WRECK OF THE BARQUE CITY OF NEWCASTLE.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 195, 22 November 1872, Page 3

WRECK OF THE BARQUE CITY OF NEWCASTLE.

Wellington, Nov-16th. The barque City of Newcastle, which sailed from Wellington for Newcastle 1 on the ninth inst., has been wrecked at Wellington Head, near Picton. The captain and twenty of the crew were picked up by the* s.s. Taranaki, but a boat is still missing. The passengers by the City of Newcastle were:—Mr and Mrs J. G-. Eox, Mr Abbot, of the Armed Constabulary, Mrs J: H. Pilcher, Mrs and Master Jones, and Miss Cameron. A telegram from the purser of the Tarauaki says the City of Newcastle went ashore eastward of Wellington Head, Allapawa Island, Tory Channel. The Taranaki coasted along Tory Channel, but saw nothing of the boats or wreck. A telegram from the captain of the City of Newcastle says:— ■ " The vessel was wrecked at four

o'clock on the morning of the 14th. * The women all left in a boat with a good crew on board. I followed as soon as possible, but could not see them. They may have made Tory Channel. There were six men on

board, and they had a good chance

of getting ashore. Self, aad Mi* Fox, with five of the crew, were picked up by a Canterbury sehooner, Now on board the Taranaki, going to search Tory Channel. Mr'Allen, Collector of Customs at Pieton, telegraphs that none of .the crew or passengers have arrived there. Captain Wheeler, of the Taranaki, eavs the City has gone to pieces. Not a plank was left. 'i he following particulars have been telegraphed from Nelson : The Taranaki met the schooner Canterbury in Charlotte's Sound on Friday. She had got on board the Master and Mr James Fox from the wreck of the city of .Newcastle. The City was wrecked early on Thursday morning near Tory Channel, not far from the Three Brothers. She went ashore bows o*i to the high precipitous cliffs. The first boat was swamped in lowering. The Captain's gig. containing three seamen, four women, and three children, got afloat safely, but was soon lost sight of. It is not known where she has gone. The third boat, with the master, Mr Fox, Mr Abbot of the

Armed Constabulary, four sailors and the ship's steward, got away very .tieaky. The wind rose, high from S. E. The boat was half full of water, and had to be perpetually baled. She ran through a dangerously rocky pass, with a blanket for a; sail. After a few hours, those in the boat were picked up by the schooner Canterbury, the men being dragged on board and the boat sinking immediately afterwards. Those left on the wreck were—Mr

Abbot of (Nelson), the second and third mate, the carpenter, cook, and one seamen. The master reports that by cutting away the foremast, and letting it fall against the cliff, the men could get ashore. In the gig, with three seamen, were Mrs b ox, Mrs Pilcher (Wellington) Mr Jones, Mrs Cameron of Sy-lney. One of the seamen, an. old sailor, who knew the locality, hoped to land before the gale rose, which it did about an hour after leaviug the ship. . They Tory Channel. There were no provisions or water on board the gig. TheTaranaki changed her course, and took the master and Eox to a whaling station in the Sound. The steamer went near the spot. She did not see the wreck, but passed a ship's rudder, and portion of the City. The City of Newcastle met bad weather on Sunday. She anchored in Cloudy Bay till eight o'clock on Wednesday night. When she sailed, the weather was fine and the wind favorable. The people on board went to bed at 11 o'clock. A sudden mist came on at 4 o'clock in the moraine, and she went ashore, without any shock: being felt, very gently. FUHTILEB PABTICULABS. November 17th. The Shipping Company despatched the "Eangatira to the scene of the wreck. Mr. Harkworth Johnson, of the Marine Department, was sent by

the G-ovornment. The Rangaiira arrived at Picton about midnight, having been boarded by Captain Bain in Tory Channel. No trace of the missing boat 'was discovered. Smith, Broher, and Palmer were supposed to be landed near the norch entrance. Six. men were left on the wreck. The mate swam ashore with aline. Abbott, a passenger, and Burrows, the ship's cook, were drowned in trying to reach the land. The others landed salely. The wreck is supposed to have been caused by the captain mistaking the Wellington Head light for the Mana Island light. A whaleboat was sent from Picton, with provisions, in search of the missing boat. The Kangatira sighted the whaleboat this,morning, but the latter had discovered fib signs of the missinw party. The Napier, from Wanganui, arrived at 2 o'clock. A look out was kept, but nothing was seen of the missing boatC The Eangatira returned to Pictonat 4 o'clock, and brought back all the survivors. The coast is to carefully examined with' boats. The City of Newcastle was owned by the Mayor, Mr. Dransfield, and was insured in the New Zealand Company's OffiVe for £1250.