THE LOSS OF THE ST. MAGNUS.

Grey River Argus, Volume XVI, Issue 2080, 9 April 1875, Page 2

THE LOSS OF THE ST. MAGNUS.

[BRISBANE TELEGRAPH, MARCH 20.] The BoomeraDg (s ), from Eockhampton, arrived at midnight last night, and Captain Nightingall reports that at 2pm., on Friday afternoon, the 19th inst, in lat. 28deg. 34min. S., lon. 153deg. 22min. 8., he saw a vessel bottom up, which, on closer examination appeared to be a barque-rigged vessel or ___three=mas.ted-schponer^iihe mainjand.jni2aen^ chains being distinctly visible, but the after part of the bow being sunk down, the fore chains could not be seen. She appeared to be newly coppered and painted blue, with a yellow streak and blue covering board, rudder, unshipped and. away. Cape . Moreion, from the wreck, bore S.S.E. 29 nautical miles, and the wreck lies in the direct track v of northern' steamers for this port. The Lady Young, Captain Hill, from Rockhampton, also passed the wreck, and could plainly see the channel plates from the rigging, ana afterwards passed portions of bulwarks and a bag of flour on which the rod brand of Hart and Co was plainly discernable. From all that can be learned of the vessel it appears almost conclusive that the wreck is that of the barque St. Magnus, Captain Easterbmok, from Adelaide, with a cargo conprising 418£ tons flour, six tons bran, , and 30 bundles of cornsacksj consigned to Messrs J. Hare and Co of this city. .The St. Magnus arrived off the Cape on .the night of the 16th inst, and was boarded on the morning of the 17th inst, by Mr Pilot Howe,. who, owing to the heavy seas washing in to the land, took the vessel out to sea, and she has not been seen since. It seems from the position of the vessel that she must have "turned turtle" during one of the furious squalls which were so frequent on St Patrick's night: • Captain Nightingall saw no signs of, boats or. any. vestige of anything except some broken spars and a yard painted* yellow. Captain Schmidt, of the Minora, brig, which vessel arrived: at her agents' wharf this morning, and left Adelaide shortly after the St. Magnusi clearly identifies the description given, of that vessel, and seems to leave no doubt but that it must be her that is wrecked, The Laura,, pilot steamer, will leave the river this afternoon to proceed in search of the missing crew, but will probably not clear; Cape/Morton until + to-morrow morning at daylight. Why the steamer could; 'not; have been despatched ■within an hour of the receipt of the disaster seems utterly inexplicable, more especially as the delay has involved the loss of a day in clearing, Cape More ton. We have not been aWe up tb the present time to obtain a list of the officers and crew, or the amount of insnrance effected on the ship and cargo.