The Alexa Wreck.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 206, 6 September 1901, Page 2

The Alexa Wreck.

FURTHER PARTICULARS.

By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright

Sydney, Sept. -1. At the enquiry Captain Woebling stated: —No apprehension was felt in approaching the island, as according to the chart only a one-knot current ran there. But to our consternation wo soon found the barque to be in the embraces of a current setting to the reef, and running fully four knots per hour. All that human ingenuity and strength could devise was done, but all to no avail, and at 5.1 n a.m. tho barque crashed on the coral reef. As soon as tho vessel struck she began to bump heavily, and the men reported that the water was coming in freely. “There was the impending danger of the masts falling, but, continued the captain, “we stuck to her until 9 o’clock, and then, with much difficulty, launched the boats, after stowing in them the ship's papers and provisions. We pulled to the island.” The look-out man deposed that ho saw broken water a mile ahead, and gave warning, and two other witnesses gave evidence that they heard no warning. After rourteen days on the island, the ship’s company sailed for Now Caledonia in their two boats, the passages occupying seven and nine days respectively. Nearly all suffered from their confined space in tho boat and the attending anxieties of tho voyage. Captain Woebling, cramped up at the tiller constantly for six days, suffered acutely, and was almost too weak to stand when landing at Pam.