THE AVALANCHE AND THE FOREST.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 276, 21 November 1877, Page 4

THE AVALANCHE AND THE FOREST.

ATTEMPT XO BLOW UP THE HULL OF

THE FOBEST.

The Times correspondent writing from Weyraouth thus describes* the attempt to blow up the hull of |he t Forest:— l have juat returned in the' Premier steamer, .w.hich has taken several persons to the hull of the illfa.ted Forest. A great deal has been said a^oat ,the obstacle which she presents to the navigation of the Channel, but had I not eeen the hull myself I could never have believed so much remained out of water. When five or six miles away, it somewhat resembled in appearance the sail of a ship, but on drawing nearer, it puts me more in mind of the sloping roof of a house than anything I can compare it to. Not until the steamer arrived at the hall could any definite shape be .made but of the curious looking object. It was lying in about the same position as I have reported before — about four mjles south and a-half east of the Shambles Light-ship. The whole of the stern is out of the water, rising to a height of between 40 and 50 feet, while a large portion of her bright metallic keel lies espoaed to view. On this the sea was breaking, but without in the slightest degree affecting the stability of the hull. The Forest lies on fcer counter, bottom upwards, but < not a spar of any description is to be [ seen. The Captain of the Commodore r had a sounding taken of the depth of water in which the hull lies, and found \ her to be 27 fathoms, so that according to her length she mast be touching the ground. She has not shifted a great: ideal since last Sunday. Ii is thought' her bow is embedded in the eand on account of her ballast having all gone forward. Whatever the cause, there must be a tremendous weight forward to keep her in the position in which she now remains. I cannot imagine a more dangerous obstruction to navigation than , this great towering hu.ll: rising like a great rock out of the se», and if it is not speedily removed there I s n .9 doubt serious consequences willj to shipping. A revenue cutterj was cruising round her this morning,! and on the counter of the wreck was : one of the cutter's men, who seemed to . be.trying to establish a communication between the two. This was at last obtained, but no sooner had the rope become taut and a straio pat upon it than it parted. I am informed seven steamers passed nearly close to the wreck on Saturday night, and that a barque was not far from coming into eoHiaion with the hull. To show how directly it lies in the highway of ships coming up and down the Channel, I may also mention that even during the short time the Premier was going out several full-rigged ships passed the hull. lam informed that Lloyd'a agene has telegraphed to the proper authorities that the wreck is in a position very dangerous to life, and ought to be removed at once, and that if a collision occurred after the notice he had given, the Board of Trade would be very seriously to blame.

Tuesday. Early this morning Her Majesty's ship Defence, lying in Portland Roads, got up steam and at 8 o'clock left for wreck of the Forest, accompanied by the ateam launches of the Warrior ami the Thunderer, and the steam pinnace of tbs Black Prince. The wreck was still lying about five miles from the Shambles, and there was no noticeable alteration in her position or appearance; The Defence took ',up a position about a quarter of a mile from the wreck * and at 11 o'clock fired a shell that passed through her quarter just under the poop and out at the other side, when it exploded in the air enveloping the wreck in smoke. When this had cleared away the hull was seen unmoved, but she had two small holes in her quarters, some 6ft from the water; A rum puncheon charged with some 30Olbs of gunpowder or cotton was theu lowered down to the wreck from the ateam launch of the Warrior. This operation was protracted and very tedious to the epectatore, and during all this time men were engaged chopping through her quarter above the shell hole. About half past 1 Admiral Dowel! arrived in hi* steam barge irocn t,he ; Black Prince. At l'4O the men were takbb irom the wreck, and live minutes afterward the contents of the puncheon were exploded from iha steru of the Warrior's iaunoh. A maguificeut cascade of water ascending some 50ft;, and a few bita of timber set afloat were ; however, the only result, the miae ap-

peariog (o have baen out of position-— that is, over and not ander the wreck The Admiral steamed back to Portland. The two launches attached three red kegs, apparently containing about 1001b gunpowder, to the keel of the Forest, having connected them with a battery on board the Black Prince's pinnace. Agaia there was a most tedious delay, and it was 5 o'clock before the charge was -fired. Thaoaly result again was the rising a few feet into the air of a mass water. : Half an hot|r afterwards steam was made! for Portland Roads/and the sinking of tha hall is as far, as ever from being accomplished. , The Forest lies, as yesterday, in a very dangerous posiHon,' .. ,\ ._, r:yj r -,;,-,- -. ,\ Later. ; I iha^e^beeii favoa^edl ; wUh a "jf pr lfier account of the attempt^ made to blow up the hull. In the first attempt 3001b of gunpowder was used, $ad 6he barrel containiug this charge only rested oo the side of the.veasel instead of being placed traderneath it, which was fount! impossible. It was hoped that : f-h is explosion would break hdr back, but iih'la hope was not realised. The second trial ,cons.fsted : of; thr B,e 1001b . . common outrigger mines, and" thesi .^lw^i^tead of going:uadoroeath,! rested on^thg.. top of the hull. It is far 'more difficult to blow up a wreck in tha position' ihia one is in than to sink, an irenclad. Wood keeps a f&ip afloat, '■ and as . all her ballest is in her bows it would be of no use destroying the upper decka only, as she would remain like a sunken rock aqd wou!(i always be dangerous. To-morrow, I .hear, i (hree Daioes of 3001b each will be placed finder the the ship, when success is considered as certain. Divers could not, be used, .'as the tide runs too strongly at this place.