THE DISMASTED SHIP JOHN KERR.

Globe, Volume I, Issue 18, 20 June 1874, Page 2

THE DISMASTED SHIP JOHN KERR.

I [From the " Leader."] This dismasted ressel, which entered the Heads on Monday evening, anchored in Hobson's Bay on Tuesday morning between midnight and 1 o'clock. It is to be hoped that she is the last of the cripples, and that her arrival will form the final chronicle in the doubtless interesting but altogether undesirable chapter of accidents in the history of ships recently making the Australian voyage. The appearance of three dismasted ships in port in about as many weeks is p. circumstance foitunately of rare occurrence, and what renders the matter so apparently anomalous and inexplicable is the fact that all three vessels are quite new and on their first voyage, and do not conform in any respect to the Plimsollian ideas of old, rotten, and unseaworthy crafts. The John Kerr, although she has sustained quite enough damage aloft, is not such a wreck as the Loch Ard or Cambridgeshire, and she was enabled to show more canvas on the latter part of her voyage thau either of these vessels. Judging from her lines she is a splendid vessel, and is one of. the largest and finest sailing ships ever launched from the yard ol her well-know a builders, Messrs John Reid and Sons, of Port Glasgow. The command of the ship was given to Captain James Scobie, formerly of the ship Colmonsell, and of the voyage out he reports leaving Liverpool on January 27th, and 'passing Tuskar on the following day. The ship, until passing Madeira, had stormy, heavy S.W. gales and high seas prevailing all the 'time. The usual fair winds were carried through the N.E. trades, and the Equator was crosed on February 25th in longitude 28deg. W. In the S.E. trades the winds were light, and were followed by moderate variable winds until April 3rd, On that date, when in lat 45deg. S. and lon 71deg E, the wind came on to blow strong from the S.E„ and the standard barometer fell to 28-70, the aneroid indicating a lower point. Early in the morning the wind had increased to a hard gale, and the ship was hove to under lower fore and main topsails and storm-staysail. During the day the bands on deck through which the topsailsheets reeve carried away, and the topsails were blown clean out of sight. The ship during this time was rolling furiously, and at four p.m. the small spars came toppling down. In cousequonco of the violence of the gale it was impossible to show canvass to it, and there being nothing to steady the BhipjWhicb,

was straining heavily, something -was bound to give way. At midnight on the same, day the top-gallant masts, which were of wooil, went over the side, In to save the lower (masts, the top masts wore out away, but the wreck of the forctonrmst coming down on the lower rigging, and tearing it away,lreedfthe foremast from any check, and at two a.m.'on April 4th it went over the side, crushing in portion of. the bulwark on the starboard side. The main yard and maintopsail yard, on their descent, pierced the '; cleek, and as there were heavy sea 3 break--1 ing Over the ship, every effort was made to prevent the water getting below through these holes and also down the stump of the I foremast. The main and mizen masts stood, but the head of the mainmast was fairly torn away about four feet above the eyes of the rigging. The clearing away of the wreck was a work of some difficulty, there being so much chain and wire to cut through, but the crew worked ;with a will, and on Sunday, April sth, the most of it had been got rid of. ">" Previous to this, the gale had to some extent "* abated, and the sea had gone down a good deal. It was quite impossible to stand at the pumps while the sea was on, but as they had escaped injury the water ;in the hold * : (about two feet), which had mostly got down through the foremast, was soon got rid of. The gale was succeeded by strong S.W,. breezes and attention was directed to getting up jury masts and yards. This was not of easy -, accomplishment, however, for as fast as they 'went up the continued rolling of the ship carried them away again. ; A fine large spar was--got ; on end for a foremast, and the jibboom was sent up for a foreyard. A KcroßS-jack yard was formed by lashing the spanker and two studding-sail booms together, and on getting before the wind the ship could carry two;topsails on aer mainmast and a topsail on her foremast. The 'tween deck passengers, who had been wellnigh flooded out of their berths during the gale, were accommodated in the cabin until more temperate weather set in. Notwithstanding the great .risk attending falling spars and blocks and gear, there was no accident to life or limb. The remainder of the voyage, until making the land (Cape Otway) on Tuesday last, was marked by strong westerly gales. On Tuesday night the wind increased and blew with almost hurricane force, and the ship was driven through tne Straits where she was kept cruising between the Promontory and Cape Schanck, doing her beat to keep* clear of coming to grief. On Thursday afternoon she was picked up by the 'Williams, about 40 miles south of Cape Schanck, where the latter made fast to her, and stuck to her, although there was a strong gale,* with a heavy sea. On Friday afternoon the hawser parted, when the ship had thel'landt close' on her lee beam, and the situation was becoming rather critical. The Williams made'fast to the ship again on Saturday off Cape Liptrap, and remained with Jher ; until" thei; Government stoamer Victoria found them, and took the ship in tow, in order that the Williams might go to Western Port for coal. Three times the ship was close np to the entrance to Western Port Bay, and was'driven back again, The finding of the, ship r and her subsequent arrival at the Heads have already been noted. Captain Scobie, when signalled by the ship Hesperus, which lately; arrived? al; Adelaide, would have been glad of assistance, but his signals were apparently misunderstood by that vessel. In the statement that to Captain Sepbiefgreat credit is due for bringing his ship along safely, the passengers on board entirely concur, and his ready action and judgment were warmly spoken of. The officers of the ship—Mr Broadf oot, Mr Scobie, Mr M'Luckie, and Mr M'Nab—and the crew were also highly spoken of. One child died during the voyage out. The ship was taken alongside the Breakwater, Williamstown, to discharge cargo. ; .