt 

action by the heads of the department is 

necessary to avoid delay and enable goods 

to come to Roeburne. The police boat left 

Cossack for Depuch on Saturday, but so far 

no particulars are to hand. The edge of the 

storm struck here, and small damage to 

outbuildings resulted.

This cyclone was destructive and deadly - compare details with the 'Yongala cyclone' one year previously:

http://yongalarevisited.blogspot.co.za/2016/10/cyclone-not-severe.html

  

Bullarra - courtesy Flotilla Australia

courtesy Trove