Three Vessels Lost

Methodists’ Bad Luck

Foundering Of John

Wesley

The Methodist Missionary Society has been most unfortunate during the past three months. Over that period it has lost three of the valuable ketches with which it maintains communica tion throughout the islands groups.

The McBride was lost in the North ern Territory; the Bromilow off the east coast of Papua; and then came news of the foundering of the John Wesley, near Lakeba, in Fiji.

The Chairman of the Fiji District,.

Rev. R. L. McDonald, in a letter to the General Secretary in Sydney, said that the John Wesley struck the Argo- Reef and sank in 15 to 20 minutes, in about three fathoms of water. The dinghy was launched (directly after the impact and passengers and crew reached Lakeba, 30 miles away.

It was expected that the vessel could be salvaged, so a party left Suva for that purpose. A cable later reached Sydney stating that this was carried out and that she was towed to Lakeba. An examination showed that the vessel had been badly dam aged through pounding on the reef, and experts have advised that it is not worth carrying out repairs.