THE TOTAL WRECK OF THE TARANAKI.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5521, 6 December 1878, Page 7

THE TOTAL WRECK OF THE TARANAKI.

NO LIVES LOST.

Considerable excitement was created in town on Friday, November 296 b, 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. Lev ! i and Go., the local agents of the 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 tho following information;—The Taranaki left Auckland on Thursday night for Tauranga and Southern ports. The weather was very foggy, and she ran ashore at Karawera, a rooky 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, hut the vessel is a total wreck. As soon as intelligence reached Tauranga the steamer Staifa was sent out to the scene of the disaster. No further particulars are to hand except that a dense fog. has prevailed all along the coast for tho past three days. Karawera Island is in a N.N.E. direction from Tauranga Heads. Tho 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. B. J. Hill and wife, Messrs. Rosie, Lceohman, and Handel!, Mcsdames Evans and Oathes, Messrs. E. Good, A. M. Ross, Edwards, Gillon, E. W. Bullen, King, Beil, Oder, Goodyer, and six natives. Cargo for Tauranga: 2 oases, 1 bale. For Poverty Bay : 28 boxes, 5 oases, 1 trunk, 20 packages, 25 half-chests tea, 1 bale, 1 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 oases, 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 iu Christchurch. A inter telegram says the Taranaki is insured all together for £16,500. FULLER PARTICULARS. Tauuanga, Friday, 8 p.m. Great excitement was caused iu Tauranga to-day by the news that tho Taranaki, due early in 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 ou 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 the Wail. About 4 a.m. the 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 I hoard some one shout “ Stop her,” and then <; Full speed astern.” Almost immediately afterwards tho steamer struck; there was no great shock- The engines were then turned on ahead for a minute or two. When I wont on deck there seemed to be no confusion., Everyone kept quiet, tho 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 the 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 us at an early hour in the 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-five 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. Mo:t of the passengers were astir early. The morning was calm but very foggy, and we 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 deck we found ourselves in a little rocky inlet, a precipice rising in front of us some 300 feet high. There were rocks on cither side, and the bowsprit almost touched the cl'ff. Ahead the sea was calm, but there wpt a good deal of swell on. The ship bumped heavily, and-the water seemed shadow, so that there was no danger of slipping off into deep water. The engines were also kept fu’l speed ahead as long as possible. Most of the passengers were up and dressed,and on the whole excellent order prevailed. Captain Malcolm was quite cool. Mr. Holm, the chief officer, was most active. After a good deal of delay, and with no sma ll . amount of trouble, the four ship’s boats were got out safely; but it was three-quarters of an hour after we struck before the first boat, with the women and children, got off from the ship, quickly followed by 'the second boat, with the remainder of the women. Some few men showed a disposition to rush the boats, but the determined attitude of one or two gentlemen who were shipping the women and children at the captain’s request stopped this. One gentleman threatened to throw overboard the first man who attempted to enter a boat till every woman and child was off. To find a safe place to land wo had to pi*’ 1 , round a point which hid the ship from us. Wo got all the women and children ashore without any accident, and then the men all followed safely. The island on which wo struck was Karawera 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 the crews of the various boats worked with a will to laud as much of the passengers’ luggage as possible. About half-past 10 the chief officer was despatched with one of the boats to Tauranga, about seven or eight miles off, we supposed. In the meantime, the other boats continued to ply to the ship, which had now careened over on her port side, with the sea washing into the saloon, fore cabin, hold and engine room; Amongst those conspicuous by their untiring energy in saving property wore the second and third stewards, twin brothers of the name of Warren. A little boy from the training ship, on his first voyage, behaved gallantly. A good stock of bread, butter, jam, and lemonade was got ashore, as well as some cases of fruit, and the best was done to render the women and children comfortable. , The sun was very hot, and the whole encampment locked like a big picnic. About 1 o’clock the cutter Lancashire Lass hove in sight, and soon afterwards the Waratah. It took them somo 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 tho wreck, and being afraid of a change of wind, which would rentier 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 in about half an hour tho steamer Staffa was close by. All tho passengers and luggage were quickly put on board tho Staffa. Just as this was done the Bowcna steamer came across also. Captain Malcolm, after soping all safe, determined to remain by tho wreck all night, and ho and Mr. Holm and a portion of tho crow wont on board thecutter. As Captain Malcolm left tho Staffa, the passengers gave him, three hearty cheers. Tho greatest sympathy is felt for him. It was the second mate’s watch when we struck, but tho captain was on tho bridge, and there was a good look-out. It was, however, impossible to see fifty yards on any side when wo struck, and the first cry of laud was little more than half a minuto before wo struck. Wo were, it seems, some three miles out of our course, aud it is thought the error occurred through our having drifted while at

anchor in tho night. The women behaved admirably all through, We left the wreck at seven o’clock, the fog being still very dense, end it commenced to rain when we got inside the heads. We struck several times on mudbanks in the harbor before reaching tho wharf, where wo at last arrived at 9.30. Here 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 bo saved. We 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 ail keeping open open house. Tauuanga, December 2. A preliminary investigation into the loss of the Taranaki was held this afternoon privately before Mr. McKellar, Collector of Customs, and Mr. Marks, Harbor-master. Neither the public nor the Press were admitted. An official inquiry will probably take place on Wednesday or Thursday before Mr. Brabant, the R.M., and others.

The wreck can only be accounted for by the supposition that a stiff current set inward. On the previous voyage the ship steered a point more towards the land. The following account of tile wreck has been supplied by Captain Malcolm, and is the only really correct one : The Taranaki left Auckland on Thursday afternoon, and anchored the same night at a quarter to twelve between Great Mercury and Takape Point; lay there till 3 a.m. The morning was fine but hazy. She passed through the Hole-iu-the-Wall at 4 a.m. ; was abreast Slipper Island at 5.50 a.m., at which time the patent log was put over. Shortly after a fog set in heavily, and on account of the thick weather the vessel was kept a quarter poiut off land, that is to east, and a sharp look-out kept; at 8.5 a.m., distance run, according to log, 20 miles, which would leave the vessel 12 miles from Karewa at 8.50. I was standing oa the bridge, when I suddenly saw a white fringe of breakers. I instantly gave the signal “full speed astern,” and had the helm put hard a-starboard ; the look-out man shouted “ breakers ahead,” and I saw land looming up before us. I immediately cried out " clear away boats.” Tho ship then struck. As near as I can judge about three minutes elapsed between the time of my observing breakers and the ship striking; there was hardly any way on her. According to both log and engines we ought to have been at least four or five miles from Karewa. After striking tho ship slid over the rocks, grating. X am of opinion that had she got another length ahead after the engines were reversed we should have escaped. The engineer now reported that the sea was coming into the engine-room, so I gave orders to go slowly ahead, in order to prevent sinking in deep water. Boats were lowered at once. In five minutes tho first was alongside, and in twenty minutes all were ready. Some little delay occurred iu getting the after starboard boat into the water, because of the vessel heeling over heavily to port. All the passengers were lauded, and the mate with a boat’s crew was despatched to Tauranga by 10.30. Mr. Gillon went ashore in tho first boat, and at the request of the chief officer took charge of the grog and provisions. On the whole the passengers behaved very well, the ladies especially showing great courage. In. the afternoon the crew worked hard saving luggage and mails, and they were heartily assisted by tho passengers. As the ship had by this lime heeled over to an angle of 45degs., and as tho water was up to the combings of tho hatchway on the port side, the job proved very troublesome. A little boy named Westlake did good service by climbing through the port and saving much valuable luggage, and at low water some of the crew managed to get into tho saloon and save the linen, silver, &c. About 4 p.m. two cutters hove in sight, and as there was no water on the island I gave orders for the passengers to embark in the boats with a view of putting them on board. Before this could be done, however, the Staffa turned up, and after loading the rescued luggage all were sent to Tauranga. I stayed on board the Taranaki till 4 p.m., and, together with the crew, did not leave the scene of the wreck till 8 o’clock the next morning, by which time she had divided in two. As nothing more could be done I ordered one of tho cutters to cruise about for floating packages, and several were picked up.