WRECKAGE WASHED ASHORE

Taranaki Daily News, 29 August 1921, Page 6

WRECKAGE WASHED ASHORE

QUANTITY NEAR AWAKINO.

AMERICAN-BUILT SHIP.

The Collector of Customs at New Plymouth (Mr. R. D. B. Eyre), in order to more fully investigate the wreckage which was recently found on the beach near Awakino, secured the services of Mr. Jas. A. Bysantson, pilot at Mokau, to make an examination of the material, and his report has now been received. It practically confirms the first result of examination, but gives some further details, which are of interest. Mr. Bysantson says:—

After careful examination I am satisfied it is a portion of the top side of an American-built ship. There were seven pieces of the frame or ribs of the ship, all of which were of the futtock timbers and head timbers of the frame. These were of Baltic pine and measured 12in.

; :< Win., and from seven to nine feet ; long. There were also two pieces of Oregon pine planking; one was 12 x 5J neheci, the other was 12 x 4 inches, and ; both about 14ft. long; the thicker plank j of the two is from the inside lining of • the ship, well up under the deck beams, • and the oYher was a piece of the outside ; planking, obviously from the upper part •of the ship’s side. I also cut out some : •■•i the fastenings; I have one spike %in. i square and 9in. long; also one gin. square and 12in. long; but most of the ■ fastenings are trenails made of Canada • Elm and Igin. to l%in. in diameter. I i should say that this wreckage is part of ! a ship which would have been from 800 ; to 1000 tons register, also a comparatively new ship, as all the timber is ‘ fresh and sound. Neither would it have I been in the water for any great length i of time, as there is not the slightest ! sign of marine growth of any sort on it. ; Another thing which satisfies me she i was a fairly new ship is that I found on examining the outside plank that the ship had never been caulked after the original caulking that was put in when the ship was built. I found nothing whatever, by which the ship could be identified, either as to name or rig.