FOUNDERING OF THE STEAMER WESTPORT.

Kumara Times, Issue 1786, 22 June 1882, Page 2

FOUNDERING OF THE STEAMER WESTPORT.

* At last the fate of the new steamer Westport ia decided. A telegram from Wellington yesterday states that the s.B. Westport has foundered off Flaxbourne, some miles south of Cloudy Bay, on the north-east coast of this island. The Westport was nearly a new steamer, having only arrived at Westport, direct from Cardiff, on the 7th of last November, after a sixty-two days' passage. She was the 6rst steamer ever dispatched direct from Home for any West Coast port—with anything but a satisfactory career for her owner, Captain Williams, who brought her out, and by whom she was intended for the Weßtport coal trade. Her Bret tioublo was getting aground at Westport in February last. She was pumped out and got afloat towards the end of that month. Yesterday week during a fog she ran anhore in Horse-shoe Bay, five miles from the south hend of Akavoa. Her leaks, we learn, were stopped with canvas, but they seem to have been ineffectually bo, as she foundered as. stated on her way from Lyttelton to Wellington yesterday morning. Fortunately, all hands landed in the boats and proceeded to Blenheim. The Black Diamond Liner Wostport (which name she was said to bo sailing under) was insured for .£BOO, di-T----tributed as follows :—Colonial, £3OllO,

£2OOO of which was reinsured in the Australian and English offices j £2500 in the Victoria, of which £750 was reinsured in the Batavia; £6OO in the Union, and £l5O in the United j £2500 in the South British, £2OOO of which had been reinsured in various English and Australian offices. The estimated loss over insurance is between £4OOO and £SOOO.