Hawke's Bay Times, PUBLISHED EVERY MONDAY AND THURSDAY. THURSDAY, 14TH MARCH, 1867. DREADFUL STORM-HEAVY FLOOD ON THE SPIT—WRECK OF A CUTTER IN THE ROADSTEAD.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume IX, Issue 461, 14 March 1867, Page 2

Hawke's Bay Times, PUBLISHED EVERY MONDAY AND THURSDAY.

THURSDAY, 14TH MARCH, 1867. DREADFUL STORM-HEAVY FLOOD ON THE SPIT—WRECK OF A CUTTER IN THE ROADSTEAD.

“ Ntdliut addictm jurate in verba ntagislri

A Leading Article, or anything aproaching thereto, from our pen on this occasion, is altogether out of the question; for two days past our office baa been surrounded by the sea which, rising higher and higher with each successive tide, has isolated us from the main land. The rollers from the bay making a clean breach over the spit, carrying away fences, timber, &c., and threaten to destroy some of the buildings in the neighborhood. We have, during a residence of some years in Napier experienced a few high tides, but never before anything approacning to those we now have. While we write the whole of the spit is a watery waste from the midst of which the Custom House. Post-office, Merchants, stores, &c. lift themselves up and appear as though built in the sea.

For several days past a great surf has been rolling into the bay, although the weather we had espeenced was anything but rough, but this was, as it seems, but the precursor of what we were to have, —for on the morning of Tuesday the storm itself reached us and has continued up to this time. Serious, however, as is the inconvenience caused by the flooding of the spit to those who dwell or whose place of business is situated there, we grieve to say that we have something far worse than this to report, being nothing less than the wreck of a small vessel nnd the loss of some lives.

The little vessel in question was a cutter, a stranger to the port, jbut supposed by some to be tho Glimpse or the Duncan Cameron. She arrived in the roadstead on Tuesday morning before our weather had reached its worst, but at a time when it was nnsafe to attempt the bar on account of the heavy surf, she was accordingly signalled to “ keep to sea, : ’ which we presume was more than she was able to do, she anchored in the roadstead and bravely weathered the storm all that day and the succeeding night being exposed to the violence of winds and waves, almost if not quite of an unprecedental character, the storm continuing to increase in violence. And many were the anxious eyes, our own amongst the number, cast in the direction of her locality as soon as daylight came on Wednesday morning, and many were the ejaculations of thankfulness made on its appearing that she was stiil afloat, alas all too soon, for with the rising day, advanced the storm until about 8 a.m., when she was seen from the shore to turn over. There were several witnesses of the sad catastrophe, not only from the spit but from the Barrack hill and it was soon made known to the pilot that at least two persons were clinging to the wreck, and great was the excitement in consequence. There is a life-boat belonging to the port and though the state of the sea /».«An4«AM a, H aa i n . *1 icuudcu li« a ui gavau to venture out in her ; willing hands were not wanting to undertake the risk, and it would have been done but for a signal from the Barrack-hill that the men had been washed away The above is all that we have been a ole to gather concerning this melaucbolly affair, bat we believe that it is .-.-.T-j-a.-*. ---1 ■»!._» U?!euifJiiau uiuiij if iiliC we write this a portion of the wreck is floating towards shore, not, however, in the neighborhood of the port

but higher up the bay perhaps some 10 or 12 miles distant. Of course no

hope can be entertained of either or any of the unfortunate men’s reaching the shore.

Rifle Fzbxng. — The competition for the Government prizes took place as advertised in previous issues of this paper s on Monday last, at the Napier Volunteer’s rifle range. Circumstances were unfavorable to good practice as there was a strong wind and some rain. There were 35 competitors, of which, however, only 11 scored 30 aud upwards, they were Capt. Kennedy, 37: Corparal M'Kain, 36 ; Corporal North, 36 ; Captain Buchanan, 34; Privates Cresswell; 34; Collinge, 32 ;A. Irvine, 32; W. Smith, 31 ; W. Parker, 31; Caul ton, 31 ; Garry 30 ; and the remainder under that number. We have not been able to obtain the list of the firing of the other Companies which took place next day at Waipukurau. A Night with the Poets.—We understand tbat, before leaving Napier, Mrs. Charles Poole will favour the Hawke’s Bay folk with one of her admired readings, as above, under the patronage of His Honor the Superintendent.

As we go to press we are happy to record the safe arrival of the Beautiful Star, from Dunedin. Theatee.— The farewell benefit of Mrs Chas. Poole came off as advertised, on Monday evening, and that to Mrs W. H. Newton last night. On both occasions there was, unfortunately, very unfavorable weather to contend against, which was not without its influence in thinning the attendance, notwithstanding which, the performances must be pronounced successful. To-morrow night the talented Pianist and Comedian, Mr G. L. Seymour, takes a benefit ; the bill of fare is a good one, and we expect a good house. The Atlantic and Pacific Routes.— The Times, of the 26th November, in an article on the great ocean lines of traffic, says:—Proposals | have been issued to accomplish the (first step towards establishing that transit route from the Atlantic to the Pacific which has been desired and j discussed in almost every civilised country for nearly twenty years past. The difficulty has hitherto consisted, in a great degree in the inefficiency, and insalubriety, of the harbor of Greytown for the Atlantic terminus, and the expenses that would be attendant on the canalisation of the River San Juan. Late surveys, however, by Captain Bedford Pim, have shown that at a better and more northerly part of the Mosquito coast, at a spot called Monkey Point, an excellent natural harbour exists, whence a cheap railway maybe constructed to Realejn. ou the Pacific side, one of the finest harbours in the world. This line would pass through the Chontiles mining district, which has lately attracted much attention, and would be constructed under a ninety-nine years’ concession granted to Captain Pim, together with 1 300,000 acres of laud. The proposed capital is £1,000,000,1 half of which is to be first issued in the belief that it will be sufficient for a light single line, capable of conveying passengers and goods at a moderate rate of speed, and Mr. Hawksley ia to be engineer-in -chief. The Panama line, which pays twenty-four per cent, per annum on a cost of £1,600,000, and at the same time puts aside extraordinary reserves for periodical distribution, makes little attempt to accommodate the traffic of goods, for which its rates are almost prohibitory, and there is full evidence that both for commercial and passenger purposes an extent of traffic remains to be developed which would which would not only overtax the capalilites both of the Panama and Nicaragua routes, but also of additional ones that might be opened up. At present the Panama route is in the hands of an American company by which it was coijs'ructed, but in a few years, when their concession, which was for twenty years, will expire, it will pass to the Government of New Granada, on a’payment by that Government of £1,000,000. As regards the transit by Califoraia, British Columbia, and Chins, and also as respects the healthfnlness and capabilities of the district through which it passes ■

the Nicaraguan route has always been admitted to be far superior to any other. Its neutrality has been secured by treaty with all the leading Governments, and with the Emperor Napoleon it has been an object of constant interest. To tbs English public |it would be satisfactory if the present scheme could be made in equal proportions a subject of participation with France and the United States,