SATURDAY’S GALE.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1666, 23 June 1879, Page 3

SATURDAY’S GALE.

WRECK OF THE BARQUE BELLS. In our Saturday’s issue we mentioned the critical position of the barque. It will be remember jd that at about noon she signs 10l “lam aground,” shortly after her stern struck upon the rocks, smashing her rudder. The vessel directly commenced to make water, and at four o’clock it had risen to four feet in her hoP* The crew at once get up their clothes and other effects, and generally made ready for abandoning her, and then went to work at tho pumps until close upon seven o’clock, the water however steadily gaining upon them. Without a minute’s warning, just about 7 p.m. the vessel swung her head outwards and towards deep water, the stern seemed to slip off and the Bells sank. The crew rushed afo and climbed into the mizen rigging, where they beheld all of their own effects washed overboard as the sea broke npon her decks. When she bottomed there remained nothing of her hull visible. A boat was immediately sent from tho Mary Blair to rescue the crew, all of whom were safely put ashore. The Bells was owned by Mr 0. W. Turner, and had arrived but a day or two ago from Newcastle with a cargo consisting of about 520 tons of coal, and sixty tons of iron bark, or 20,000 ft. She is a wooden vessel, and has had the name of being one of tho best colliers regularly trading to the port. Both vessel and cargo are insured, the former for £2OOO, and tho latter for £IOOO, in the New Zealand Insurance Company, which is said to bo re-insured in whole or part. Up to last night the position of the vessel remained unchanged. She is in about 16ft. of water, the sea at low water just washing her rails amidships. Her wreck is considered to be total, and it is probable she will be offered for sale within a day or two by her undei writers.