THE WRECK OF THE CITY OF CASHMERE AT TIMARU.

Temuka Leader, Issue 905, 17 January 1882, Page 3

THE WRECK OF THE CITY OF CASHMERE AT TIMARU.

Tha above ship was wrecked in Timaru Harbor d,nring last Saturday night under very peculiar circumstances. The sea was so smooth at the time that two outriggers belonging to the Boating Club ■were out during the afternoon, and the vessel was lying at anchor in the berth where she had been taking in cargo for the previous three w r eeks. At about 4 o’clock on Saturday afternoon the vessel was noticed to be drifting, owing to the pin in the shackle having come out. Captain Mills, the Harbor Master, got on board with all possible speed, and shortly 7 afterwards was followed by the commander of the vessel, Captain Ross, who was on shore at the time. About three quarters of a mile from her original berth she dropped her second anchor, but that did not hold her, and the little steamer Lillie Denham was made fast to her but all efforts to keep the vessel from drifting proved unaviling. A breeze came off the land and* the spanker and stay-sails were set hoping to. take her out to sea by that means and the assistance of the Lillie Denham, but,-as by a strange fatality, the breeze died away and she continued to drift onwards, toward her destruction. At 10.30 p.m. the Rocket Brigade who had assembled at their station ready for action noticed the distress rocket sent up frora'her and proceeded at once with their aparatns to her assistance. They found her 400 yards from the beach off' the Washdyke lagoon, The fifth rocket they fired was caught, and at 1.20 they effected communication, between the vessel and the shore. The, Brigade worked well, as also did the police, but though there was a large • number of ■ spectators present many of them rendered very li f tle assisttan ce in holding the rope on. which the crew landed from the vessel. Earnest entreaties were umde to them to assist, but with the exception of a few the crowd disregarded the call for assistance, thinking no doubt that as it was dark they would not be individually known. The work of the brigade, therefore, was very hard and they deserved credit for the manner in which they- acquitted themselves, At 2.40 a.m. the twenty one persons who whereon board the.ill-fated vessel were all landed safely the harbormaster and Captain Ross being the last to forsake her. The ship was still riding- by her two anchors Ifead seawards and it was hoped the Grafton would arrive in time enough, to save her About 9 o’clock next morning, however, she canted broadside on the beach and was, washed'high and dry, and no hope was left of ever seeing, her float again. The City of Cashmere, was an iron vessel of 980 tons register, and had three water-tight compartments. She was built in 1863 by Stevens, of Glasgow, under special survey, and at the time of her wreck was o vned by- Messieurs Smith and Sons, of that port, and was in tiie highest class at Lloyds, This is Captain Ross’s first voyage in her, he having taken charge of her at Home, and brought her ont by way of Calcutta and Lyttelton to Timaru. She has on board 2749 sacks of •wheat, 276, sacks of flour, and 486 bales of wool, shipped Messrs Miles, Archer and Co., who where insured-in the Union Company’s Office. Mr J. L. Morris, of Pleasant Point, had 1600 sacks of wheat in her, which was insured in the South British. The owners of the vessel were their own underwriters. The official inquiry into the cause of the disaster will be held next Wednesday, It is a most extraordinary coincidence that all the wrecks which have occurredat Timaru during seven or eight years have taken, place on five Sunday mornings.