WRECK OF THE SHIP "SIR ROBERT PEEL."

New Zealander, Volume 2, Issue 90, 20 February 1847, Page 2

WRECK OF THE SHIP " SIR ROBERT PEEL."

[From the " Sydney Morning Herald," Jan. 21.] The intelligence received by the steamer Thistle, relative to a vessel being ashore on the const, supposed to be the Lord Auckland, was of course communicated to the Portmaster, who received instructions from the Governor to take any steps that might be necessary to bring the people to Sydney. In consequence of this authority, the 2'hisllc was chartered to proceed to the , wreck , the price agreed Upon being £\W. She left the wharf early yesterday niornirig, having on board Captain Moriarty, Mr. Boyd, Captain Browne of the Water Police, and two pilots (Messrs. Moffit and Bninbridge,) also four whalcboats with their crews. The fog was so thick iv the harbour that they were compelled to anchor, but they eventually cleaied the Heads about eight o'clock, and having a fair wind, reached the wre"ck about half past ten. The surf was running very high, and constantly breaking over the quarter of the ship, which prevented them from reading the name on the stern, although the steamer stood in close to the i oilers and it was the general opinion of those on board that it was the wreck of the Lord Auckland. Finding it un- ' safe to anchor there, Captain Mulholl then steered for a sinnll inlet called Terrngal Bay, about three miles to the northward, where they brought to, and having lowered the whnleboats, after having pulled a circuitous route, at length the different parties got inside the surf and landed iv safety. Having walked over the headland they arrived at the wreck, where they found all hands actively engaged id landiiig'tlib stores, &c, and that the name of the vessel wns the Sir Robert Peel, from Auckland the 9th instant: passengers— Captain Smyly of the 99th, Dr. Clifford of the Medical Staff, twenty men of the 58th, one corporal, one scrgcanty and six men of the 22nd, one women and child. This fine vessel has now been only four months from London, during which she has been at Ilobart Town, landed troops, proceeded to Auckland, and was returning to Sydney when the unfortunate accident occurred. The commander, Captain Champion, stated that they had very thick weather during three days, which prevented him from taking any observations, and thinking himself in the latitude of Sydney, and fifty miles from the land, he stood in under* double-reefed topjails, to* make the lighthouse. On Sunday last, at halt' past up. M ., brenkers were descried under the lee bow, also high land on each side within a very short distance, which prevented them from tacking. There was a heavy set from the eastward, and no land being visible a-head, Bail was clapped on to send her as high as possible on the beach which providentially proved a sandy one.— All hands remained on board till morning with the sea breaking over them, and ignorant of their position, but whetl day dawned they found that the ship was nearly on dry land, which enabled every one tin board to l each the »liorc without accident, When s>he struck, fearful

that she would careen over, orders were given to cut away the mainmast, and tlic fore and inizen topmasts being stiuck, kept her in an upwright position. She had on board seventy tons of Government stores, which arc being landed qmto safe, and the sails, gear, &c, will also be recovered, hut the hull is fast breaking np, as the surf breaks over her quarter at high water.— There were only three soldiers, a pensioner, and a woman brought up in the Thistle, the others remain to assist in landing and watching the cargo. The Thistle finding she could render no assistance returned to Sydney, where she arrived about eight o'clock last night. The stores are to be conveyed to Brisbane Water,, and a small steamer will be sent to bring them and the passengers and bailors up. We subjoin an extract from Captain Champion's letter to Mcssis. Gilchrist and Alexander, the agents of the vessel ; — " With feelings of deep regret I have to inform you the Sir Robert Peel is on shore, and likely to become a total wreck, at a place called Avoca Bay, as 1 am informed by a shepherd, distant from Sydney Heads about fifty miles north. We have had the weather exceedingly stormy and thick fogs, and when the ship struck by our reckoning we were fifty miles from land and in the latitude of Sydney, so that in two days we hyve had n currout setting to the north of sixty miles. "

The Rookery from Sydney to London, lias put into Lnunceston. Her cargo, copper ore from New Zealand, having heated, the whole is to be discharged. This vessel hi ought from Sydney about 1 50 tons New Zealand ore in bulk ; blic was destined for Portland Bay, to fill up with wool; but on the passage down the ore required trimming, and upon some ot the ercw descending into the hold, the l.cat was found to be so intolerable that it became evident something was going wrong. — Upon examination it Was discovered that the ore was heating rapidly, and fears were entui tamed that it would ignite. The Captain, therefore, put in lieic, and having consulted the agents, it was decided that the only safe course wasto discharge the cargo* This was commenced at ucorge Town, but the difficulty of obtaining labourers there, rendered the process so slow, that it was resolved to bring the vessel up to town, and she 19 is now unloading at Grifiiths's wharf. Dr. I'ngh examined the state of the ore ; at two feet below the surface the thcrnometer rose to 130*. and a little lower to 150. There is not the least question that in a lew weeks at most, 1 combustion would have taken place. ' Dr. Pugh lias commenced an analysis of the ore, and the Ercsencc of a very lai gc proportion of sulphur seems to c the principal cause ot its heating. The same, ore, we believe, was shipped some twelve months ago on board the Hooghly, at Sydney, but discharged for the same cause. The men employed can only work in the hold for a quarter of an hour at a time, and arc subject to profuse bleeding at the nose.— Launceston E.raminrr.