THE TOTAL WRECK OF THE TARANAKI.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5516, 30 November 1878, Page 2

THE TOTAL WRECK OF THE TARANAKI.

NO LIVES LOST. Considerable excitement was created in town yesterday afternoon by reason of a report of the total loss of the Union Company’s steamer Taranaki. On inquiry it was ascertained that the rumor was perfectly correct, Messrs. Levin and Co., the local agents of tho company, having received a telegram shortly announcing that the steamer had been wrecked off Tauranga, but that all the passengers were saved. From the Press Agency telegrams wo gain the following information:—The Taranaki left Auckland on Thursday night for Tauranga and Southern ports. Tho weather was very foggy, and she ran ashore at Karawera, a rocky island only an eighth of a mile in circumference, and in the fair way for Tauranga, and six miles from the entrance to that harbor. All the passengers were saved, but the vessel is a total wreck. As soon as intelligence reached Tauranga the steamer Staffa was sent out to the scene of the disaster. No further particulars are to hand except that a dense fog has prevailed all along tho coast for the past three days. Karawera Island is in a N.N.E. direction from Tauranga Heads. The rock is very rugged, and is about 350 ft. high. It is in very deep water, about three miles from the main land. The following is the list of passengers from Auckland : —Mr. and Mrs. A. King and four children, Mrs. Dent and son, Mr. R. J. Hill and wife, Messrs. Rosie, Leechmau, and Randell, Mesdames Evans and Cathes, Messrs. E. Good, A, M. Ross, Edwards, Gillon, E. W. Bullen, King, Bell, Colei*, Goodyer, and six natives. Cargo for Tauranga: 2 cases, 1 bale. For Poverty Bay : 28 boxes, 5 cases, 1 trunk, 20 packages, 25 half-chests tea, 1 bale, I parcel. For Napier : 12 cases, 7 casks, 8 packages, 8 sacks potatoes. For Wellington : 1 case, 70 sacks oysters, 102 sacks potatoes, 2 spars, 2 packages. For Lyttelton: 9 cases, 4 packages. For Dunedin : 21 cases, 5 bales, 2 parcels, 18 sacks, 50 bales hops. The insurances so far as ascertained are— South British £2OOO on hull. The Colonial has a general risk of £IO,OOO distributed on all the company’s vessels. The New Zealand has a risk of £750 on the hull, and the Union £BO on the cargo. The Union Insurance Company also has a risk of £750 on the hull, insured in Christchurch. A later telegram says the Taranaki is insured all together for £16,500. FULLER PARTICULARS. Tauranga, Friday, 8 p.m. Great excitement was caused in Tauranga to-day by the news that tho Taranaki, due early iu the morning, had been wrecked in a fog on Karawera, a small island five miles outside the harbor. The news was brought by part of the crew, headed by the mate and the purser, who rowed up in a ship’s boat. The following is an account of the disaster by one of the hands: —l am a fireman on board the Taranaki. We left Auckland at 4 p.m. on Thursday, with about eighty passengers. The weather was very thick, and at midnight the ship came to anchor somewhere near the Hole in tho Wall. About 4 a.m. tho weather cleared, and we proceeded; but later it thickened again. I was on duty from 4 to 8, at which time I turned in. I had been asleep about an hour and a half when.l heard some one shout “ Stop her,” and then " Full speed astern.” Almost immediately afterwards the steamer struck; there was no great shook. Tho engines were then turned on ahead for a minute or two. When I went on deck there seemed to bo no confusion. Everyone kept quiet, the passengers behaving remarkably well. Captain Malcolm told us to lower the boats directly. In a few minutes this was done, and we then proceeded to land the passengers on the island. At 11 o’clock all the passengers were landed, and a portion of the port watch, under the mate, was despatched to Tauranga for assistance. The Taranaki lies on her beam ends, only a small portion of her nose being out of water. The hatches are of course battened down, and being under the water it will be impossible to save any portion of tho cargo. Dunedin, Friday, The Taranaki is worth £16,000, and the following are the local insurances:—South British, £2500, mostly re-insured ; Colonial, £750 ; Union, £750 ; National, £750; New Zealand, £750.

The following further particulars reached ua at an early hour this morning;—The Taranaki left Auckland about half-past four in the evening. It was beautifully calm, but towards evening a heavy fog set in. Soon after ten o’clock Captain Malcolm anchored, and remained so until a little after three o’clock, when as daylight set in the fog lifted a little. We had about seventy-five passengers on board, including a very large number of women and children. Twenty-fivo of the passengers were in the fore-cabin. The ship’s hands numbered about 34, so that altogether we had about 100 souls on board. Most of the passengers were astir early. The morning was calm but very foggy, and wo were under easy steam. Breakfast was rather late, and the bell did not ring till about nine o’clock. The passengers on deck trooped down, and only a few had taken their seats when we felt the engines reversed, and almost instantly the ship struck heavily and bumped four times. Bushing on dock we found ourselves in a little rooky inlet, a precipice rising in front of us some 300 feet high. There were rocks on either side, and the bowsprit almost touched the cliff. Ahead the sea was calm, but there was a good deal of swell on. The ship bumped heavily, and the water seemed shallow, so that there was no danger of slipping off into deep water. The engines were also kept full speed ahead as long as possible. Most of the passengers were up and dressed,and on the whole excellent order prevailed. Captain Malcolm was quito cool. Mr. Holm, the chief officer, was most active. After a good deal of delay, and with no small amount of trouble, the four ship’s boats were got out safely; but it was three-quarters of an hour after wo struck before the first boat, with tho women and children, got off from the ship, quickly followed by tho second boat, with tho remainder of tho women. Some few men showed a disposition to rush tho boats, but tho determined attitude of one or two gentlemen who were shipping tho women and children at tho captain’s request stopped this. One gentleman threatened to throw overboard tho first man who attempted to cuter a boat till every woman and child was off. To find a safe place to land we had to pull round a point which hid tho ship from us. Wo got all tho women and children ashore without any accident, and then tho men all followed safely. Tho island on which we struck was Karawora or Lizard Island, a high, bare rock of perhaps a couple of acres in extent, and partly covered with karakas—trees of stinted growth. Captain Malcolm stuck bravely to his ship, and tho crews of tho various boats worked with a will to laud as much of tho passengers’ luggage as possible. About half-past 10 the chief officer was despatched with ono of the boats to Tauranga, about seven or eight miles off, wo supposed. In tho meantime, tho other boats continued to ply to tho ship, which had now careened over on her port side, with tho sea washing into tho saloon, foro cabin, hold and engine room. Amongst those conspicuous by their untiring energy in saving property were tho second and third stewards, twin brothers of tho name of Warren. A little boy from tho training ship, on his first voyage, behaved gallantly. A good stock of broad, butter, jam, and lemonade was got ashore, as well as some cases of fruit, and tho host was ■ dono to render tho women and children comfortable. Tho sun was very hot, and tho whole encampment looked like a big picnic. About X o’clock tho cutter Lancashire

Lass hove in sight, and soon afterwards the Waratah. It took them some time to make the island, and the Waratah came in first, sending in her boat with a keg of water, which was most acceptable. Captain Malcolm came round from the wreck, and being afraid of a change of wind, which would render embarkation difficult, ordered the women and children to get on board the cutter at once. The first boatload had just left when the smoke of a steamer was seen approaching. It was now about half-past 4 o'clock. The boats were stopped, and iu about half an hour the steamer Staffa was close by. All the passengers and luggage were quickly put on board the Staffa. Oust as this was done the Roweua steamer came across also. Captain Malcolm, after seeing all safe, determined to remain by the wreck all night, and he and Mr. Holm and a portion of the crew went on board tbe cutter. As Captain Malcolm left the Staffa, the passengers gave him three hearty cheers. The greatest sympathy is felt for him. It was the second mate’s watch when we struck, but the captain was on the bridge, and there was a good look-out. It was, however, impossible to sec fifty yards on any side when we struck, and the first cry of land was little more than half a minute before wo struck. We were, it seems, some three miles out of our course, and it is thought the error occurred through our having drifted while at anchor in the night. The women behaved admirably all through. We left the wreck at seven o’clock, the fog being still very dense, and it commenced to rain when we got inside the heads. We struck several times on mudbanks in the harbor before reaching the wharf, where we at last arrived at 9.30. Hero we were most hospitably received by the residents; Mr. Buddie, of the Bank of New Zealand, Mr. McKellar, and others, receiving numbers and entertaining them. The Taranaki is a total wreck, lying on her port side, which is all stove in. Her back is also said to be broken; certainly she can never be got off, but if calm weather continues a good deal of the cargo will yet be saved. Wo had a marvellous escape, and are all deeply thankful. Mr. E. T. Gillon was foremost in assisting Captain Malcolm throughout the day. There is a possibility of some of the cargo being saved. The residents are all keeping open open house.