Whatever hopes may have been entertained as to the refloating of the stranded and O. liner Austrnlin at Port Phillip Herds, have now been effectually settled by a fire which swept the vessel from stem to stern, and burnt for over twenty:'wur hours. "Taking advantage of every spe! fine weather during the Inst three weeks, Capt. Wymark of the Undervriters' Associa'ion hasbeen busy recovering cargo, and such of the fittings xs were considered worth removing. Four sets of diving gear and two steam-engines had been sent on board to assist in the salvage work.
Karly on the morning of the Jath of July the look-out at Queenscliff reported smoke coming from the after part of the vessel. Capt. Wymark with the chief officer ji mediately left to try and board the sip, but were prevented owing to the heavy weather then prevailing. The fire spread rapidly, and Into in the afternoon it had enveloped the voss 1 from the stern for ward to the main saloon, About 8 p.m. [the bridge superstructure collapsed in mass of flame, which then worked its way forward to the forecastle. The weather was too dirty on the following day to all w of further inspretion, whilst some smoke still issuing from the wreck proclaimed the fac' tat the fire fiend had no. finished wit the doomed liner. On the follwinz day, Sunday, the 18th, the weather had mo erated, and the chief officer with
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.