Mishap to the s.s. Duke of Buckingham.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, 12 November 1891, Page 3

Mishap to the s.s. Duke of Buckingham.

_ The New Zealand Shipping Co.'s ./sharfcered steamer Duke of Buckingham, #020 tons, Captain Groombridge"', which left Wellington for Jtfttelton on Saturday afternoon about 5.80, went ashore near Kaikonra at 2 a.m. Sunday morning.. She floated off about 6.80. and proceeded on to Lyttelton, tended by thfr s.s. Jane Douglas. She Yf^LM Lyttelton safely at 4.80 p.m. The Press Association reports : — Captain Groombridge states that when he left Wellington on Saturday evening at 5 o'clock the weather was dirty with a southerly wind. About 10.80 he passed Cape Campbell about five and a half miles off, the steamer being then on a course that they reckoned should take them about five miles off the coast. About 2 a.m., she struck on a rock on Flint's Reef, at the point of Eaikoura Peninsula, and, in spite oi the

engines being reversed, she remained fast. The steamer, which was making water very fast, remained on the rocks till half past 6, when, the tide being flood and the engines going full spead astern, she came off. In the meantime Captain Groombridge had all the boats swung out and made ready for sea, the quantity of water coming in making it a question as to whether she would float or not. The watertight compartments, however, kept the water confined to the first and second, and the pumps going under easy steam she came on toLyttelton, arriving Sunday. The damage appears to be confined to the fore part of the vessel, below the first and second hatches. There she has a quantity of general cargo which is part of the original loading. The cargo will be discharged as soon as she is clear. Mie then will be docked when the amount of damage she has sustained will be ascertained. A quantity of wool shipped at Wellington has been damaged. She had 700 bales of flax from Wellington, and 1000 tons of gum from Auckland, which was only slightly damaged. The Home cargo suffered mostly.