BROUGHT TO LIGHT AGAIN

Hokitika Guardian, 24 February 1931, Page 2

BROUGHT TO LIGHT AGAIN

OLDTIME WRECK. ... A TRACIC ACCIDENT RECALLED. NAPIER, February 20. Besides bringing the bones of the old Northumberland, which was wrecked on the Petane beach on May 10, 1887, into view, the raising of the floor of the ocean has revealed two office safes which disappeared mysteriously during a serious of baffling burglaries several months ago. A weird collection of things including yachts, launches and smaller boats, numbering nearly 100, has been left high and dry and it will be a -difficult task to get many of the craft to the water again, as a majority of them are now separated from the nearest stretch of senwater by over naif a mile of dry land. From there acres of mud-banks arises a most objectionable odour, caused by myriads of decayed shellfish,

STORY OF THE WRECK. The wreck of the Northumberland, an iron steamer of 2000 tons, caused one of the greatest disasters in the history of the port of Napier. Caught in a severe storm on May 10, 1887, the vessel drifted towards Petane Beach, fiying signals of distress, A lifeboat put out Mid battled it-s way through terrific waves to the beach. Meantime a small coastal vessel, the Sir Donald, went to the assistance of the Northumberland. A boat was lowered, and four, passengeis, three men and a woman, were taken oft and carried to safety.

During the night the weather moderated, and it was thought that the. Northumberland, which was lying half a,mile from the shore, would hold with her one remaining anchor. At eleven o’clock the following morning, however, she sent out requests tor assistance and another anchor and hawser as a second anchor put out over night had parted. Thq- weather thickened, with heavy squalls and rain, and five small local steamers, the Sir Donald, Boojum, Weka, Fairy and Wairoa went out with a view to towing the Northumberland to safety. Before she was reached the remaining anchor parted, and the Northumberland was rapidly driven broadside on towards the beach. SMALL STEAMER CAPSIZED. It was then that a disaster occurred. When the Boojum was about a hundred yards to the leeward of the distressed ship, she was caught by an immense wave, whioh rolled her over. A. boat was lowered from, one of the qtfier rescue ships, and picked up the engineer, who was the only in nn of five on board the Boojum. ffie Northumberland meantime waa , connected wit]) t]ie shore by. a rope, and the orew landed in a cradle- Captain Todd was 'the last tn leave, The Northumberland began to break up almost immediate’, v, and the bench was strewn with c-arge, a good deal ot which had been taken on board at Lyt* tojton and was destined for London. Those who were drowned in the wreck, of the Boojum were Mr A, Waddell, manager of Thompson and Co.’s aerated water factory, who had volunteered to go out on the vessel, Captain Setter and two seamen named Ivelvington and Bain.

The Northumberland belonged to the Shaw, Savill and Albion line, and was built at London in 1871, She was due to discharge cargo at Napier and take abound frozen meat for the Home markets.