The Sagona Here

Met Terrific Weather- Ship Considerably Damaged.

Crosbie & Co.’s new sealer the Sagona, in command of Capt. Marshall, arrived here at 1.30 this morning from Dundee after a run of 15 days from Pentland Firth, where she had to shelter. Since leaving she encountered terrific weather. It was feared the ship would hardly pull through some of the storms. The ship had to be hove to for two days. The crew often did their work at the risk of their lives. The great combers sweeping on board did much damage. It smashed the boats in the davits, beat in the cabin and forecastle doors, also those leading to the engine room and stokehold, flooded these compartments, as well as the saloon, steerage and ladies’ cabins, and also the holds, and for 24 hours for the men, who formed a bucket brigade, had to bail the water out of these places while the ship’s pumps were kept going at their full power. Capt. S.R Winsor, the sealing skipper had charge of the bridge, and the men worked like Trojans. The alleyways were constantly filled with water, and but that the ship was new and well built she must have foundered. One of the boats was carried completely out of the davits and two others smashed in splinters. The Sagona is a fine ship, built of steel, strengthened with double rows of pitch pine, and is a good ice-breaker. She is a vessel of 807 tons gross, 420 net, length 175, breadth 28 feet, depth 20 ft. 3 ins. Her accommodation for the sealers ‘tween decks is fine. She has a fine saloon amidships and steerage aft, with smoking rooms and ladies’ cabin. The ship can take 50 saloon and 40 steerage passengers, can steam 14 knots and has tripe expansion engines. She was built by the Dundee Shipbuilding Co., and sails at 6 a.m. to-morrow in charge of Capt. S.R. Winsor for the seal fishery with 160 men.

The Evening Telegram

March 14, 1912

First Arrival From Seal Fishery

Sagona is Ordered to Hr. Grace

 The S.S. Sagona arrived at Bay de Verde at 4 p.m. yesterday, bringing the shipwrecked crew of the Diana, who were there transferred to the S.S. Watchful, which ship took them to their homes around Conception Bay and arrived back here at 1 o’clock this morning. It was originally intended that the Sagona would return to the ice fields, but it is understood her crew demanded to be paid for the time lost in bringing the Diana’s crew to land. According to the Diana’s crew, who arrived by the Watchful this morning, the Sagona’s crew wanted $25 each or they would abandon the voyage. The ship’s owners were unable to meet their demands and the ship was ordered to Hr. Grace where her seals will be discharged. The ship was to leave Bay de Verde at 8 p.m., and she arrived at Hr. grace during the night, but as the telegraph officers are closed the time of her arrival had not been received by the Reid Nfld. Co. up to the Press Hour. The Sagona has about 8,500 seals on board.