We have a few further particulars of the loss of the Slater. The vessel left Swatow shortly after 5 o'clock on the aftornoon of the 23nd, and a little before 9 p.m. struck on Half Tide Reef, which is some mile and-a-half South East of Namoa, and twenty-seven miles from Swatow. At the time of the accident, the second mate, Mr. Freeman, was on the bridge. This officer was making his first voyage in the vessel having been transferred from the Ichang where he was third officer. Directly the vessel struck, she began to sink on an even keel, but she shortly afterwards heeled over to starboard and sank in a quarter ofan hour. Efforts were made to get the boats out, but before this could be effected, the Chinese crowded into them. The starboard life boat and starboard quarter boat were launched, as was also one on the hatchway, but it broke up. The Chief engineer was seen getting one of the boats out, but he disappeared, and all we know at present is that his body was afterwards found, and that it was buried on Saturday last. As the vessel settled down in the water, the chief officer, the 2nd and 3rd engineers and some' eighteen Chinese climbed the main rigging, but the second officer seems to have disappeared before this was done, The Captain and some of the mon got away in one of the boats and proceeded towards Namoa in search of assistance. Those in the Sgging remained there all night up till 10 u'elock next morning when the Captain returned with assistance, but by this time, eight Chinese had fallen off and been drowned, and two others had died from exposure. The foremast broke away at about 4 o'clock on Thurday morning. Captain Warren, the master of the Stoatoto, took the survivors in a fishing junk and sent them on to Swatow, and then searched the islands for any other survivors. He had no success and proceeded to Swatow, arriving there at the same time as the others. So far, nearly irty persons are missing. The Han
morning, but could see no signs of life, though there was a good deal of wreckage floating about.
The Court of Enquiry into the ciroumstances attending the loss of the vessel was held at Swatow on Saturday when the captain, chief officer, 2nd engineer and boatswain gave evidence.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.