MYSTERY OF THE SEA.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 February 1918, Page 6

MYSTERY OF THE SEA.

WfIECKAGIE AT TE AItAROA. SHIP EVIDENTLY BURNED TO WATER'S EDGE. No SIGN OF THE CREW. By Telegraph—Presn Association. Cisborne, "Feb. 23. An official' expresses the opinion that wreckage found on the Wanganni beach is not connected with that found at To Araroa. Jt is about SO feet in length and It foci' in width, ctovered with marine growth l)ut few barnacles. There is evidence of the timber (Oregon pine) being charred. The Cisborne Times gives further information of n wrecked vessel that eame ashore on the beach near Te Araroa. Apparently, it says, the remains were,those of a three-masted wooden vessel, about 12-! feet on the keel. Only the keel and part, of the sides was left, and n few American coins and :i ball l hook were found. Telephonic advices from Te Araroa showed that the facts were as stated in the above messnse and the indications pointed clearly to the fact that (lie remains were those of an American sailing ship. Tin- wreckage, which was probably driven ashore a.- a result of the prevailing easterly storm, comprises the keel plate and lower plankim; of a ship, am: there arc indications that she was the victim of thai mo..t terrible of all experiences, a fire at sea. The upper portions of the planking are charred and burned, and it, would appear that ih" vessel was burned right to the water'., id'je, th" portion which has come ashore b>it:;.i all that was not consumed 1 by the flames. Color is lent to the theory of n fire it sea by the (iisenvery of portions of benzine case-; and nnny of the little labels from benzine tins. It is fairly obvious, so those who have viewed the wreckage -av. that the vessel Was engaged in carrviii:; t hi',' consignment of benvive end ttutt. her (humorous cargo was set ablaze. Thai the tr!t"edv was of recent date is r-voveil bv the discovery anions the timbers of a hat, the lining of which !« padded with portion of a San Francisco nevsp.-nnr dated .inly 17, 101". while Ih'Tc were ,"|so dsfovcred a number of Am-ri-ii! ,e,is dated 1!)I7. Tlie hat its: If contains the name of n '■'"'i :-'i—"-'.-- > One of haberdashers, and this, tvilh the cuius, the evidences of .. ~..; . .,, ,, r !,-ifi-e. and |V> newspaper. lead, i--:i-i!v to -le- ■ nprosition that the •h;n •':• ■ '"''!>■ o"t nf an America* ; rri. >••..'.,;.!.- vv Australasia, with a. i-T"it of ease oil when die met w'itli disTl»r« is alvnln-dv >,o trace of the vessel's- nam" and tiolhii.i'' else which wopM "iv.. •• elee to her i-lentitv. but I'tniiii-io. -1,:,], .-;n be iit.-titnted should leave r,(| room for mistake in clearing it;. <!.:„ : .,■,:..!. "The tintli.(;-- -l-eleinn ott the beach nt [Tick's Hay," wii"s m \y correspondent. ,; is an ( ,f seine LTim tragedy of the sea Whoso was th" shin and where are the '...iiii-n' sop]s who sailed her .•,,.:. ;••-! vt!.. l-uMfir.' These ouestlons at pre-'on! are shror.Tod in mystery: but ('•"■ v ;.■ .u"".- : .-ei| i.yiden«e io enahle the offi..;-! ii:p U 'rc:r. to s C | t |, P , n[ ,tter nt ro-1." Te Arat-oa ae.-l th" whole Coast district ".■ns i!tvf"vn itiio .•> t!i'!' ■;• o." cveiteinent by the ilis -.err of ib" wreckage ann ......p-;...,!],. ~,.. ~.],,,!., ,].,.. ~..,. sp „„ t in theorising ;ip:ii> !h" whys "ml the whorefors of the disaster. Stormy weatherhas preveilor! oe the coast for nearlv a tied rt first it was thought that the vc--.-I luvl been vrrcWd on the coast d'lrire;' the rib.lil. but th- subsequent dis<Mv.'-v.- of her . h-.i-.-.-.d timbers lef: lit!!.' doubt its to 1i.0.v the vessel met her f:lle. Th" .-' i|i v.a- .■i.vpareutlv a tltree-maM-ed ve-s->! of he>Mivi:'ine or s-dtooner ria and voe.h! !.. ~1 ■..-.;,< i:,:l tops burden. I: i- i'i:"i rst.i oil thai oi'iio a number of ••hips e.t:swtfiif,' i.t the-e requirements are at miwi-.t ne.'.i:" d in lite Americtif oil trade, pi.-hnoj up Ih-ir e"n;oes of ease oil a! Pt:, ■('..• ]„„•(.■ of the I'nited States and conveying them to the Islands, Auk. trclian port-'. -Tap-n and (he Ear East. Stti-h a V | . 0.,i,j ).,].,, . lnv (],j n „ f rom two month* to si* to cfo.-,s from the Aniericii! con -t t" thes- waters and quite possibly wnuhl n,t be reported more tli si it mice or tv.l; ■ on the voyage, so that :i-si;i'i't,i. tlett site made a speedv voyace '-efore sh" m"! with disaster, some weeks may elapse before her owners be 'omeycrvions as to her fate. A \essel of the si'/p indicated would be vovhhd with two or more lifeboats providim: ample accommodation for the crew in eve of ep<er"cncv and advice may yet be received that the ill-fated sailormen have been jiicked up or have effected a binding on one of the outlying islands.

From the sfate of preservation in which the newspaper was found, it mav he assumed that the dialer occurred not very far from the New Zealand coast and as a heavy north-easter has been in progress oil' (he coast for some days, it is reasonable to assume tlittf t)to'seunc of the trouble was north-eastward of East Cape and within a few days' sail of thai point.