HURRICANE AT NEW CALEDONIA.

Globe, Volume V, Issue 554, 28 March 1876, Page 3

HURRICANE AT NEW CALEDONIA.

An English resident of New Caledonia has furnished the Sydney Echo with the following account of the hurricane at New Caledonia:—“At 8 o’clock on February 23rd the harbor-master announced to the different ships in harbor that the barometer was falling fast, and that it had every indication of a hurricane. All the small coasters (less four) were towed in the bay of the Moselle for safety; also the Government pilot cutters and punts. About 2 o’clock it began to blow a regular gale, but, so far, nothing to fear, from the north-west; but from 4 o’clock to 10 o’clock at night we had the f' 11 force of the hurricane, jumping suddenly from N,W. to S.W. This was the cause of all the disasters. The steamer James Paterson, with both anchors down and a large quantity of chain out, began to drag; butluckily she had steam up, which at first was quite asekss, she not being able to move an inch, and coming on shore all the time. The Yiti, a small coaster of about 120 tons, was anchored just under her stern, and the blades of her screw would have got caught in the Yiti’s chain. For about an hour we all ex pected the steamer to come on shore, but at the last moment the master of the cutter cut away his chains, and the James Paterson took him in tow. We thought all was safe then; the steamer was not 20 yards from the shore, which is covered with large boulders. Not at all. Another cutter, the Dugong, came drifting under her stem, but luckily she kept dragging in, and in the course of half an hour she was quite clear and steaming ahead. We all from the shore could not help but admire the sangfroid of Captain Nightingale in this critical circumstance, and he went and anchored further out, and the following morning was anchored under Isle Nou, safe out of all danger. The steamers Havilah, Bossuet, and Depeche, all got together, and rode it out admirably. Had it lasted twelve hours more, I am afraid that they would have been oa shore. The Bufloa, a French barque, was anchored a long way out; also the Leonide and Mickey Free; but the Buffon began to drag her chains, and drifted right on the two last coasters (of about 40 tons each), broke the mast and the jibboom of the Leonide, nearly cutting her in two, and taking the jib and boom out of the Mickey Free, and doing equally as much damage. The captains of the two coasters affirm that it was they who saved the Buffon. The Cilaos dragged very little. The Southern Cross, a New Zealand steamer, came so close in shore that she could no longer use the screw, being afraid of getting the fans broken by the piles on which she was drifting rapidly. This was at 10 o’clock at night; after this the wind began to fall gradually. The French barque Pactole got the worst ; if the wind had stood at N.W. she was right, but when it blew from the S.W. she came right on shore, knocking down all the piles of the new wharf, and came right across the wharf, where the mail steamer lies. The Anette, a cutter of 30 tons, came inside of her, between the wharf and the Pactole; shp is now a complete wreck, smashed to pieces. The owner of the Anette also lost two punts. (He never believed in a hurricane.) The Pactole is fearfully kaocked a’ooiit ; she was leaking

so fait that they had to take all the coals out of her where she lay ; the amount of damage is not yet known. There was also a Levuka schooner ; the captain scuttled her ; she is all right and afloat, not having any damages. “In the Bay de la Moselle next morning was a fearful sight—punts, cutters, all mixed together ; some in pieces, others without masts —all on shore. They belong principally to fhe Government. The Reine Hortense is a complete wreck on the reefs ; the Agenoria, a 20-ton schooner, is dismasted, and on shore in the Bay St Vincent; the Nil Uesperandura, brig, from Melbourne, is on shore in Kennella Bay (not known as yet if a total wreck); also three other coasting vessels. This is for the marine department. Now for the land.

“ Noumea, on the whole, has not suffered much. The Valle des Colens, the suburbs of Noumea, suffered more. Weatherboard cottages taken completely off the piles ; some had to be propped to keep them from capsizing. The telegraph wires were all broken, and communications with the interior are not yet established. The Presquille Ducos Penitentiary (Deportation) has suffered the most. Nearly all the Government establishments were blown down. The officer in command told me himself that they were all sleeping a la belle Etoile —damages estimated at £6OOO for the Presquilla Ducos. Not alone the hurricane, but we have also the sauterells (grasshoppers), who have devastated both Paita and the Valle of the Demlia. All the sugar plantations at the latter place are completely ravaged; eighteen months’ labor completely lost. At Boulipari they have not suffered so much. “ The Argos, lately from Adelaide, which went to the Dihaot to take in a cargo of copper ore, went on the reefs, but was towed off; she was anchored in Pam Bay. A survey was held, and she was condemned, and sold in Noumea for £lOl2 (sterling) to Messrs M ! Leod and Baker ; rather a large find for a condemned brig Jof 460 tons. We are all, in Noumea, anxiously expecting the arrival of the Lord Ashley.”