BIG GALE AT FIJI.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3440, 20 March 1920, Page 2

BIG GALE AT FIJI.

I. SERIOUS SHIPPING LOSSES.

SUVA (I“lJ.[)_, M:11'(:h 2‘

The barollleter started to fall on Tuesday, and that night gun sigzmlrs Warned all in the capital to expect :1

~llul'l'iezllle, and at Once the sonnd of the hallllllel’ was heard in the land’, as 111011, wolllell, 111111 children proceeded to board up willdows, and. batten down doors. All Wedllesd:ly :1 soutll-east. and soutlierly gale raged with a wind strength of 7 to 8. Ext T2lvillll'l 11110 wind was reported as 1.1, 11ltl1-ollgh 1) would be nearer tlle 111511-k. The steamers ’l‘llt:lllekai. 211111 Allll-.-,1 left the wllarf and anchored in the h:11'bo11r, where a French slop of war had come for shelter on her way from N011111e:: to Talliti. There. was no damage done so t'al' as could be :Iseertailled. 011 Thursday night, colnnlunicatiorl with Levuka was re—establislled, and then a ‘tale of woe and loss was heard. 011 Wednesday the wind veered to the soutll-west, off tlle land, and lthe Hllippillg‘ was at once ill trouble. The big folll'-111:1St1-<1 .»\lller'leall schooner Ca,rl-ier Dove, laden with 7815 tons of copra by Blll'll.'~‘, I‘}lilp 111111 Co., Ltd, and about to clear for "Frise.o, after losing three anchors, drove on the main reef, and lies leaky on a 51111115’ bottom. It is hoped she will be refloated after lightering :1 portion of her cargo. The Tui. Momi, :1 fl2lt-bottomed allx'llillry euttelj, broke 21d1'ift and disappeal'ell in the 111ist 2111111 spmy 011 the reef. As it was high tide she trot Over, but must soon llzlve >o'vertlll'lled. wllen two .T:lpallese, the only 1110,11 on bozll'll, are supp():~‘L‘d 1o lla*.'e pel'i.<lled. The 3101111101‘ Adi Kevu (lrifted and fouled Burns. ‘PIIII pand Co.’s anxilr iary ketch C‘lloiseul, and got tallgled with and grnl_'>l>led. The l:ltter’s skipper out down his 111;1.~"1*s, and both vessels \'.'elltllel‘ed the 1:101:11. The euttevr Adi Toro, owned by 11ati\'e.<, blew out to sea and is pcsled as lost. The eu’c-A tel‘ VVillit're<,l, owned by 1-lop 111111: and 00., was also blown out. As she went tl11;ough tlle m2'lill passage oft‘ 1\":1'1l1oro‘~ koro the 11:.1tive crew jumped overboard and reached lhe pile light,

wllenco thC_\' \.\'ol‘o .o\'on’rnally I‘C.\'(‘ll(‘Ll. The cnftm‘ M_oumo Aelu was blown aslmi-e. 'l.‘ho launch Adi Kelvin blow u\\'a_\f, but was waslml asl1o1'(=. Fears are ell‘;ertainc—d for Brown and .Tosko-’g cutter Tu Tllllll and Burns, Philp and Co.’s Smnna, wllicll were all down near HlO Lau. Group, wlwre Hm storm is supposed to have had its centre. The cocozlmrf and banana plnn.‘ation.< oscupel any hm‘ vol*_\;’ triflingj damage.

.ILal‘ol'.——The Yilni.l:lgi, owned by I\iTCSSI‘S '..He.ds‘;rom, was found was-‘ned on to the roof at Cicia. but will probab}y be floated. The Tui Momi was smashed ‘to bits on the I'v9{?' at Batiki, 20 nlilog E.S.E. of Levukn.