STRANDING OF THE S S. SUSANNAH CUTHBERT.

Auckland Star, Volume VI, Issue 1691, 20 July 1875, Page 2

STRANDING OF THE S S. SUSANNAH CUTHBERT.

This steamer left Catherine Hill Bay, with a full cargo of coal, on the Gth instant, bound for Sydney. The night tvas very dark, and the atmosphere hazy. About five o'clock, •on Wednesday morning, the steamer struck on the oute- edge of LoDg Lleef—the vesael's proximity to land not apparent, nor expected from the course steered. After touching the rocks, her machinery became disabled, and she was drifted ashore by the sea until she settled off Jenkin's Point, in about seven ft. of water. In a short time the decks began to open amidships, and fearing a total break up, the crew landed after daylight, some coming to Sydney, via Manly Beach, and a portion remaining close to the wreck, to save anything that might come ashore. The captain, before abandoning the ship, again went on board, and found that an iron scraper had been left in close proximity to the compass which would account for .the deviation. The steamer is insured in the Pacific office for £5000, of which £4000 is reinsured.— Herald. EXTRAORDINARY 7" ATTEMPTED SUICIDE. On July lla woman named Mrs Chambers, residing at Wickham, attempted to commit suicide by cutting her throat with a. large carving knife. The unfortunate woman had been but a few days confined, aud the doctor had given her permission to lea ye her bedroom. Her mother and sister were with her in the house, and ehortiy before the occurrence, she went upstairs ; her mother hearing a noise, a3 if somebody bad fallen on the floor, went up to see what was the cause, and found her daughter had cut her throat. Dr. Dawdnay was at once sent for, and was quickly in attendance and prescribed the necessary remedies, but it is much feared the deed will prove fatal. The unfortunate creature's husband is an inmate of the Lunatic Asylum in Sydney. He went mad from excitement during the last election for the County of Northumberland, bat had been previously an inmate of a lunatic asylum. STRANDING OF THE RESULT. The representatives of the insurance companies interested in the wrecked ship, Result (late Polar Star), returned last evening from Port Stephens, and report that they found the vessel aground in twelve feet of water at half ebb on the bank abreaat of the Sandspit, above Nelson Head, ship heading to the eastward. The vessel was lying on an even bottom of sand, with a slight list to port ; sails bent, everything aloft apparently in Bea-going order, with both anchors let go under foot, and hatches battened down, no attempt having been made to lighten the vessel. She appears to have been allowed to harden up on to the bank. Having lighted the fire in the donkey engine, they found that after half-an-hour's pumping they had reduced the water in the well at least three inches. The vessel appears to be but little strained, and arrangements have been entered into with a firm in Newcastle to proceed to Port Stephens with a party of men and the necessary appliances to lighten and float the vessel. This undertaking bids fair to be a comparatively easy task should the weather continue fine.— Sydney M.S. July 8. .'■. ' A BATTLE WITH THE ELEMENTS. The schooner Kate Moynahan was towed into Newcastle harbour by the s.s. Western in a disabled condition on the 10th inst. It would seem from the account given of his disaster by Captain McColl, and reported in the Newcastle Pilot of the 12th ii 8 '•, that the weather oh the Australian coast has been every bit as bad as that we have experienced in Auckland. The Kate Moynahan left Newcastle on the 25th ultimo 'for Greymouth with a cargo of coal. On the 27th a strong S.S.B. gale set in, in which the vessel headreached under mainstaysail and forestaysail. On Monday morning the force of the wind increased to a hurricane ; the staysails were cut to ribbons, and the ship made very heavy weather seas continually breaking on board. At 6 a.m., a sea washed over her carrying away the galley, water-casks, part of the bulwarks, and starting the buttons of the main-hatch. In endeavouring to secure the hatch, the chief officer and one of the crew got severely hurt and have had to iie up since. On Tuesday a fierce squall laid the schooner completely on her beam cuds, and the foretopmast had to be cut away to right her. On Thursday, during a lull, the hatches were opened and some of the cargo jettisoned to lighten the ship. On Friday, owing, to the vessel being unmanageable, she broached to in the heavy sea, and her rudder was carried away. The vessel* had to keep head-reaching, under fore-and-aft canvass, in consequence all night. On Saturday, the 3rd, spoke the barque India. On the sth, made out Smoky Cape, distant about 12 miles. On Thursday, the Bth, spoke the brigantine Isabella, 45 days out fi'om Daintree, and exchanged provisions for half a cask of water. At 8 a.m., on the lOfeh, when the vessel was setting bodily on a leeshore, the steamer Western, hove in s<ight, and, having signalled, she came to the assis« tance^ of the Kate Moynahan, and towed her into Newcastle harbour, where she arrived at noon the same day. The crew were very much exhausted.