WRECK OF THE GENERAL GRANT.

Southland Times, Issue 889, 27 January 1868, Page 2

WRECK OF THE GENERAL GRANT.

• ■■■-■ .'. ■ MEETING- OF CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. (Front the Otago Daily Times.) A meeting of the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce was held yesterday, at, the Athenaeum. Mr A. Carrick, Vice- President, was in the chair. The other members present were Messrs L. O. Beal, J. L. Butterworth, J. B. Mudie, A. M'Kiiinon, G. S. Bi;odrick, J. Davie, H. Law, W. A. Tolmie; Cr Caldwell^ X, B : Martin, J. Yogel, H. ißtoughton, T. B. Ulph, and J. S. Webb (Secretary). . . The Chairman stated that the meeting had been called for the purpose of bringing under the attention of the General Government the desireablenessof asleamer being despatched to the Auckland and Campbell's Islands, to make search for any possible survivors of the wreck of the General Grant or other vessels. The Provincial Secretary had suggested to him that the subject was one which deserved the attention of the Chamber of Commerce, and in the absence of Mr Cargill, who was at Melbourne, he thought it wise to call the meeting. Captain M'Kinnon, as well as the Provincial Secretary, had taken some interest in the matter, and he would explain what was suggested sh.o.uld b.e done.

Captain M'Kinnon said $afci **A ;**¥£ tical man, he naturally look an inrferesl y in the matter, and he- coincided with .the opinion expressed in the Daily. Time* that sit was sui absurdity to despatch, a sailing vessel' to the: groups .of .island^ where it was supposed there itiijjhtstill bg ; surYivorfs fq£ the GeueraL Q-raht; ?He thought ifiat, in the cause of humanity alone, a steamer should be despatched, if a vessel were procurable at a reasonable cost, and that the matter was one in which the Chamber should interest itself. There was the chance, though it might be small, that the boat's crew who left thjb Auckland Islands" with £he intention of reaching Ifew Zealand, had been driven to C)aifl|!--bell's'lsland by the westerlr winds' which prevailed after they started dn their' - voyage". If thi^y were alive. at all* it; was probable they would be foiiud there^ and to make anything like a . satisfactory; eiarainatidn of *.. these groups ofiilandfi i steamer was atfsoldtel^necelsar^i ■, v . . Tne. Cliairinin remarked that it was now more than two years. since a steamer had visited the. Auckland Islands, .ana evei^on that ground alone they were entitled to impress upon the Government the necessity of sending one. It Avas most desirable that those islands 7 should be visited at stated intervals; T ■ .-. Capk.M'Kinnon said there could be no question as to the impropriety: of ; Select ing a sailing vessel $ especially : if rine'we^ to visit the west coast, Where, jthe" dis£s)4.: ter : to the (ieneral Grant had happened. Mr Tolmie thought that if aY steamer 1 were despatched, as he hoped would be the case, the Government should be impressed with the propriety of her not returning hastily. The islands to lje. visited were intricate and difficult of access, and;, there might be, in different secluded situations, survivors from the General Grant, or from other wrecks^ A sailing yesseL wouldt be ■of no use -, whef eas" ; W steamer could cruise' aboUtj and cprAe to be seen ftr heard by suipvivorsj i^ any wer<i pa the coast. . ( x The Chairman reminded the meeting V that when Captaiu Musgrave was .on the Auckland Islands, the. survivors, of the Invercauld were also there ; yet the parties were unacquainted with each other'a distressed situation. _...._;„■„.' Mr Yogel mentioned that he had seen Mr- Baker, Chief Surveyor of Sottllv ■ land. He had gone to the Auckland Islands with the last" expedition, and had made a long report, -which,'" however, he had not with him. But he described the islands, as, a. fearful .placej quite- unfit .for ; settlement, and the reports -givenby^ the survivors of the General Grant fully coif* robbrated previous experiences: 1^ t!\kkd^ was just a- chance? that the -boat's Crew A which had started had reached Camp-: bell's Island. They did not know which AVay to steer ; but. the, cour^e ; they had i taken probably brought them thither> Mr Baker quite agreed with him that it wasentirely useless to send a sailing brigir=" It was quite certain that a brig could not make the thorough examination that waa : -.~. •requiaite, and he thought that ;if the ? ~ uuamueL' 01 UOmmerce conaiaerea tnat the search, as proposed, was requißite^theGeneral Government would comply with— the suggestion. ; Even -jf the brig pro* posed to be dispatcuedj should be dis-_ patched, a subsequent trip^ would, be , inevitably necessary; '- '■ ■■'■'■ }-. -\-[ ■■•:-'- ? : ; ;Mr Tolmie. moved, " That a deputatidrt from this Chamber do wait upon the Provincial government, _ and impress upon it the desirability of sending^a__steamer v at once to the Auckland Islands 1 1 and Campbell's Islands, to search for missing or shipwrecked seamen, such steamer to be well found in all ajjpljances for such rescue, if necessary, and jfcijat the^ boat, have full'time allawecl i i?^^»k(B a' ' .thorough examination." ' Gapt M'Kinnon seconded the motion^ which was unanimously agreed to. . . * It -was ■inoTed by "Mr DavieV T seconded 1 by Mr'CALDWELL,arid also agreed to—^ "That the Government be urged to form depots of provisions and boats,- and to leave, supplies of .live stock .at various , points upon the Auckland and Campbell's. Islands." "]'\ , Z '.>->: ; Mr Yogel stated that, in the opinion of -Mr-Baker,-there ought to be three depots on the islands, , and . that it was most;? essential that boats should -be included^ Mr Harris, the.Solicitor-General, he. said, had telegraphed to* the Colonial Secretary, calling his attention to the matter ; and the Colonial Secretary replied that he < 4iad~ been in communication^ witn' | Southland, and had directed evetytning l to be done for the rescued persons. '■ He. . did not, however^ seem to consider it necessary to send down any relief. Of course he was at that time only advised of the. circumstances by telegraph ; but the de . tailed information which would 'be re-;i ceived afterwards wouldj -•' no doiibt, x enco urage him to recognise the inecessit y for something being done: " It was agreed that the deputatioar should at once wait upon thelGoyernr . J inent; and, in the absence" of; the Super-' intendent, . , Mr Yogel expressed* J his; " willingness io receiye; theni as Provincial . Secretary.