SHIPPING.

Globe, Volume III, Issue 249, 30 March 1875, Page 2

SHIPPING.

PORT OF LYTTELTON. ARRIVED. March 30—Courier, ketch, 30 tons, Sin clair, from Pigeon Bay. March 30—William and Mary, schooner, 41 tons, Stevens, from Laverick's Bay. CLEARED. March 30—Sea Bird, brigantine, 155 tons, C. W. Bartlett, for Melbourne. March 30—Taranaki, s.s., 299 tons, Carey, for Northern Ports. March 30—Brace, s.s., 205 tons, Jones, for JDunedin and intermediate ports.

WRECK OF THE ANNIE CHILE,

The “Sydney Morning- Herald” of the 13fcli of March contains the intelligence of the loss of the brig Annie Ogle as lollows; — By telegram we learn that a portion of the abovenamed vessel had been picked up at Smoky (_ ape; among the debris were the sterns of two boats, painted similar to those on board the ill-fated brig, and with the ship’s and former master’s names painted on one. Also, a portion of a cabin-door, to the handle of which was attached Captain McDonald's certificate, thus leaving not a shadow of doubt as to the fate of the crew. The Annie Ogle was a fine brig of 210 tons, built and owned by Messrs Kountree and Co of this city, and was on her second voyage. She sailed from Sydney on the 23rd of February, in ballast, bound to Grafton, there to load a cargo of hard wood for Lyttelton. Since then nothing has been heard of her, unless credit can be given to a report that she was sighted oifthe Clarence Heads on Sunday, the 28th ultimo, with the wind very heavy at east, and trying to work to windward. She has therefore probably headed to the southward, and in the thick weather that prevailed gone on to the Solitarys, which would account for portions of the wreck getting on the beach at Smoky Cape. The following are the names of the crew J. McDonald, master; T. Butler, chief officer; W. Coolaln, steward; T. Murray, A. Anderson, D. Davis, C. Denton, W. Pearce, and F. Nelson, seamen. The Annie Ogle is insured in the General for £4500, oi which £3500 is re-insured.

WRECK OF THE HELEN MACGKEGOK,

The steamship Helen Macgregor, of3oo tons, commanded by Captain Turner, which left Sydney on Monday, sth instant, bound for Grafton, was wrecked to-day. She was on her return voyage for Sydney. On coming out of the Clarence yesterday, at a quarter to 4 p.m., she struck the reef on which the steamship Urara was lost. She remained on the reef tor an hour, when she came oil'and quickly went down in mid-channel and deep water. Within ten minutes the pilot’s and steamer’s boats saved most of the passengers and crew', but one ot the steamer’s boats upset. In it were eight persons, including Constable Banuon, and they were all of them drowned. Captain Turner and the chief officer are among the saved, Constables Baunon and O'Brien were on board, in charge of prisoners lately sentenced at the Quarter Sessions. Immediately on the intelligence being received at Grafton, Mr Fisher (the chairman of the company), accompanied by iMr Clayton (adirector) and the secretary, left for the scene of the disaster in a steam launch. The hull of the Helen Macgregor has entirely disappeared.—“ Sydney Morning Herald."

DEPARTURE FROM ENGLAND OF THE TINTERN ABBEY.

W« take the following from the “Bristol Observer” of January 9th Another large batch of emigrants, selected by the Agent-General for New Zealand, started yesterday for Canterbury, in the Tintern Abbey, a fine sailing vessel, of upwards of fourteen hundred tons register, commanded by Captain Stephens, the property of Messrs Shaw, Savill, and Co. The passengers went on board on Monday, and on Tuesday the vessel was visited by the emigration officers of the Board of Trade and of the New Zealand Government, who made a very close examination of all the details connected with the several departments. One important improvement has already been made in the fittings of the boats by the direction ot Mr Temple, one of the partners in the firm of owners. In the bow and stern of each of the six boats carried by the ship a locker has been fixed, and in these two cases, or 96lbs, of preserved meat has been placed, any remaining space being filled up with bags of biscuit. Each boat is also obliged to carry a ten-gallon cask of water slung under one of the thwarts. It seems very desirable that this quantity should be increased. Another cask might, without any material sacrifice of space, be fixed in a similar position, and the proportion of water and provisions would thus be somewhat equalised. Allowing a quarter of a pound of meat per head, each boat will in future have on board 381 rations, or sufficient to sustain life in the forty persons she will carry for about ten days ; on the other hand, the water, allowing each individual only half a pint per day, would only suffice for four days. Two out of these six boats are always prepared for launching with oars, sails, and provisions ready in them, and one fitted with Clifford's patent boat-lowering apparatus can be got away at a minute’s notice. (On Tuesday it was lowered, and a life-buoy picked up in four minutes.) But of the other four two lie bottom upwards on skids, above the main hatch, the provisions for them being lashed on the front of the poop, and two are placed on the midship deckhouse. All of them it was proved by practical experience on Tuesday, can be launched complete in every respect in twenty minutes. Ou un average each boat will carry forty persons, and a very large proportion of the whole of the ship's ea go may thus be saved, if, in the event oi ai.y ul.-a.-t> r, a 1 the i.oats be sa.eiy launched, (or the total Humber on board when the vessel sailed, inc.uding cnlldien, wan 3/6—vi/, 3(g emigrants, equal to ill statute ad Its, and foriy-six crew. The Tluteru Abuey was already - ti>ted, and almost ready to sail, when the news of the loss of the Cospatrick arrived, and therefore it has been impossible to apply to her several of the Improvements suggested by the recent disaster which the owners have in contemplation. It is often said as an explanation of the loss of a vessel that she was overloaded,but In proof that this is never the case with emigrant vessels it may be mentioned that in one instance some time ago, the agent ot the New Zealand Government, considering a certain ship to be too low in the water, ordered some of her cargo to be discharged, and refused to pass her until what he considered a sufficient quantity bad been taken out. Usually, however, the difficulty is rather the other way, and, in order to “ stiffen” the ship sufficiently with the small carrying capacity that remains after the emigrants with their luggage are on board, only the heaviest goods are shipped. It may be added that the Tintern Abbey carries, in an aviary built specially on deck, upwards of a thousand birds, sent out by the Acclimatisation Society. The list "comprises 100 partridges, 100 blackbirds, 100 thrushes, 100 starlings, 150 hedge sparrows 160 yellowhammers, 100 goldfinches, 100 redpolls, and ICO linnets. It is hoped that 70 per cent of these will reach the colony safely; previous consignments sent out two years ago have done very well, the birds breeding freely, and thriving well in their new home. Kobins, it appears from past experience, are the most delicate, while blackbirds, thrushes, and starlings stand the voyage best. In one instance a lot of fifty starlings reached New Zealand without a single one dying, and all were turned loose within a day or two of their arrival. The whole of this large number are wild birds, taken by professional catchers, employed for the purpose, in different parts of the country, and for almost every kind a different sort of food has to be provided. The intelligent young man, appropriately called “Bills,” who has charge of them, also takes out 500 leeches, which are classed among the birds, much on the same principle that Bottom the Weaver described a lion as a fearful kiud of wildfowl.

WRECK OF THE GOTHENBURG

The following account of the wreck of the above steamer is condensed from the “Port Denison Times'’ of the 6th instant:— “ It is our painful duty to record one of the most calamitous wrecks that has ever happened on this coast The slip issued on Saturday will have informed our readers that the Gothenburg steamer had become a total wreck on Flinder’s Keef Having passed safely through the intricate channel of Torres Straits as far a? Cape Cleveland, the passengers were justified in looking forward to a speedy termination of their voyage, inasmuch as Cape Cleveland passed, but few difficulties intervened. The worst part of the passage was over. The vessel, under steam and sail, was pursuing her course, or what was presumed to be her course, with increasing wind and misty showers, when it got steady all at once, and she left off rolling, which fact should have aroused the prompt attention of those in charge of the vessel. Captain Pearce, we believe, had beeu seven times through Torres Straits, and be must have been aware that there was a strong current when he ordered the course to be altered that fatal ‘ quarter to the eastward.’ Even after tb» fty? struck, captain and officer# appeared to

make very light of it, telling the passengers that they would get off at high water, but a vessel grounding on a sandbank in calm weather, and one grounding on coral while running at ten or eleven knots, arc very different matters. Coral is a fearful enemy even to a strong iron ship. It is very hard to understand why the boats were not launched till morning, when the ship showed symptoms of breaking up, and the wind had increased to a gale. The little importance that was attached to the position of the vessel is something marvellous. The engines were kept going astern all night, one man at the wheel, another at the head, the rest mostly turned in, and we are told that up to a late hour the passengers were amusing themselves in the cabins without the slightest apprehension of the danger. In perfectly calm weather there would have been, indeed, very little danger, except, perhaps, in taking the vessel off the reef Into deep water, supposing she had injured her bottom i>y the force with which sin struck, which injury might not hi'ascertained till she floated off. But a large ship running with tremendous lorce on to a mass of coral, with a strong breeze increasing to a gale, should, one would think, have given rise to the most set ions doubts as to her floating powers if she succeeded in getting into deep water. When the end came it must have been frightful, as our informant says, to see men. women, and children drowning close to you, without being able to help them. Another passenger says that for a few moments it was like a sea of heads. Full particulars are given below, and it is unnecessary to dwell on them here. The men and women met a horrible death fearlessly, and it must have have been terribly affecting to those who had themselves only a precarious hold of life to hear their dying shipmates, with whom they had passed m: ny pleasant hours, wishing eaclt other ‘ good lye.’ We are told that there was very little contusion—that there was one scream from the poor woman whose child was washed from her arms. We give the names as we could procure them of the passengers, and it will be seen that the list contains the names of many persons who held high positions, and who will be missed not only in their own private circle, but from the larger sphere of public life. Besides the wreckage from the schooner, there were between three and lour thousand ounc s of gold on board, besides a large quantity in the hands of passengers. In case of wreck of British vessels there is generally some instance of heroism to record, and the wreck of the Gothenburg affords another example of men risking their lives in the effort to save others. The names of John Clelland. James Fitzgerald, passengers, and Robert Brazil, fireman, will long be remembered, and gratefully, by those whose lives they saved, and we hope by others, especially those societies whose duty and pleasure it is to reward deeds of valor resulting in the saving of life.

“ The Inquiry. “Minutes of an Inquiry held at the Custom-house, Tort Denison, by G. F. Sandreck, Harbor-master, of the survivors of the steamship Gothenburg the Ist day of March, 1875. “James Marks being duly sworn, said—l was able seaman on board the steamship Gothenburg, belonging to Melbourne. There were thirty-seven of a crew, including Mr James Pearce (captain), and the officers. She was laden with coal for her own consumption, aud with part of the wreck of a schooner. She sailed Irom Port Darwin February 16th, aud arrived at Somerset on Friday, 19th, and left nextday boundior Newcastle. While lying at Somerset taking ballast, we lost two anchors and a quantity of chain. We proceeded on our voyage, went about seven miles, and anchored on Sunday morning. We again proceeded on our voyage. Everything went favorably until about five minutes past six on Wednesday evening. 24th February. Our course at that time was E. by S. three-quarters S. I was at the wheel when she struck the reef at the time just mentioned. We were steaming and sailing with foresail, toretopsail, and maintrysail set. I believe it was on the Barrier Eeef we struck. After she struck she came to windward about a point and a half, the engines having been reversed. I stood by the wheel till near eleven or twelve. At the time she struck there were heavy rain squalls and puffs of wind. The wind was from N.W. The force of the wind was such that a vessel could carry doublereefs aud jib on a wind. While on the reef the wind increased during the night to a heavy gale. We shifted the water casks from the forehold to the quarter deck to lighten her forward. The passengers and all on board were ordered by the captain to go aft, and the engines were kept going astern all night, one man attending to the wheel, another to the lead; the rest mostly turned in. About three next morningoneof the mates called all hands on deck, and ordered the foretopsail to be set. We went up to loosen it, but were ordered down again. The vessel had been grinding away till three or four o’clock, when she bumped so heavily as to nearly throw us off our feet. The carpenter said at this time he had sounded the pumps and found no water in them. The officers ordered the lifeboat to be swung off in the davits, which we did, but before this the two port boats were lowered into the water. All the boats were in good condition and properly found. There were four boats, but they were not sufficient to carry all the people on board in that strong breeze. The captain ordered the two port boats to be taken round the stern to the starboard side, into smooth water, but in doing so the painter of the largest boat broke. There were four men in the boat when she got adrift; they tried hard to pull up to the ship’s side, but could not. A heavy squall came on at this time. This boat we afterwards found smashed on the rocks at the Holborn Island. There were two bags like mail bags put into the boat, ■with a Fort Darwin seal on. The other boat also got adrift with four men in it. I only caught a glimpse of them during the flashes of lightning. When we had swung out the starboard lifeboat the sea commenced to break over the ship’s side, and some of the watercasks from the quarter-deck were washed overboard. The sea broke over the port side, aud washed away all the hatches, and I saw some of the passengers’ luggage washed out of the hold with other tilings. The ship at this time was on her beam ends. The women passengi re were then fiighteneii, and got into the lifeboat, which was still hanging in the davits on the starboirdor upper side of the ship. A sea then half filled the boat with water, washing an infant from its mother’s aims. There were four women and some men in the boat at the lime the captain sang out to lower the boat. '1 he after tackle was lowered and unhooked, but we could not get the fore-tackle loose. The sea capsized the boat, and the people were washed off. The same sea took all the people from the ship’s side, and they were struggling in the water. Some men again got hold of the boat. Its bow had been completely split open. They got it adrift from the tackle, and the boat floated away bottom upwards, with six men on the bottom. I saw them afterwards right the vessel, and drift away along the reef. The sea washed completely over the steamer, and she settled down into deep water. I and several others gained the fore rigging. The lee foreyardarm was then under water. While on the fore rigging I saw a number of people being carried away to leeward by the sea over the reef. We remained in the fore rigging about twenty-four hours. A number of people got into the main rigging. Another boat, which I have not before mentioned, had been capsized, but with her painter fast to the ship’s rail. The men from the maintop succeeded in righting her, and we all got into her, and were carried by the wind to Holborn Island. Before leaving the ship we undid the ship’s foretopgallant sail, and made a sail for the boat. We arrived at Holborn Island between two and four o’clock on Friday afternoon, and found four men on the island that had got adrift In the first boat, the boat they came in having been smashed on the rocks after the steamer struck. They sounded round the ship, but I did not hear wdiat the soundings were. Captain Pearce and the chief officer were on the bridge, doing their duty to the last, when they were washed overboard. I recollect Mr Justice Wearing, of South Australia. He was the first man I saw washed away. I saw him struggling in the water. While we were in the rigging 1 saw the fireman, Eobert Brazil, save the lives of three men by means of the signal halyards, he throwing it out and pulling them in. It was daylight when the sea washed the people oil the ship’s side. The ship made no water till she heeled over. I think there were three hand-pumps, which were all in good order. A little before the lifeboat was lowered I looked down the stokehole and saw water in it up to about the men’s knees. The ship had been rolling then. Her masts, rigging, aud sails were all in good condition, and she was well found with spare rigging, sails, and ropes* She was fitted with water-tight compartments, but they were of no use. The engines had not broken down, but were at work until she went broadside on to the reef. She shipped the first sea about four o’clock on Thursday morning. She had the schooner’s main boom on deck, aud the foremast and mainmast lashed on each side of the ship. The owners are Messrs M’Meckan, Blackwood, and Co, of Melbourne.