WRECK OF THE SHIP ROYAL BRIDE AT HAWKES BAY.

Southland Times, Volume 2, Issue 74, 21 July 1863, Page 2

WRECK OF THE SHIP ROYAL BRIDE AT HAWKES BAY.

A very calamitous wreck has occurred nfc Hawkes IBay, resulting in the total loss of the ship Koynl Bride. Tho Hawkes Bay Herald gives the following particulars of the catastrophe : — > It U a painful duty that devolve* upon us this morning — that of recording the loss of the ship Royal Bride during a fearful nor'-east gale with which Hawke's Bay was visited on the night of Sunday last. The gale, while it lasted, was, from that quarter, of strength unprecedented in the memory — not certainly of the oldest inhabitant, for traditionary accounts have heen handed down, by old whalers and others, of blnck nor'-easters such as that which has just been experienced — but certain! v within the recollection of settlers of several years' standing. The wind-guage at the meteorological elation indicated a maximum pressure of 25 lbs ; and whop it is recollected that 12 lbs denotes a 6torro, and 31 lbs a hurricane, strong enough to tear yap trees and carry nil before it., some idea may be formed of the strength of the w ind on Sunday night. 'Prom 7 p.m. there were strong <md fitful quits from N.E. by E. to E.N E. with raiu. At 9 p.m. the wiud was fast increasing, and at midnight tho gale was nt its height. The sea rose rapidly, ■rd was seen from the ill-fated vessel breaking ri/jht across the rondstead from Bluff to B'ufl'. The bay ij represented as having assumed the appcar«nce of a sheet of fire. / Tlmt Hoyal Bride, Cnptain Laker, arrived in. the ■ ; - JjflkjMJin ike 18th inst., from London via Auckland, ,'jjMtll part of her original cargo on board. She was Spfeopiad in the safest part of the roadstead — in ~ r fspbd folding ground — but of course exposed to the J^pflYury- of, the tempest. At 1 a.m. on Monday .•^S^i'conjcapiced dragging her anchor*, and at 4 £'.. |3^#.i« »Umjosed to have parted one of her chains, '? ii^in luift'/aix->6>>ur after the ship struck beavily •faft— ilfcfs&^ttaking a clean breach over her. At SJSO iili«WI0& broadside to the surf and com- . menced br<ja)|jijlpup. Until daylight, a period of ■bout .tyro how||spm the time of the vessel getting aahow, the cfew were in a very uncomfortable and precarious! position ; but they were safely ■■' landed throujjb the surf, chiefly through the assist- ; >im*>^M fl^TOSjWhjo assembled in great numbers -*- tft^faf^^S^^^fy '^ e 'P ' tt l^ e ' r P ower * Shortly '«i^:&yHglit, and just after all hands had left, the Iqtit nnam&m masts went over the side. The spot ■■■•^i(^iii^.flfc|'- ! '»lMp'»trUPk'waß on the bench between ;i,Jßfe«tohl)*i*liJJ*pie.r about two miles from the en- * trance to the harbor; and the wreck,. as ieeri from v3jSMJrlpiJ[Binnd;.Wi -Monday morninpf, witti nothin» ■ >:^JNindHMl3ni^9 > " : **bf the mizenmast, and with' r^bV : anrHp|t«|^ig!it ovor tho bull, w/ts a fenrv4^i|j>cc®**^W^?;sa Pf cinll y ' n *^ c uncertainty' o«preyM^Mw(«Miß'to the fate of the officers «nJ[crow.'' J iSaw*^P < >rt'inate circumstance that th'Kcargo of tS&«Wp Bid been all but discharged, if ;*e except fliiftttJalsaitHo bottom of the hold ; fortunate. nofc;in^ja»^e|pects tho value of the goods, but as ,'wiSdenßß; top jihip so light that ghe was flrirori well upon tlfe bcacli ; thus giving; the crow a chance to save their lives.

In the course of Monday the wind was still .very high, and it was -feared .that the wreck would completely break up. A survey was immediately held ; and, for the benefit of those concerned} an immediate sale ot the wreck was deemed advisable. Accordingly, nt four o'clock, the whole was put up by Mr Janisch. The hull, spars, sails, risja-inp. &e., realised ,£35 — the purchaser being Mr G. E. G. Richardson; tbe anchors and chains, ±'37; and 100 tons coal, £s— Mr John Campbell bcitijr the purchaser of both. The same evening, contrary to appearances, tbe gale broke. The loss of this fine ship has thrown a gloom over tbe mercantile community. Apart from the j serious destruction of property, it is not improbable that tbe character of the port may suffer in the eitimation of Knglish slits owns r* and um e - writers. We may remark, however, that tbe suddenness as well as strengih of the gale was ull 1 ut unprecedented ; and thut. even in the best harbors ot which tbe colony eon boiist, we rend of vessels in heavy weather drag-ring their anchors and getting ashore. It is much to be regretted that (he heavy moorings for the roadstead, some time since sent for by the Pri.vinciiu Government, had not. arrived; as. by their means, the ship might possibly havo held on until the gale abated. They are expected to reach Napier in November nest ; as well as n life boat built tor this port, and one of Manby's mortnrs for (ho preservation of life from wrecked vessels. We trust it muy be many years before any of these will be necessary ; but it will )>e a satisfaction to know that they are at hand in cose of an emergency*