BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.
PORT CHALMERS. ABKIVED. August 5, 7 a.m. — Tararna, s.s., from Bluff. August 4, 12.55 p.m. — A^ambra, s.s., from Melbourne. August 6, 7 a.m. — Tarauaki, s.s., from Lyttelton. SAILED. August 6, 1.30 p.m. — Tararua, s.s., for North..
WbECKS Ai 1 HOKITIKA AITD GrKEYirOTTTH. — As already reported, there have lately been three vessels stranded at Hokitika, and one at Greymouth, in addition to minor disasters. The following particulars as to the wrecks at Hokitika appear in the " West Coast Times " : — The Bmall Bchooner Alice was capsized by a heavy sea whilst attempting to enter under canvas. Three men •were in the vessel, but managed to cling to it, and were rescued from the surf by the bystanders. The poor fellows were terribly exhausted, and the captain was almost insensible when conveyed ashore. Several persons distinguished themselves in rescuing the crew, and in the evening the.vessel was recovered and hauled aaliora hy voluntary workers. A public subscription, which has already reached LIOO, has been started for tihe relief of the sufferers. The schooner Gratitude, a Hobart Town vessel, arrived in the roadstead with a full cargo of Tasmanian produce, chiefly consigned to Mr W. Fisher. After tying a week, she was being towed in by the Lioness, with the beacons dead on. The tug cleared the narrows all right, but her tow, less fortunate, touched upon the Nobby sand patch, terminating the North Spit. At this critical moment the sudden jerk upon the tow h'ne caused the hitch to slip, and the time lost in getting the warp aboard again sealed her fate. The Lioness . behaved splendidly, and very nigh came to grief herself, as she also grounded upon the North Spit whilst struggling to get the other off. The poor Gratitude was evidently a doomed craft, as she twisted and Btrained awfully when hit by the seas, and before the tide fell had started her entire stern frame. Another fine vessel, the Fredric, came to grief on the North Spit. Being one of the heaviest vessels amongst the fleet, the attempt to tow her inside was postponed from day to day, until, warranted by the condition of the baj% and as the slight freshet of yesterday morning gave the channel a good scouring, it was resolved to Beize the only opportunity likely to occur until next spring tides, and if possible get the Frederic to the wharf. The tug Lioness was entrusted with the rather hazardous job, and having grappled with her charge, headed for the bar just on the top of high water. The result was not long in doubt, for scarcely had the barque passed the outer break before she struck on. what is termed the outer bar, but which is merely the end of the long sand flat that, delta-shaped, extends some distance from the river's mouth. She hung for a moment, then forged ahead, but her way being deadened was set by the sea towards the schooner Gratitude, and at last stranded on the same sand pitch within twenty or thirty yards of that vessel. Both the Lioness and Challenge failed to take her off, and she was discharged. The Frederic had 200 tons of a valuable cargo on board, chiefly consisting of bonded and case goods. She is solely owned by Messrs PL?ott and Co., of Melbourne. The following are the particulars of the loss of the Harriett, as given in the " Grey Eiver Argus": — "The Harriett arrived off Greymouth all well on Friday, 12th, having made a favorable voyage from Melbourne. The DisDatch came out to tow her in, but an accident happened with the tow rope and broke her windlass, and after touching the bank she was obliged to return to the offing again and anchor. The cable (chain) was made fast to the mainmast, and she remained outside at anchor until Thursday, at about 4 p.m., when, a heavy south-wester blowing at the time, a sea struck her, made a clean sweep over her decks, washed away the longboat from amidships, knocked the crew all into the scuppers, started the galley and nearly washed it into the sea, and parted the cable. The yeseel immediately began to drift towards the south spit, on which she brought up, and remained apparently safe until high water, when she drifted further in, and eventually grounded in a soft sandy spet at the southern end of the spit. Here she remains upright, almost high and dry at low water, but exposed to the full breach of the sea. No hopes are entertained of her ever floating again, as she is manifestly breaking up fore and aft, several butt-ends are started, and at the making of the tide she will disappear altogether in a few tides. Fortunately both the vessel and the greater part of the cargo are fully insured. She has about 150 tons of general cargo on board, 120 of which are consigned to Messrs Wright and Co., and these are insured to the wharf. The remainder, we believe, is unluckily only insured to the anchorage. The freight consists -very largely of bottled beet and spirits, •which of course will receive little or no damage, but there are some thirty tons of flour, which will be considerably injured. • '
Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ST18670807.2.3.4
Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka
Southland Times, Issue 706, 7 August 1867, Page 2
Word count
Tapeke kupu
874BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH. Southland Times, Issue 706, 7 August 1867, Page 2
Using this item
Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi
No known copyright (New Zealand)
To the best of the National Library of New Zealand’s knowledge, under New Zealand law, there is no copyright in this item in New Zealand.
You can copy this item, share it, and post it on a blog or website. It can be modified, remixed and built upon. It can be used commercially. If reproducing this item, it is helpful to include the source.
For further information please refer to the Copyright guide.