Unsuccessful Attempt to Tow the Steamer Off.

Te Aroha News, Volume I, Issue 28, 15 December 1883, Page 4

Unsuccessful Attempt to Tow the Steamer Off.

TiritiKi, p.m. I arrived here by the Macgregor at eleven o'clock, having 'been dropped by that s^amer on her way to Wnangdrei. For, this courtesy I have to thank Captain Mac- 1 gregdr, Manager of the Jforthern Steamship Company, ftrid Captain Johnston, master of the' vessel.' We made a smart run down, the trip being accomplished under the two hours. Thereis no difference in the position of the Triumph; but her stern is lower than when theSteila'cante down yesterday.' This is probably due to tn'e fact that the tide, is lower, and^that coal is being shifted alt. Lighters aTe"'alongside taEing in oargo, while; the Argyle was here all the morning, and, goes to town at noon. Men are busily engaged just now

carrying the ooal aft, where it is being stowed with the object of putttng the steamer down by the atom; The ■wind is from the northward, but there is rea lly no sea yet, Should the breeze freshen, there would be a good deal of back surf, amd the position would be a great deal more dangerous than it at present is.

Attempt to Tow Her Off. Tlie first attempt to tow the vessel off was made this morning by the Rose Casey, but it was not even successf ul in moving her. Captain Nearing, who is superintending operations, tells me that h« believes thai the ship would have been taken off iftherehad been more power available, the tide being a splendid one. The attempt will be renewed to morrow morning;, when it is intended to have both the Waitaki and. Glenelg down. As I have already said, the Rose Casey made the effort this morning. At higfe tide there was 18 feet of water abaft the fore-rigging, and she started with the object of towing the Triumph's head off the rocks, but the big vessel did not move at all. This proves that tho rocks are either through her bottom, or that she is jammed hard and fast between two ledges. In view of the further attempt to-morrow, the water in the compartment is being pumped low, and the work of deepening the stern is proceeding. Captain Nearing says he hopes to have the ship in harbour tomorrow, but this is r of course, merely a hope. There is not the slightest doubt that she is in a most dangerous position, and while it is trusted that she may come off all right, there are equal probabilities that she ■will be a total wreck.

The Further Conversation with the Captain.— His Explanation. The circumstances of the casualty having caused a great deal of surprise, and the statements previously made regarding it being so vague, I interviewed the captain with tbo object of getting a clean, account of how the disaster really happened, I was courteously received, and my questions were all willingly answered. The conversation which took pace war as follows :—: — Reeporter :—lt: — It is said in town that you first struck Shearer Rock, and th^en subsequently went ashore at Tiritiri. Is that so? Captain : No. We mn straight .iground atTiiitiri. Reporter : Did you see Tiritiri light before you struck ? Captain : Yes. Reporter : Did you know it was TirrUiri ? Captain : Yen ; I did. Reporter : Then, why did you not keep away '{ Captain : Well, I had no idea that we were so ebse in. We saw the land, but it appeared to be much furthor oft' than it really was. Reporter : Whore did Pilot Burgess leaves the vessel ? Captain : I cannot exactly say, but I believe it was two miles past Rangitoto. Reporter : Do you believe that the pilot, gave you the correct course ? Captain : Yes, but I did not take the course from him. I believe the course he told me was N.E. \ by North, but I did not. steer his course. Reporter : How do you moan ? Captain : Well, I told him I would steer for the island (Tiritiri), and he replied, "Well, give it a berth." Reporter : Then what was your course ? Captain : I did not take any particular course from the pilot, but I stood for the island, thinking to make a direct course from there to Cape Colville, but, unfortunately, I came too close to the island. Reporter : Well, when the ship .struck, I suppose she went straight up on the rock, and did not bump more than once. Captain : Yes. Reporter : Were you shorthandod -when you left port ? Captain : Yes, but not very much. We shipped several hands in Auckland. The crew numbers 44 all told. Reporter : Was there any officer on the look-out forward "i Captain : No, but there was a sailor on the look-out. Reporter : Did he give any warning ? Captain : No, he did not give any warning, until we were right on top or it Roporter : Well, "when he did give the alarm, how far were you really from the land? Captain : We were close up to it. Ido not suppose we Mere more than 100 or 150 yards from it. Reporter : Did you see the land yourself at that time ? Captain : I saw it at the samo time as he did. Reporter : What did you do then ? Captain : Well, I simply gave the order " full speed astern," and' then put the helm hard aport. Reporter : Did she strike very heavily ? Captain :#Yes, she struck very heavily. Reporter : Did that change her course outwards ? Captain : No, she slewed in and struck. Reporter : What time did she strike ? Captain :At 10. 15 p.m. Reporter : What did you do when you found she would not move ? Captain : We tried to get her off with the engines, of course. The water was falling when we ran aground. We got the anchor out astern, and tried to kedge off. Reporter : Did anyone go ashore ? Captain : No one left the vessel. Reporter : Did you make an examination at that time to see if there was any water in the forehold ? Captain : Yes, to be sure. Reporter : How much water had she in ? Captain : About five feet. Reporter: At t that time, do you think there were any irockß showing through the bottom ? Captain : There were no rocks j at least we could not see any. Reporter : Is it true that the cargo was forced upwards by the concussion through the fore-hatch ? Captain : No, it is not true. Reporter: What was done through the night f Captain : I kept the engines going astern all night, and at daybreak I ran a kedge out with the object of kedging her faff, but she did not move at all. Reporter : What speed were you going at when she struck ? Captain : Nine or ten knots. Reporter : Was it a clear starlight night when you struck ? Captain : Yes, fairly clear. Reporter : By whom is the vessel owned ? Captain; By Mclntyre Brothern, Newcastle and London. She has been in the Atlantic and China Trade, and this is my second trip in her; the other being to I China. Reporter : Is the vessel insured ? Captain ; Yes ; in the mutual, Lloyd's, and other companies ; but Ido not know to what amount. Reporter : Was the man on the look-out sober ? Captain : Welli I wouldn't like to say. I didn't see him. I daresay some of the crew would have, been pretty jolly ooming down.

Survey by Captain Clayton. Captain Clayton made a survey this morning, and in his report recommends the course being pursued py Captain bearing to get the vessel off.