COLLISION BETWEEN THE P.S. NEVADA AND THE A. H. BATGER.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 41, 4 November 1871, Page 15

COLLISION BETWEEN THE P.S. NEVADA AND THE A. H. BATGER.

The s.s. City of Adelaide arrived in harbor on the 27th October, and from papers received we learn that the mail steamer Nevada, on her passage to Sydney, collided wiih a barque on the night of the 15th. The barque, according to Captain Bletlien’s statement, was carrying no lights at the time of the accident, and thinking the damage to either vessel was but trifling, Captain Blethen proceeded on his course. There can be little doubt that the barque was the Batger, and unless the crew had sufficient time to lower the boats, there is every probability of the vessel having foundered with all hands. The Batger was deeply laden when leaving Newcastle, having on board 410 tons coal, 28 tons coke, and 505 bags of maize for J. S. Macfarlane. On the arrival of the Nevada in Sydney on the 19th October the following account of the collision was supplied to the “ Sydney Morning Herald ”

October 15th, 11.45 p.m. ; latitude, 34.04 south; longitude, 166.04 east, night dark and hazy, discovered a barque close ahead, crossing our bow, showing no light, and passing her before we could stop, her spanker boom just scraping along our port side. Feeling certain there was no damage on either side, continued on our course. At daylight discovered that our stem was a little injured, showing that we must have struck the barque, probably on her quarter.

The “ Herald” of the 21st gives the following additional particulars : —“ The Nevada, American steamship, was taken into Waterview Bay Dry Dock yesterday, for the purpose of being stripped, caulked, and re-coppered. Captain Donald, the Government Marine Surveyor, has examined the hull, and found that the stern has been seriously injured. The main stem piece has been wrenched to starboard from the 8 feet mark to 25 feet towards the stem-head, and the wood ends have openedl-j inch. These damages have probably resulted from the collision with a vessel as reported. In addition, we may state that five of the floats have been broken off short outside the outer rim of the port wheel. A portion of a spar, apparently a yardarm or end of a spanker-boom was picked up on the spar deck of the Nevada shortly after the collision, it had been broken off short by the sheavhole and then split in half, the mark of the dogs being quite fresh.”

Export of Fungus. —Thirty-four bales of fungus were shipped in the Taranaki on her last visit to Taranaki. This represents fully five tons, as most of the bales average about three hundredweight each. The Waitara Bridge.— Active preparations are being made by the contJactors for the commencement of the Waitara Bridge. The “ Taranaki Herald” suggests that the driving of the first pile should be made the occasion for a public holiday.