STRANDING OF THE HYDERABAD.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5381, 26 June 1878, Page 2

STRANDING OF THE HYDERABAD.

The fine iron ship Hyderabad, 1300 tons ' egister, Captain Holmwood, went ashore on Tuesday night on the Forty Mile Beach, at Horowheuna. She left Port Lyttelton last Sunday with a light southerly wind, with the following passengers on board for Adelaide:— Mrs. Holmwood, Master H .lmwood, and servant, and Messrs. J. Anderson and J. Sherman. She was loaded with the broad gauge railway plant of the Canterbury lines, which had been purchased by the South Australian Government. She was seen last Sunday by the Craigmullen close to the Heads, and from Captain Gordard’s account, had a large portion of her head-gear carried away. The information as yet to hand is only of a meagre nature. The driver of the Foxton coach brought news to town on Tuesday night that he saw a large ship at anchor under ICapiti. The prevailing wind during the time the ship has been off the coast has been from the westward. This would be setting right on to the place where the vessel now lies.° The opinions of nautical men now differ as to the way she got ashore. Some say that she dragged her anchors, as it was blowing very hard at the time, and there would necessarily be a heavy roll of a sea running on the beach. Soma are of opinion that being loaded as she was with a quantity of iron, her compasses varied to such an extent that the master lost his reckoning, and went ashore at night. This appears a very possible reason, but if correct the ship seen at anchor under Kapiti could scarcely be the Hyderabad. To-day we shall probably obtain further information. The first person to receive news of the mishap in Wellington was Mr. B. Holmwood, brother of the master of the vessel A private telegram was received iu town last evening stating that the ship was buried in six feet of sand and uninjured, and that the steamers Tni and Jana Douglas were both close by. The Stella left at 12 o'clock last night to render assistance. Captain Bendall leaves in her on behalf of the insurance agents, and also to represent Lloyd's agent here. It has been suggested to us that it would be well if H.M.S. Nymphe could proceed to the scene of action with a view of rendering assistance. We are not aware what the rules of the service may be in. such matters, but we presume if life were at stake, which it happily is not, there would be no hesitation iu her being sent to the rescue. In this case, although no lives were lost, a large amount of valuable property is in jeopardy. The driver of the Foxton coach, on his arrival in town last evening, informed us that he left that place about 7 o’clock yesterday morning, and in about an hour's time reached the scene of the disaster, on his road to Ot iki. He describes the vessel as lying iu about 6ft. of sand, within 200yda. of the shore, and apparently uninjured. The coach passed near enough to the vessel for communication to be held with the captain, who was on board, and said ho intended to stick by his ship so long as there was a plank left iu her. The fact that the vessel is but little if at all damaged is satisfactory to bear, and it is still more so to learn that no lives have been lost. The man who was at the wheel at the time the vessel went ashore sustained an injury to one of his legs, but whether the limb was broken or not wa could not ascertain. Medical aid was sent for as soon as possible from Otaki. The officers, crew, and passengers were all got safely on shore in one of the boats, the captain alone remaining on board when the coach left yesterday. The captain’s wife, child, and nursery governess, with four of the vessel’s hands, were brought on to Otaki by the coach, and left there, but will probably come on to Wellington to-day. What was the cause of the accident is not at present explained, but this will no doubt be the subject of inquiry. The occurence is presumed to have been purely accidental Mr. R. Bruce Wallace, manager of the National Insurance Company, and Mr, R. M. Simpson, manager of the New Zealand Insurance Company, left yesterday morning for the scene of the wreck. Both the above offices are, we understand, interested to some considerable extent, but what the exact amount is for which the vessel and cargo were insured we were not informed.

LATER PARTICULARS BY THE JANE DOUGLAS. The s.s. Jane Douglas left Foxton at 2.30 p.m. yesterday, and when close to the mouth of the river was informed by Mr. Hartley that there was a ship ashore to the south of the river, a total wreck. Crossed the bar at 3.15, and saw the ship on the beach about the Horowhenua. Steamed for her, and after reaching three fathoms of water hoisted code signal, “Can we render any assistance?” There was apparently then no person aboard. Saw two boats and a number of people on the beach, one of whom waved a flag in answer to the signal The ship was sitting upright, with her foretopsail, foresail, and maintopsail blown to pieces, and the topmast head gone above the crosstrees. The Jane Douglas dodged about for three-quarters of an hour; but finding she could render no assistance, and the wind and sea being on the land, Captain Fraser left at 6.30. When passing inside of Kapiti saw a full-rigged ship at anchor, which proved to be the Pleione, Captain Renaut, from London. Captain Renaut stated that on Monday afternoon when he sighted Kapiti a strong westerly gale was blowing, with a heavy sea running. He was unable to weather the island, and ran under the lee, and anchored in 12J fathoms of water between Rangatira and Long Point. Captain Fraser could not advise Captain Renaut to weigh anchor last night, as the wind was due west, and every indication of it increasing, and he thought the Pleione could not weather the land in one tack. Captain Renaut wishes to be reported all well.