WRECK OF THE HYDERABAD.

Manawatu Herald, Volume L, Issue 3971, 16 July 1929, Page 2

WRECK OF THE HYDERABAD.

INTERESTING FACTS RECALLED.

Reference to the proposed transfer of the figurehead of the Hyderabad to a Naval Museum at Auckland in these columns last Aveek, recalls to mind one of the most re- • markable wrecks along this.coast. The Hyderabad was wrecked on the Hokio Beach, some six miles south of the Man&watu River on the night of June 24th, 1878 but the hull, after .51 years of exposure to the elements, is still a well-known land mark along the coast. Tradition has it that the Hyderabad was built for the Indian Rajah of the State of Hyderabad. She was a three-masted steel A’essel of 1100 tons and was en route from Lyttelton to South Australia when wrecked. Her cajrgo consisted of broad guage railway material belonging to what Avas| then knoAvn as the Provincial Government of Canlerbutry which material was lying on their hands useless after the Canterbury lines had been taken up and altered to the uniform guage of the iColony. All this material was shipped at Lyttelton for South Australia and insured in the usual way, but on the night of June 24th, 1878, the Hyderabad then en route for South Australia with its cargo, was .blown ashore on .the Hokio Beach in a hoAvling south westerly. The people living around Hokio heard the rockets sent up by the distressed vessel at 3 o’cloefkl in the morning and at daylight discovered the boat ashore. Captain Holmwood,- Avho was in charge of the vessel, obtained a horse from the late Air. J. R. McDonald, of Heatherlea, and rode to Otaki where he dispatched messages to the vessel’s agents. The Hyderabad was stuck hoAV on to the sandy beach and was swept from end to end by heavy seas. Every stitch of canvas had been blown from the yards. The vessel was manned by a emv of 40 and carried one passenger, all of Avhom had taken to the boats overnight and landed safely on the beach where they found temporary refuge in some Maori fishing whares nearby. Later in the day the weather moderated and the first and second mates and a number of the crew returned to the boat but no effort was made to salvage the vessel for several months during Avhich time the crew remained on . the beach. When the vessel struck the beach the insurance companies decided to salvage the railway material and re-ship it to South Australia. This would have been a simple matter but by removing it the owners of the vessel objected to such procedure ou the grounds that if the cargo Avas removed from the boat it would become lighter and be driven further inshore and insisted that the refloating and sal- \ vage work should go on in conjunction. As part of the process of recovering the vessel was that of hedging her a certain distance out it Avas necessary that she should be sunik in order to prevent her from being blown back on to the ■beach by an adverse Avind, In this manner the vessel was sunk several times and on each occasion it w r as filled Avith water and a considerable amount of damage done to the cargo. Finally all hope of recovering the vessel was abandoned and by September 9 th, 1879, most of the cargo bad been removed either by the “Samson” to -the ship “Matilda” or hauled over the sandhills to Foxton where it Avas re-shipped. The South Australia Government, however, refused delivery of the cargo and later to oik action against the insurance companies to recover the amount of the insurance, £25,000. On October 7th, 1879, the hull of the (Hyderabad was sold by auction at Wellington to tAvo speculators who in turn endeavoured to quit the vessel a few days later when not a single ibid Avas received for the vessel. The Hyderabad was, hoAvever, disposed of privately to Mr. Bell, of Dunedin. Strenuous efforts were then made to refloat the boat and a great deal of money Acas spent on the project. In 1880 the vessel had again changed hands but efforts Avere still being made to refloat her. By December 31st the Hyderabad had been turned half round Avith its head in a northwesterly direction and hopes rose big-h during the next week or so that the vessel Avould he got off the Beach. Indeed a wooden rudder bad beeu rigged and arrangements made to toAv the Hyderabad to Wellington when she came off. Air. Kelty (now owner of the vessel) Avas supervising operations, hut while waiting for the -next springs to refloat the boat his hopes Avere dashed by the Hyderabad catching fire on the night of February 21st. Five men Avere living on the vessel at the time and they were awakened by the smoke and noise of the fire during the night. The cause of the outbreak: Avas put down to sparks from the donkey engine used or. the deck for hauling on the sea anchor, igniting a large stack of fircAvood on the decks. Despite the fact that the vessel AA T as of steel construction it Avas.completely gutted. Mr. Kelty finally sold the Hyderabad to Mr. Joseph Birchley on August sth, 1881 for £5. The Hyderabad was so strongly constructed that it Avas found to Ire impracticable to break the vessel up and she was left to be. eaten away on the beach by the rust. Its decay has been slow but sure and " although none of ithe three masts is now standing the hull of the Hyderabad still constitutes an attractive landmark on the southern coast line and a reminder of one of the most oremadhable wrecks along this coast. 1