WRECK OF THE ORPHEUS.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 October 1919, Page 9

WRECK OF THE ORPHEUS.

TRAGEDY OF MANUKAU BAR. HEROISM IN FACE OF DEATH, The presentation to Admiral and Lady Jellicoe, at Onehunga, last week, of souvenirs made from the timber of H.M.S. Orpheus recalls one of the most terrible sea tragedies associated with the history of Auckland. H.M.S. Orpheus, a new corvette of 21 guns, 1700 tons, was wrecked on the Manukau Bar on the afternoon of Saturday, February 7, 1863, no fewer than 185 lives being lost out of a totpl snip's oompany of 256, The calamity occurred in broad daylight and fine weather; an inquiry was subsequently held, when questions were raised as to the confusion of signals from the shore, conflict of sailing directions and charts, also the warning given by a seaman who had crossed the bar on a previous occasion. After a fair passage from Sydney, the Orpheus came abreast of the Manukau Heads at noon on February 7. At 1.30 p.m. she struck hard on the bar, and orders were given to- back full speed astern. But the ship had struck hard and fast; the engines could not move her, and she fell broadside to the rollers. The sea knocked away her stem post, port bulwarks, and boats, and made a clean sweep of the whole ship. CHEERS IN FAREWELL OF HFE. In this desperate crisis Commodore Burnett exhibited the utmost coolness and courage. He gave orders for a midshipman to talc e a cutter with the records, ship's books, etc. The cutter got safely away, but was soon lost to Bight, and the pinnace followed her up. Meantime those aboard the Orpheus were undergoing a truly awful experience. A launch was got over the side with 40 men to lay out the anchors, in the hope of making grapplings fast to haul the vessel into smooth water. But the ebbing tide swept the bunch under the bows of the doomed ship, where it was stove in ana nearly all on, board drowned. After several terrible hours, the heavy guns broke adrift, tearing up the upper deck; as the tide rose higher the breakers became heavier and at flood tide, half-past six, the masts began to go. A heart-rending incident occurred when the main mast went, the men taking refuge on it giving three cheers, as if in farewell of life. These were answered by the men on the other masts, and a few minutei later all was over, and the sea had taken full toll of as brave and loyal a ship's company as ever sailed under the Empire's flag. The few men who were eventually saved succeeded in getting down from the jib-stay on to the jib-boom, dropping thence into smooth water, where they were picked up by boats from the steamer Wonga Wonga. Many of them were badly injured and maimed by the falling masts and guns. At 10.30 that night the pinnace came up with H.M.S. Harrier, and that vessel also went to the rescue. When the steamer Avon went to the scene of the wreck at 2 a.m. on Sunday morning not a vestige of the Orpheus remained. A great deal of wreckage was afterwards washed ashore on the west coast, from a portion of which the souvenirs presented to the admiral and Lady Jellicoe were fashioned. AUCKLAND'S DAY OF MOURNING. The survivors from the wreck were treated with the utmost care and kindness. Auckland was stunned by the appalling tragedy that had taken'place at her very portals, and the subsequent interment of the remains of the victims in the Symonds Street Cemetery was accompanied by full Military honors, and a cortege that is remembered by old Auckland residents to the present day. A day of mourning was observed in memory of the dead, church services held, and a fund established for the widows and orphans. The heroism of the ship's commander and all that fine company of men made a deep impression on the minds of Aucklanders, and served as an inspiration to the life of the young community so soon to meet the full tragedy and ordeal of the Waikato war. The hearts of citizens were stirred as they never had been before, and for many long years Aueklanders told with sorrow and pride the story of heroes who cheered as they went down witk their ship on the shores of Manukau.