Thank you for correcting the text in this article. Your corrections improve Papers Past searches for everyone. See the latest corrections.

This article contains searchable text which was automatically generated and may contain errors. Join the community and correct any errors you spot to help us improve Papers Past.

Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image

WRECK OF THE FELIX STOWE AT OTAKI.

THE MASTER, CHIEF OFFICER, AND TWO SEAMEN DROWNED.

The police received tho following telegram on October 13 ;—“Otaki, October 13, 9 a.m. The barque Felix Stowe, of Harwich, from Newcastle, bound to Lyttelton with coals, was blown on shore this morning at tho mouth of the Otaki River. Messrs. Jenkins and McDonald, with a party of natives, put off in ono of the ship's boats found on the beaoh, and brought off the captain’s wife in a terrific sea. The ship is not hurt, and is likely to bs got oft at 10 a.m. A boat manned by Maoris put off again to the ship, and returned with some of the crow. The boat capsized, and Captain Figgott, master of the barque, was drowned ; also Mr. Lament, chief officer ; A. Nauahton, apprentice ; and Farrell, able seaman. The others came ashore in a most exhausted condition. The bodies are not yet recovered. The ship is driven up on the beaoh about 100 yards since 9 a.ra., and at low water is nearly dry. The sea is smooth.” _ Tho following telegram was received on the l4th ;—“ Vessel has suffered great damage by this mornings tide. The planking of the deck is stove in amidships, and the vessel is full of water. The crew have left her, and state that her back is broken aud she will shortly break up.” Messrs. Bethune and Hunter, Lloyd s agents, received the following telegram from Captain Bendall, marine surveyor, and Captain Seila-s, master of the ship Eealandia :—“ Otaki, Otober 16.—Surveyed stranded barque Felixstowe. No chance of saving her. Peopls now employed saving gear and stores. We recommend a sale as quickly as possible. A correspondent at Otaki sends us the following particulars of an inquest held there on 16th October. The inquest was held before Dr. Hewson, coroner, on the bodies of two seamen washed ashore. Their names were John Newman Ginham, apprentice, and Patrick Farrell, A.B. It appears that Captain Pigott ordered his men to avail themselves of a boat that came off to tho ship. In tho attempt both himself and three seamen were drowned. The bodies of Captain Pigott and Alexander Lament have not yet been recovered. Eui’opeans, halfcastes, and Maoris vied with each other in acts of daring gallantry, and met with the warmest eulogy from the foreman of the jury. William Jenkins, Hector McDonald, Tai Tuer, and Mark, were the first to venture off, and they succeeded in bringing the captain’s wife ashore.

INQUIRY INTO THE STRANDING -OP THE BARQUE FELIXSTOWE AT OTAKI.

A preliminary inquiry Into tlio stranding of the barque Felixstowe was held before Mr. McKollar, Collector of Customs, on Tuesday. The only witness examined was "Walter James Taylor who, on being sworn, deposed as follows: I was second mate of the Felixstowe. I hold a Board of Trade certificate as second mate. The vessel left Newcastle on the 2nd of October, b’*und to Lyttelton, with 482 tons coal on board. Sho was manned by twelve men, includin'? the master, and she had no passengers on board. Wo sighted land first on Saturdw evening, the 12th October, about 0 p.m. It was the mate’s watch. I heard him toll the master that he thought It was Stephens Island. The captain went on deck and wore her round. There w«s a strong gale blowing at the time from about W. by N. The vessel was under lower fore and maintopsail. The weather was thick. Sho was heading to the north after wearing, and was on the port tack. I relieved the mate at midnight, with the wind decreasing a little ; forctopmaststaysali, mainstaysail, and mlzzenstaysall, were- set. band astern, bearing about S.S.W., distant about fourteen miles so far as I could judge at the time. The master came on deck about half-past 12 and left orders to call him at once if the vessel gob too near the land. All ray watch was aft the poop. The look-out was kept from there. The weather was too bad to stop forward. At half-past 2 a.m breakers were reported on the lea beam. I jumped up Into the mizzen rigging and saw breakers stretching all the way to loaward* I wont down below and called the captain. As soon as he came on dock ho gave orders to wear the ship. There was no land at the tune visible to leaward. There was a heavy bank of cloud, which had tho appearance of hanging over land. Wore ship ; head reaching to tho southward. At half-p«st 3 a m. gettl ’g closer to the breakers called all hands, and wore ship to tho north, wind decreasing, and set foresail, mainsail, upper foretopsail, jib, maintopmas tstaysailandmizzen. AtSa.m, captain gave orders to have tho foresail and" mainsail up. and lower tho foretopsail down and brail in the mizzen ; wind falling very light, and vessel amongst tho breakers, and seas completely breaking over her. All hands were aft tho poop. Captain called tho mate and I and asked our advice, and wo came to tho conclusion it would bo better to beach tho ship. The captain gave orders to put the helm hard up, and the ship headed for the beach. Before tho helm could bo righted tlio wheel chain gave way and tho vessel broached to. Before wo had time to got tie helm right the vessel bumped. The vessel after bumping came round head on the beach, and remained in that position for half an hour. Meanwhile wo were employed In getting tlio port boat ready to' launch, but before wo oou’d get into her she broke adrift and was washed n» on the bea<-.h. By this time there wore about a dozen persons on the beach trying to launch a boat through tho surf. We were trying to float a lino ashore to haul tho boat through tho surf. At 7.45 a m, tho boat came off, In charge of Mr. Jenkins, of Otaki, and a crow of half-castes. The mate and I advised tho master to go ashore with hl< wife. He refused, but sent me ashore with her, The carpenter, one A. 8., one apprentice, and myself and captain's wife went ashore In tho first boat.. Before leaving the beach Mr. Jenkins told me to leave orders for the boat not to go off the beach until he came hack. Jo the meantime, whllo wo wore in Otaki, some half-castes got tlio boat off the beach and hoarded tho vessel. Tho captain, with tho remainder of tho crow, got into tho boat, and wore coming ashore. Soon after they left the «W • a breaker broke' over tho boat, filling her. Another bro Jeer then capsized her. Throe half-castes got baok to the ship; G. Berg, G-. Underwood, J. Stoole (A.B.’s), and W. Lhsor (cook and steward) were hauled out of tlio surf In an exhausted condition by half-castes and G. Pugsloy, driver of the Foxton coach. I have heard that Lament, mate, got back to tho ship, but \yas too exhausted to climb up the lino, and waf drowned. The master, James Plgott, was not - seen after tho boat capsized: and an apprentice named Noonah, and Patrick Parre-1, A. 8.. were also drowned. At low water on Sunday afternoon I walked on board tho ship with tho crew to clue up and furl the sails. Found that tho half-castes had taken charge, and had clewed up and furled some of tho sails. Wo stoo Iby tho ship for several clays saving all the property wo could. She now Ilea on the bcacli a total wreck, and tho best pkft of co.td washed out of bor. By tho 'Collector: Tho vessel was built of wood, barque rigged, of 870 tons register, and belonged to Mr, Vaux, rhlp builder at Harwich. I have heard that she is insured for £OSOO. Sho was supplied with rcquslto charts She had three compasses. Sho had no cargo on board to affect tho compases. She was well found In everything The land wq sighted on Saturday night proved to ho tho Island of Kt.piti, and was in sight at the time of stranding. The lead was hove before the vessel struck. A t half past 4 a.m. 4i . fathoms was found. It was not hove on sighting land. I do not know of any steps being taken to verify the ship's position at the time of sighting land, or subsequently. The captain took an observation for time on Saturday morning at 10 o’clock. Captain and mate took an observation for latitude at noon. Ido not know tlio result. Tho chart was washed to pieces. Wo had a log reel on board ; it was not used. There was a deep-sea lead on board ;it was nob used. Ido not know who was at the wheel during the master’s watch. From 12 lo 2 John Steele, and from 2to 4 0/cargo ’Underwood wore at tho wheel. Tho latter c'ohtlnu d there until tho time of thp vessel striking on tho beach. Neman (Jlnhapi was on the look out from 12 to 2. and Jiunos Golden from 2to 4. I did pot seo any lights. 1 thought that wo wore about six miles abeam away from the breakers when they were first reported. About a quarter of an hour took place between sighting tho breakers and the veering of tho snip. W. J. Tayloa.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZTIM18781108.2.49

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5497, 8 November 1878, Page 7

Word count
Tapeke kupu
1,570

WRECK OF THE FELIX STOWE AT OTAKI. New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5497, 8 November 1878, Page 7

WRECK OF THE FELIX STOWE AT OTAKI. New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5497, 8 November 1878, Page 7

Help

Log in or create a Papers Past website account

Use your Papers Past website account to correct newspaper text.

By creating and using this account you agree to our terms of use.

Log in with RealMe®

If you’ve used a RealMe login somewhere else, you can use it here too. If you don’t already have a username and password, just click Log in and you can choose to create one.


Log in again to continue your work

Your session has expired.

Log in again with RealMe®


Alert