H.M.S. DART. Supposed to be Lost. HER WHALEBOAT FOUND. BOAT FULLY PROVISIONED LIFE BELTS ON THE BEACH. BEACHES TO BE SEARCHED.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 381, 29 June 1889, Page 5

H.M.S. DART. Supposed to be Lost. HER WHALEBOAT FOUND. BOAT FULLY PROVISIONED LIFE BELTS ON THE BEACH. BEACHES TO BE SEARCHED.

Anckland^July 25. News of a most startling character: respecting H.M.S. Dart was received by wire from Wellington this afteinoon. It wiil be remembered that the Dart left Auckland for Sydney on June 2nd, and on the following day returned to por^ It appeared that the weather being so rough outside, the new rigging of the vessel became quite slack through the great strain put upon it, and Captain Frederick thought it advisable to return and get it reset rather than run the risk of losing any of his spars at sea. The Dart left again on the 6th ; and since then no fuither news of her has been received. There is now reason to fear that some mishap has befallen her, as it will be seen from the appended telegrams that her boat, fully provisioned, has been found in a bay near Mongonui, and that life belts marked with the broad arrow have also been found along the coast : —

"Wellington, 2.33 p.m. The Government have received a message from Mongonai stating that a whale boat has been found in Tom Bowling Bay, near the North Cape, containing carpenters' tools, a lifebuoy, and provisions. The boat bears the name of H.M.s. Dart, and it is feared some accident may have happened to the vessel during the recent rough weather. The Premier has received a telegram from Mongonui to-day to the effect that a boat has been found in Tom Bowling Bay, west of the North Cape, bearing the name H.M.s. Dart. She is fully piovisioned, and with a* mast, carpenters' tools, and life belts on board. Further down the coast were other life belts marked with the broad arrow. The Government have given instructions that all the beaches in the neighbourhood are to be thoroughly searched.

Wellington, 3.5 p.m. Further intelligence from Mongonui states that besides the Darba boat, a number oi life-belts have been picked up by Maoris scattered along the coast. The Government have sent instructions for a thorough search.

The following is a list of the officers of the Dart — Lieutenant-Commander, Fredericks ; Lieutenants H. J. Gedge, W. P. Dawson, Y. P. Wells ; staff- surgeon, W. M. Roe; engineer, W. J. Webb; paymaster, M. W. Sullivan ; boatswain, P. Smith. The Dart had a crew of 62 officers and men, all told. Her armament consisted solely of 'two rifled, nine pounders and two gatling guns She had a net register was 470 tons, and she was rigged as a topsail schooner. She was originally built as a pleasure yacht for Lord Eglinton, and then purchased for Sir Arthur Gordon, then Governor of Fiji, for use amongst the Fiji Islands. In 1882 ahe^was sold to the British Government. She was re - commisioned for survey duty viand of the vessel since January last, when early this year in Auckland, and was to proceed to the New Guinea and Louisiade Coast. She was a smart looking yacht-like little vessel, with engines of 200 horsepower, under sail she attained a speed of 13£ knots per hour. On several occasions she had been engaged in supervising the native labour traffic in the New Hebrides, and in inflicting punishment upon the natives of theVauvau Islands for murders and outrages committed on white traders. The Dart has made frequent visits to Auckland, and her ' officers were verypopular amongst the townspeople. Commander Fredericks had only been in comhe came out from Home and succeeded Cap tain Field. Just before she left Auckland a fortnight ago her officers were entertained at a farewell ball in the Choral Hall.