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MORE ABOUT THE GOTHENBURG.

(From the Dunedin Exmtmj Star.) The Gothenburg was built on the Thames, London, was 500 tons register, and was considered a fast sailer. She was for many years engaged running between Melbourne and New Zealand, but recently she has been placed upon the line between Adelaide and Fort Darwin, calling at Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane. She left Adelaide on the 19th of January, for Port Darwin, having on board the following;-B. G. A. Pearce, captain; B. T. Davies, first mate; B. Stephens, second mate ; J)avid Koss, carneuter ; Win. Byrne, lamp-trimmer (saved) ; W Griffiths (saved), F. W. Falk (saved), Jas. Mark (saved), Thomas Butler, Richard Beale (saved), A. Pevenson, John Reynolds (saved), David 'Will, Salve Filermanson (saved), C. Jackson, able seamen. Engineer department : D. Short, chief engineer ; Chas. Green, second engineer; John Anderson, third engineer; AHdamen Hunke, fireman; John Flegg, fireman ; Jas. Tyrrell, Wm. Clarke, trimmers ; Gustave Kosena, trimmer ; John Delaney. Stewards ; Geo. Cheese, chief steward ; Chas. Brown, second steward ; Henry Nelson, forecabin steward (saved); P. Bond, second cabin steward; W. 0. Nook, assistant; Jas. Smith, pantryman ; M. A. Robertson, stewaidess; Joseph Hodnett, chief cook; W. Randle, second cook; Charles Dermott, butcher. A man named Hudson joined at Newcastle (saved) At the time of the wreck of the Gothenburg, in addition to the above crew of thirty-five men, is said to have had on board eighty-five passengers, principally in the steerage, being miners returning from the goldfields; that is, 120 persons. She also carried SOOOozs. of gold. She was insured, but not to her full value. She left Palmerston on the 16 th of February on her return voyage, and consequently, when wrecked, was out only nine days. Captain Pearce, who commanded the Gothenburg, was an experienced and tin:-ted officer, and appears to have run down south, inside the Barrier Reef, until on the night ot the 25th, some accounts say the 24th, she reached latitude 19, longitude 140, when she was overtaken by a cyclone, accompanied by lightning and blinding rain, which had the effect of rendering her unmanageable, and she soon drifted on to Flinders . fsland, which is found on the map to lie near the entrance of Princess Charlotte Bay, forming one of a group of dangerous islands, surrounded by reefs aud shoals, so that navigation under the most favorable circumstances is attended with risk and peril. She had four boats, and in one of these ’ four men escaped. When the Leichardt proceeded to the scene of the wreck, the Gothenburg was found lying where she had struck. All the heats were gone, and there was not a soul found on board. Nothing could be seen from the masthead of the Leichardt of the missing boats. Among the passengers on board were his Honor Judge -Wearing, who has been sent to Port Darwin to hold an assize there. It so happened that there was only one man for trial, and he was a Chinese, who was convicted of the offence for which he was tried, and sentenced to ten years’ imprisonment. The prisoner, however, escaped next day, and has not since been heard of. There were also on board the Hon, Hios. Reynolds and Mrs. Reynolds, It appears that when the Gothenburg struck she did so with such force that there was only two feet of water forward, and five fathoms astern. The captain had a number of empty casks brought aft and filled, and he then tried to back off the reef, but failed ; at high tide he tried and failed again. The gale at this time was increasing, and the sea was making the ship thump heavily. She commenced leaking about midnight. The water put out the fires, and the boats were got ready for lowering—biscuits and water being placed in each. At 3 im. the weather had become worse, and the two port boats were lowered, but failing to keep off the steamer’s side, the mate boats to round-to on the starboard side. The gale was so heavy that the rescued men say that they failed to regain the ship. They heard the captain call to them, but as two oars only were left they were helpless, and drifted ashore. The next afternoon they tried for hours to effect a landing, but failed until 9 p.m., when they got under the lee of the land and sighted the Leichardt next morning, and were rescued. On returning to the wreck, they found that the steamer had slipped into deep water, and that the mainmast was just awash.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZTIM18750318.2.17

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4366, 18 March 1875, Page 3

Word count
Tapeke kupu
755

MORE ABOUT THE GOTHENBURG. New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4366, 18 March 1875, Page 3

MORE ABOUT THE GOTHENBURG. New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4366, 18 March 1875, Page 3

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