Arrival of the Ruapehu at Wellington.

Feilding Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 157, 5 January 1897, Page 2

Arrival of the Ru apehu at Wellington.

| Per Press Association] Wellington, January 4. The arrival of the Ruapehu alongside the wharf shortly after 9 to-night was the occasion for cheers from a large assemblage. It appears in fall tide last night an attempt was to be made to tow the disabled vessel off, but the Omapere was found to have a portion of the hawser around her propeller, and the attempt was abandoned until this morning. Meanwhile about 150 tons of cargo were transferred from No 4 hold of the Ruapehu into the Kennedy and the Mana. As the tide made this morning the Mawhera made fast to the vessel to prevent the stern swinging in while the Kennedy was tugging straight astern. The Rnapehu's own machinery was started and amidst cheers it was found that she was moving seaward. Gradually she drew out from the sand banks and shortly after getting into deep water she shaped her course for Wellington. So far as can be ascertained the vessel sustained no injury whatever. The officers are very reticent as to the cause of the accident.

The New Zealand Pilot, the recognised authority tor mariners, gives the following information as to Farewell Spit, where the s.s. Buapehu went ashore: — " Farewell Spit extends from Cape Farewell in an easterly direction, 17 miles, slightly curving to the southward . towards its extreme, and is the danger which ships must be careful to avoid in entering Cook Strait from the northward and westward ; it is a treacherous spit, a great part of its extreme being covered at high water, and its southern or inner side being very steep too. . . . On the southern or bay side the land lies in patches for more than three miles from the high water edge of the bank, and in some parts for even six miles to the southward there are only a few feet of water, shoaling suddenly to that depth from 7to '20 fathoms. . . . Captain Fairchiii fates the spit has shoaled seaward considerably sinoe the last survey was made."