Total Wreck of the Tui

Feilding Star, Volume VIII, Issue 61, 4 November 1886, Page 2

Total Wreck of the Tui

[PEB UNITED PBESS ASSOCIATION.]

Wellington, November 2

About two o'clook this morning Pilot Holmes telephoned from the Heads that the steamer Tui, which left the harbor late lasf night, hound for Foxton, had been wrecked at the northward of Chaffer's passage. The illfated vessel was under the command of Captain Pope, and shortly after she struck made water rapidly, and brought the steamer down by the head so . that she made little way. Finding that he could not beach the steamer before she went down, the captain lowered the boats and got the passengers and crew into them. Captain Pope and the mate, Mr Forbes, remaining till the last. The weather at the time of the mishap was very thick, and the wind was blowing hard j from the north-west. Just previousl to the steamer striking, Captain Pope states that heavy rain and a squall came on, and he lost the Soames' Island light, and thn pilot states that about that time the signalman was unable to see the light on Pencarrow Head. The vessel had in the haze got out of her course, with the results already stated. The Tui was going at a speed of ten miles when she struck, and from the rapidity with which her fore compartment, held, and engine room filled, Captain Pope is under the impression that the bottom must have been torn out of her. It was a little over a quarter of an hour afterwards that she went down bow first, and sank in about eight fathoms of water, with her two masts about three feet above the surface. There was not much time to save anything except life. The ladies were in their berths, and were only able to get part of their clothes on before taking to the boats, but the captain, who had thrown off his coat and boots, landed in his shirt sleeves. The Tui was built in Dunedin ten years ago by Messrs Spraggow & Co.^ and is owned by Messrs C. Seager, J. Josephs, W. and J. Bishop, and J. and H. Barber. She was not insured. Mr Forbes, who was captain of the Lyttelton, which was wrecked reoently near the French Pass, was chief officer of the Tui. The diver went down at the wreck this afternoon, but was unable to ascertain the damage. The owners expect to be able to float and repair the Tui. Noveml er S.

From the examination of the Tui it appears that she is resting on a soft bottom of sand and shell, and does not appear to be strained in the slightest, and the general opinion is that if immediate steps are taken she can be easily raised. A preliminary inquiry took place to-day, and the magisterial one will probably be held this week, -