CAPTURING A KETCH.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2221, 30 April 1880, Page 3

CAPTURING A KETCH.

The following particulars respecting the seizure of a ketch by a salvage crew are related by the Newcastle correspondent of the “ Sydney Daily Telegraph” : —“ Xhc ketch Lausdowne, on April 8, got in dangerous proximity to the rocks off this port, and the master (Captain Storm) and his crew, four in number, decided that they would quit the vessel, as there was a probability of her dragging the anchors and being dashed to pieces. They accordingly got into the lifeboat, which was safely towed into port by the steamer Ajax, and the vessel remained riding in safety in about the same position all night. Humours soon got abroad as to the vessel being abandoned, thus leaving it

a prey to any venturesome enough to risk seizing it. It has turned out that wc have some speculative spirits here equal to any emergency of this discription as the Lansdowne was brought in this morning by the little harbor steamer Mystery, Captain G-eorge Nessity specially engaged for the purpose. This steamer went out at early dawn, with five persons on board, and went direct for the vessel, boarded her, weighed anchors, and towed her into the harbor, as already stated. She was brought to the A.A. Company’s wharf, and proceeded to discharge ballast throughout the day, two of the men who seized her being left on board as bailiffs. The captain has made application jto the police to eject the interlopers, on the ground that the vessel was not a derelict at any time. The police, however, decline to interfere, so that the aid of the law courts will probably bo called to adjudicate on the matter.”