OLD TRADER LOST

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 10277, 12 May 1919, Page 4

OLD TRADER LOST

QUEEN OF THE SOUTS ASHORE HOPELESS WRECK NEAR CAPE CAMPBEtLL. There was a feeling' of genuine regret in local shipping circles on Saturday when it became known that the old familiar coastal vessel Queen of the South had found what will probably be a permanent resting-place near Cape Campbell. The first intimation received by telegraph was that the vessel went ashore at 5.30 o'clock on Saturday morning, about three miles east-south-east of Cape Campbell lighthouse, during a thick fog. At the time she was proceeding from Wellington to Lyttelton with a cargo of machinery, having been taken off her usual run between this port and Foxton on account of the bad state of the Foxton bar. She left Wellington at 11 o'clock on Friday night. When the news reached Lyttelton that the Queefi of the South had gone ashore, the Wakatu was dispatched to the scene. Captain Harvey, who is a part owner of the vessel, also proceeded from Blenheim overland, hut was unable to reach Cape Campbell owing to the state of the road. It was ascertained that the captain and all hands had been a'blo to leave the stranded steamer without difficulty. They were taken on board the Wakatu, and arrived here in that vessel shortly after 5 o'clock last evening. Inquiries made by a "Times'" reporter show that this vessel is a hopeless wreck. She is lying on a, reef running a long way out to sea, and is in such a position as to make it impossible to salve her. The engineroom is flooded, there /being about four feet of water in the hold. At the time of the mishap the sea was smooth, but a, heavy fog prevailing at the time made navigation extremely difficult. It seems as if the Queen of the South was fated to leave her hull to' the mercy of the elements, for it is confidently asserted,..by,, .those, who were on the vessel that 'if she had been proceeding two feet further out fine would have missed the reef.

Captain J. R. Owen, master of the "Queen"—as she was familiarly referred to by men of the sea—states that the members of the crew were able' to save all their belongings. When they reached shore they were accommodated at the Cape Campbell lighthouse, and Captain Owen speaks in praise of those who looked after their wants while,ithere.iu .•/■ ■,■

Probably the loss of the Queen of the South will be regretted as much from a .sentimental point of view as anything else, although she was generally regarded as a most valuable unit of the coastal trading fleet. The names of Foxton and "Queen" were synonymous, for the reason that the little steamer • has been running between Wellington and the porb mentioned since 1889. Owned by Shipping Company (Captains Harvey, Wills, Signal, and JJevin and Co.), the Queen of the South first came to Wellington from Sydney in 188 E. She was then commanded by Captain E. J. Harvey, who had charge of' the vessel right up to March laet, when he resigned. Before coming over to these | waters she was engaged' on the Australian coast, but has since proved herself specially adapted to the Foxton trade owing to her staunch bull, light draught, and large cargo capacity. Among the '.coastal",-traders she had a great, reputation "for,'regularity and steadfastness in all kinds of weather. The Queen of the South was built of iron in 1877 at Paisley, ScotHand, and is of 198 tons gross and 121 tons net. Her dimensions axe: Length, j 1262 H; breadth, 22.1 ft; depth, 7.Bft. I Captain Owen, who resides in Wellington, had assooiated with him Mr F. liawton as mate, and Mr D. Ross as engineer. On May Ist the crew consisted of the following:—Underwood, cook; Marthan,.t>o'sun; Olsen, Tomlin, and Millar* ' firemen; Ashurt, Carlson, Andrews, and Birkler, A.B.'s.