NARROW ESCAPE OF A STEAMER.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume VI, Issue 589, 7 March 1882, Page 2

NARROW ESCAPE OF A STEAMER.

A correspondent of the Press telegraphing under date Wellington, March 4th,

says :—

A curious occurencehasjust come to light, indicating that some steamer has had a very narrow escape of total destruction through colliding with the new beacon in the French Pass. The master of the steamer Star of the South recently reported 'to the Marine Department that in going through the French Pass one day last month, his steamer had slightly grazed the stone beacon erected on the reef on the low or not them side of the Pass. Accordingly Captain Johnson, of the Marine office, proceeded to the spot to ascertain whether any damage had been done to the structure. He found it in such a condition that whatever steamer did the mischief, it most certainly was not done by '" a slight graze." The beacon, which is a substantial erection of stone, shaped as a truncated cone, had evidently been struck in the middle full stem on by a straight stemmed steamer. The force of the blow had been so great as not only to cant the massive pile of masonry bodily over several degrees, but also to cut into the solid stone a great gash some seven feet in vertical length and fourteen inches in width, extending right into the midst of the masonry, and nearly cutting the whole structure in two. The wonder is that the steamer which was in collision with the beacon escaped being totally wrecked. It is quite certain that had she struck on the rock which forms the foundation of the beacon with anything like the inoniemtuin of her contact with the latter, she must have filled and gone down at once. Captain Johnson has brought back some sketches representing the present appearance of the injured beacon, and I was courteous!}' oiforded an opportunity of inspecting these appearances, and it is impossible to help feeling extreme surprise at the escape of the steamer, seeing the wreck which the concussion lias made of a solid mass of substantial masonry. I understand that some further investigation will take place into the circnmstanceti.