STEAMER WRECKED.

Gisborne Times, Volume XVII, Issue 1357, 18 January 1905, Page 2

STEAMER WRECKED.

THE NAMBUCCA ON ROOKS,

(Per Press ’Association.) Wellington, last night,

Tho steamer Nambucca, 126 tons, Captain North, built in New South Wales, struck a rock near Sinclair Head during thick weather about 10 o’clock last night, and is reported to be a total wreck. No lives were lost.

The b.s. Nambueca was coming from Blenheim with a quantity of wool, chaff, etc., for Wellington. She was abreast of Terawhiti shortly after 9 o’clock, and a thick fog settled down, shutting out the land and all lights. Captain North was on tho bridge with his chief officer (Captain Croker), and for a time vainly endeavored to pick up the land. Considering he was well off the land, Captain North hauled the vessel up a point, and then for the first time found themselves in the vicinity of Tom’s Rock, which has brought so many vessels to grief in Cook Straits.

“Hard dowD,” yelled the skipper, and the little vessel, answering her helm, quickly headed seaward, but not soon enough—she struck the outer fringe of the reef, and being under full speed climbed well out of the water on to the reef. Another ten feet would havo avoided the danger. Though the forward part of the steamer was, when the crew loft, quite dry, the latter part from the deck of the bridge was submerged, and the passengers (three ladies and one gentleman) will probably lose everything. The captain’s wife and child wore also on board.

At the time of the accident all the passengers were in their bunks. There was little commotion,' and as the sea was as smooth as a mill-pond there was no difficulty in the passengers and orew being transferred to a boat. Hugging the shore, the boat made for Island Bay, and the party landed there just about midnight, two hours after the accident, and were hospitably received by the proprietor of the hotel thoro. Tho Nambucca was a small wooden vessel, built in Australia, and the Australian Allianoe have a line on her of £2OOO, reinsured for £I6OO. Tho wool was in sured in the New Zealand office.

The s.s. Duco loft this morning for the scene of the wreck, and the cargo of wool can easily he saved. The vossol i 9 likely to become a wreck. Captain North thinks from the rapidity of her afterpart in sinking that a portion of the bottom was torn out,

FURTHER PARTICULARS. (Per Press Association.) Wellington, last night. The Duco, which loft for the scene of wreck to day at 11.30 a.m., returned to port at 2.30 p.m. The Nambucca has slipped back off the roef and the hall is now completely submerged. All that is visible is the very top of the funnel and the upper portion of the masts. The wreck is pointing due south. Xt now transpires that tho vessel struck on tho reef inside of Tom’s Rock, and situated about a half a mile west of Sinolair Head. There was a considerable sea running this afternoon. It is expected that the vessel will broak up in the first southerly gale. Tho orew and passengers have lost all their belongings, and it is stated that tho ship’s papers and the mails have also gone down in the steamer.

THE CARGO. (Per Press Association.) Blenheim, last night. The cargo on the Nambucca was as follows 23 bales wooJ, shipped at Port Underwood by Mr Stace, of Robin Hood Bay ; 225 Backs ohaff, of which 125 sacks were shipped at Blenheim by Messrs Clouston and Co., and IQO sacks by tho Fresh Food and Ice Co. ; 20 sacks peas and 64 trusses of straw, shipped by Mr W. B. Parker ; 6 sack’ of potatoes, shipped fay Clouston and Co.

Only tho wool is protected by insurance.

The mail, which was only a small parcel, contained a considerable quantity of information collected by tho Wairau Road Board from sheepowners and forwarded to Mr Shortt, Government Commissioner, for the purposes of tho Clarence Bridge Commission. Mr Priddle, one of tho owners of the Nambucca, estimates the loss as £6OO.