THE WRECK OF THE HYDRABAD.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1363, 27 June 1878, Page 3

THE WRECK OF THE HYDRABAD.

| By Telecu4Ai*h.] Otaki, .Tunc 2G. Oa Sunday night the Hydrabad was becalmed off tbs Brothers, but soon a breeze sprang up, and the vessel was making very good progress till about twq o’clock oil Monday ftfternoQn, when a violent gale came on, and kept up with great fury until eleven tint night, when the ship struck bow on. The sails were blown clean opt of the bolt ropes, and disappeared i i shred u The anchors were let go one after the other, hut quite in vain, both of thorn were taken away with nearly a hundred fathoms of chain. The gale wtis territie on Monday, the like not having been felt for years here, Every one expected buildings would be blown away. At r'oxton several cliimnies were blown down and further damage done. The captain of the Hydrabad was t ere this morning, but lias gone back to the v.reck No particulars are t > be obtained here beyond those already known. The vessel wps insured in the ISfew 2eal ;i,d ofih'o for £2000; National oiifiUO; South British; £! 000. The other insurances are not yet aseert dlled: The wreck is about thirteen miles north of here. The captain’s wife remains here for the present. The captain has strong hopes of getting the Hydrabad off, if only any sort of wind comes off shore. The ship is uninjured yet. When she came ashore tho crew remained aboard all night. They subsequently got ashore without difficulty. The captain thinks if she was lightened a. little she might easily be towed off. A steamer and a good gmg of men, while the woallicy rentains

fine, might manage to save the ship. The weather is fairly fine now. Later.

The Hydrabad lies about thirteen miles from Otaki, fourteen from Foxton, and about two miles from Horowhenua Creek. She lies stern on to the beach, standing almost upright, with boats and everything on deck in the usual order, nothing apparently being disturbed on the deck, the fore and mizcn masts standing uninjured, with the the tatters of the sails that were blown away still flapping about the yards ; the main top-gallant mast hangs beside the topmast, having broken off with the concussion when the ship struck. Apparently the ship is as safe as if ridii gat anchor. Captain Holm wood gives the following account of the week : —He_ was coming into Cook’s Straits at the same time as the Craigmullon, and was endeavouring to enter Wellington Heads. He was off the Brothers on Sunday night, a moderate westerly wind blowing, and he stood off and on a N.N.W. course. As the glass was rising, _no change seemed immediate. About 12 that night however, it freshened up considerably, and by four in the morning it was blowing a furious gale. At that time the ship had an offing of about thirty-five miles. The gale increased gradually in strength, and blew away the lower main topsail and mizon staysail. This left the ship under bare poles. She then began to drift, and in the space of t n hours drifted about thirty five mil -s. Finding he could do nothing with the vessel by means of sai s, he got_ both anchors ready, with about 100 fathoms chain for each anchor. Failing in another attempt to work off, he let go both anchors as soon as the ship was in eighteen fathoms of water and paid out all the chain, but neither anchor held for a moment, and both were lost with very nearly all the chain. ■ n both the chains p irting he kept the ship away before the wind, and headed her direct for the shore, so as to prevent her coming broadside on. She now lies stern on not above fifty yards from the edge of the beach. '1 ho captain says he thinks her cargo is not worth more than about <£2s 000 At three this afternoon a strong westerly was blowing, with a pretty heavy' surf rolling in, the whole beach being white with the foam of the breakers, but apparently not injuring or distressing the vessel in any way. The captain says while the wind remains as it is now nothing whatever can be done, but as soon as the wind comes off the land he will put an anchor out astern to prevent her being driven further in. In the meantime the captain thinks the vessel cannot take any harm unless some extraordinarily severe weather sets in, as the vessel is iron and strongly built, while she rests on a bed of fine soft sand. The hull of the vessel is insure! in Lloyd’s for <£15,000, and the freight for .£2500. The insurances already given in the New Zealand, National, and South British were effected at Adelaide by the agents of those offices. The Stella came up to-day, but was unable to get close enough to be of any assistance, and had to go back without communicating in any way. The surveyors for the underwriters are expected at the wreck to-morrow. A strong westerly wind, about half a gale, is now blowing, and the night looks dark and threatening. The crew still remain aboard the ship. The captain remained beside wreck all day, but in the evening went back to Otaki.