Collision BETWEEN THE STEAMER 'NEVADA' AND A SAILING VESSEL.

Auckland Star, Volume II, Issue 561, 27 October 1871, Page 2

Collision BETWEEN THE STEAMER 'NEVADA' AND A SAILING VESSEL.

SUPPOSED LOSS a. h. batger;

WITH ALL HANDS.

Tho barque Eleanor arrived in harbour on Wednesday lust from Newcastle, having left there on the 14th instant. Captain Black reported tho sailing of the barque A. H # Batger, from Newcastle for this port, on the 7th instant, and as the latter vessel is known fco be a fast gHiler, some uneasiness has been felt 'tin-ing tho past few dnys at her non-arrival. The Eleanor experienced favorable winds during the greater part of th»* passage, and made the run in eleven days. The s.?. City of Adelaide arrived in harbour this morning, >m 1 from papers received we learn that the nviil steamer Nevada, on her passage to Sydney, eolli led with v. barque on the night of the 15' h instant. The barque, according to Captain Blethen's statement, was carrying no lights at the time of the accident, and th nking the damage to either vessel was but trifling, (Japt. Blcihen proceeded on his course, There can be but little doubt th;it the barque was the Bulger, and unless the crew had sufficient time to lower tho boats, there is every prolmbility of the vessel having foundere i with •ill hands. The Batter w>is deeply lade«> when leaving Newcastle, having on board 410 tons coal, 28 tons coke, and 505 baes ol maize fur J. 3. Maofarlane. On the arrival of the Nevada in Sydney on the 19ih instant the following account of the collision was supplied lo the Sydney Herald: —

October i 5, 11.45 p.m., latitude 34.04 south, longitude 16G.04- east, night dark and hazj, discovered v barque close aliead, crossing our bow, showing no light, and passing her before we could Btop, her spanker boom just scraping along our port side. Feeling certain there wa-t no damage done on either side, continued on our course. At daylight discovered Unit, our stem was a little injured, showing that we must have struck the barque, probably on her quarter. October 18, saw a barque Steering north. Arrived at Sy.lney October 19, at 12 a.m. The Nevada "Will not proceed on to Melbourne, as she requires some repairs, but will leave on her return voyage on the 26th instant/. On her arrival siie brought up oif Alder's wharf, and during »1... .>/(,...„,...u got miFier way and proceeded to tho Wutervltsw Bay dock works."

The Herald of tlie 21st gives (he following additional particulars :—" The Nevada, American steamship, was taken into Waterriew B iy Dry Dock yesterd.iy, for the purpose of bein!{ stripped, caulked, and re-eop,jere;l. The dimensions of this vessel are beyond the ordinary class of vessels visiting this port, and Irom the fact of her beam being 70 feet wide, will at a glance demonstrate tho provisions that are available for vessels of a large tonnage visiting Sydney. Captain Donald, the Government Marine Surveyor, has examined the hull, and found that the stem lias bnen seriously injured. The main stem piecq has been wrenched to starboard from the 8 feet murk to 25 feet towards the stem-head, and the wood ends have been opened 1£ inch. These damnges have probably resulted from the collision with a vessel as reported. In addition, we may state that five of the flouts have been broken off short outside the outer rim of the port wheel. A portion of a spar, apparently a yardarm, or end of spanker-boom, was picked up on the spur deck of the Nevada shortly after the collision ; it had been broken off short by the shearehole and and then split in half, the mark of the dogs being quiue fresh."

We are indebted to Messrs. Henderson and Maefarlane for the following extract from' a letter, received from lite agents of the Nevada. iin (Sydney : —"The Nevada, on her passage from Auckland, cuine in contact with some vessel, doing what damage is unknown, though, from appearaaces of tlie steamer's stem, and the starting of some of her plunk ends, we fear it is more serious than was at all antiiipated, for so lit tie does the shock seem to nave been felt on board, that it was'not deemed needful to (stop op turn back and ascertain the damage Son-e, and until the vessel turns up, we can say nothing. <'aptain Bletheo asserts that there were no lights shown by the ship, .either befoce or after the collision, if according to his Oitn idea it could be p t)<»u*lsucb.. TUat there has been a £pllioion, however, there is no matter t Qf<Hdubt, and we can only furnish particulars when obtained from both sides. TheNe'\ada was to leave Sydney for Auckland on the 26th instant, and may be expected here on the Ist proximo. is the barques Alice Cameron, Velucidude, and ffree Trader were on their passage up to Bydney from tins port, there is a possibility of Captain Leddra and his crew being picked up, if they were fortunate enough in lowering the boats. The next new* from Syduey will be looked lor with some interest.