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Colonist, Volume IV, Issue 425, 19 November 1861, Page 2

The Steamer PncENix. —We regret to have to announce that a serious disaster has befallen this vessel, which will entail a severe pecuniary loss upon her spirited proprietor and deprive the port of Auckland, for some time at least, of the service which she has been proved to be capable of rendering as a coasting steamer. The Phoenix, having been chartered Tor the purpose, was about to make a trial trip as far as Mongonui, calling at all the intervening ports. Everything necessary in the way of preparation having, 'as is asserted, been made previously, at four o'clock a.m. the fires were lighted. The attention of the engineer was shortly afterwards drawn to tha stafe of the boiler, the surface of which was observed to be heating rapidly, nnd on examination it was found that nearly the whole ot the water had been let out, of the boiler during tha-night. The consequence of-this act has been confined to the injury of the boiler itself, which it will cost two hundred pounds to repair; but it might, under other cifcurnstances, have caused the destruction of the vessel and the loss of the lives of all on board. Wo have seen the report of the engineer who has examined the vessel, in which he stales that he can discover no defect in the outer shell of the boiler, in its connexions with the engine, or in the blow-off cock, to account—supposing the boiler to have been filled—for the water having escaped. It is positively maintained by those on board that the boiler had been duly filled. The conclusion to which the owner of the vessel appears to have come is, that, the net of lettting off the water was a malicious one. and ho has offered a reward of fifty pounds for such information as may lead to the conviction of the person or persons who perpetrated it.— New Zealander.