A serious collision occurred at Woosung between the P. and 0. $. mail steamer Ballarat, which was to have left with the mails for Europe on 'Tuesday' atidaylight, and the River str. Changon. The Balaarat left her moorings at the P. and 0. Buoy on Saturday and proceeded down river, but anchored off Black Point.
On Sunday she again weighed anchor and resumed her course down river, crossing the Inner Bar about 2.30 p.m. There she met the Changon, which was coming in on the: flood tide. Just opposite Pheasant Point, for some reason at present unexplained, the two vessels collided, the bows of the Ballarat striking the Changon amidships on the port side, cutting a big hole right down to. the water's edge and shaving her right away aft from amidships. The collision was in many particulars similar to the well-remembered collision between the Onw and the Newchwang. No lives wore lost, the collision having been foreseen by those on board both ships. The natives in the port galleys rushed out immediately they saw that a collision was inevitable, otherwise there might have been loss of life. The engine room of the Changon must have been cut into, as in less than a minute the water was up to the platform. At the time of the collision several of the Changon's Chinese passongers jumped overboard, but were all picked up by sampans and boats sent out from the Japanese cruiser Akitsushima and the Chinese cruisers in the vicinity. It was at first reported in Shanghai that fifteen lives had been lost, and friends and relations of those on board the two steamers had "un mauvais quart d'houro" but a telephone message to Woosung quickly proved this to be a " bunder."
Although her engines had been slowed down opposite Woosung Creek, when the collision was foreseen, the strong wind and tide were sufficient to help the Changon to got to the river bank, on the. north side, close to the Customs Station, where she now lies beached.
Too much praise cannot be given to those on board the Japanese cruiser Akitsushima, They sent boats as soon as the collision occurred, picked up drowning natives, carrie 1 the Changon's passengers ashore, and also carried a wire cable from the Changon to the shore, to prevent her slipping off.
The Ballarat is badly damaged about the fore-foot, and turned round and came back to Shanghai. The Changon is cut into as stated above, but it is expected that the cargo can be got out of her and she can then be towed up river. Thoro only 3 inches of water in her main hold.
The Ballarat was of course, unable to leave, as intended, with Monday's mail, and hor place was taken by the Coromandel.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.