ILL-FATED LOCH LONG. ALL HANDS SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN LOST.

Gisborne Times, Volume X, Issue 1041, 6 November 1903, Page 3

ILL-FATED LOCH LONG.

ALL HANDS SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN LOST.

By, .Telegraph—Press 'Association— Wellington, last night. Captain Bollons, of the Hinemoa, wired the Minister of Marine from Lyttelton this afternoon as follows; —The Hinemoa visited the Chathams, Pitt’s, Sisters, sod Forty Fours. There is every indication that the Loch Long struck the north-west reef,’ aDd was lost with all hands. There are no signs of survivors. Fragmentary portions of the msin and poop decks, cabin, and boat fittings are ashore on the north side of the Chathams and on Pitt Island, also a lifebuoy, boat tiller, and oar branded with the ship’s name. By the appearance of the wreckage the vessel must have struck about the end of May.

FURTHER DETAILS. (Per Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, last night

Somewhat unexpectedly me Government steamer Hineinoa arrived from the Chatham Islands this afternoon. The object of her visit to the Islands was to search for survivors of the ship Loch Long, wreckage from which was found at tho Chathama recently. The Hinemoa’s visit established beyond doubt the total loss of tho vessel, but no trace of any of her crew was found. The Hinemoa paid a visit to the Sister, rocky isles some ten miles north-west of the Chathams, but no sign of wreckage or castaways was on their cliffs. She then steamed for WaitaDgi, on the Main Island, where she arrived at 2.25 p.m. on Saturday last. Captain Boltons made enquiries as to whether any further wreckage had come ashore, but elicited nothing of importance. Next morning, the steamer began a search of the coast of the islands, going to Wakapui, Raingaroa, and the Forty-four Rocks on the eastern side of the Chathams, Fragments of wreckage were seen on tho northern coast of the Main Island, sufficient to prove that the Loch Long had been totally wrecked. Thero were pieces of deckplanking, cabin fittings, and of boats—in short, of all the wooden upper works of an iron ship. They had evidently been in the water for a considerable time, and some of them bore barnacles,which showed that the wreckage had begun to come ashore, or at all events were first noticed, in July. He is of opinion that the Loch Long perished on the dangerous Northwest Reofs, masses of rock just about 15 miles north-west of the Chathams, and five miles and a-half west-nor’-west of the Sister.