HEAVY GALE.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4459, 5 July 1875, Page 7

HEAVY GALE.

Lyttelton, Monday, June 7. For many years Lyttelton has not been ■visited by such a terrific gale as that which took place on Friday night and Saturday, and raged with unparalleled fury, putting a complete stoppage to all business in the port, and creating the greatest fears for the safety of the vessels in harbor. That more accidents did not occur amongst the shipping is due to the precautions taken by the harbor authorities, who during Friday night and Saturday exerted themselves most energetically. Still, it is a matter of regret that a very large amount of damage has been done, especially amongst the 'watermen’s boats. These have suffered most severely. Amongst the numerous casualties may be mentioned that of the barquentine Prince Alfred, which in a collision lost her bowsprit, and the barque Queen of the • Sea, which was fouled by. the schooner Enterprise and lost her fore-royal-mast and head gear. The schooner Volunteer also lost her bowsprit during the gale. Some dozen watermen’s boats were sunk, and four smashed to pieces. Bad'as the loss of property is to record, it is insignificant when compared with the sad loss of life which occurred during the gale, five men belonging to the_ barque Syren, proceeding to the vessel, having lost their lives. Thtr following report of the sad affair is given by Captain Bees and the survivor Cavers *.—The barque Syren had completed the discharging of her cargo of_ coals at Peacock’s wharf, and hauled out into the stream and anchored off Stoddart’s Point on Wednesday last, but Captain Bees on Thursday engaged three new hands, who were to have joined the ship that day. On Friday he ordered the boat to come and fetch all hands on board. At six o’clock the captain arrived from Christchurch, and immediately ordered the second mate (E. Morris) to take the boat back to the vessel, and moor her, he having business to transact the next day on shore; the boat —a new whaleboat, twenty-eight feet in length,, well found —left the wharf at 7.30 p.m. with six hands on board ; four men pulling, and all being sober. The following particulars as to how the accident occurred have been gathered from the steward (W. Cavers), who states that the crew pulled off to the barque. When half way between the' _shore and the vessel a southerly buster came on, torrents of rain falling, and the night being pitch dark. For two hours the men struggled against the gale, and finding they could not fetch their barque, they pulled towards the barque Mystery, which was anchored off Bhodes’ Bay. Answering to the appeals of the crew a line was thrown from the vessel, which the men unfortunately missed, and the boat drifted by. The apprentice (Wilch) knowing Gollan's Bay, suggested that the boat should’ be headed in that direction, and it should be beached there. . A light from a house in the bay was at times seen by the men, the' boat’s head was put to the shore, and it was pulled towards the bay. Cavers, who was_ pulling bow oar, getting exhausted, shifted into the bow of the -boat to look out for breakers and rocks ahead. The men. pulled towards the shore, but in the darkness came on the sunken rocks which run out some distance near Polhill’s Bay. When the boat grounded on the rocks, Cavers was pitched out head foremost, but he held on to the boat’s painter, and three times he tried to pull up the boat, but failed. The last time the bow of the boat struck him la the chest, causing him to let go .the rope. The wash of the sea then carried him up on to the rocks, and on recovering himself he called out for his mates, but could not get any reply from them. He then made his way to Lyttelton and reported the matter to the authorities. On Saturday morning Captain Bees 'wont round Snmnor-road to see if he could learn anything of the unfortunate men or the boat. He saw the debris of a boat lying in Gollan’s Bay, which he at once recognised as portions of the one belong-

ing to his vessel. After some difficulty he descended the cliff, and recovered three* of the oars, which he recognised as belonging to the boat. There can now be no doubt that the unfortunate men' have met with a watery grave. Their names are—Evan 3lorris (second mate), N. P. Larsen, W. Toomey, C. Wilson, and Arthur Winch. Another report was circulated on Saturday, that three men belonging to the brig Emperor, which had left the wharf at the same time, had been drowned. This, happily, has proved not to be true. It appears that the men went off to thenvessel, and encountered the full fury of the gale, but pulling along shore, they got into Gollau’s Bay ; from thence they pulled across the harbor to the quarantine station, and from there got into Rhodes Bay, where they remained all Saturday. Yesterday morning the s.s. Mullagh went down the harbor on a search expedition, and met the boat belonging to the brig Emperor coming out of Rhodes Bay. They after-wards proceeded down the harbor, and searohed along the shore for the bodies of tiro men drowned from the barque Syren. It should be stated that during the gale ou Saturday the 3lagellau Cloud dragged her anohor, and at one time it was thought she would come ashore ou the breakwater bar during one of the heavy squalls. The wind shifted for a short time, enabling the vessel to clear the point. The chain was then slipped, and those on board were able to make fast to the buoy off the breakwater.