FOUNDERING OF THE SHIP LYTTELTON AT TIMARU.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1519, 15 June 1886, Page 2

FOUNDERING OF THE SHIP LYTTELTON AT TIMARU.

A very serious shipping disaster' occurred at Timaru on Saturday morning lest between 8 and 9 o’clock. On the 28tb May last Shaw Savitl and Co/s ship Lyttelton, n splendid iron vessel of 1111 tons register, arrived atTimaru to complete her loading for Home. She had then on board a quantity of oats, flour, wool, sheep and rabbit skins, tallow, oil, eto., and on the 2nd June she was taken te the wharf at Timarn, and by the 7th had taken on board 9096 carcases of froien mutton, and 65 bales of wool, the N.Z.L, and M.A. Co. ; Miles, Arches and Co,; the S.C. Refrigerating Go.; and the Canterbury Farmers’ Co operative Associi* tion being the shippers. This completed her cargo, and when on the -9tb she had taken aboard some 200 tons of coal she was a full ship and ready for se*.- : . As the' tug Titan (in charge of the Harbor Master) was away at Dunedin undergoing her periodical overhaul her departure was delayed, and it wais not until Saturday that an attempt was made, at the instance of the Agents, by the s.s. Grafton, a boat of 295 tons, to tow her loses. The ship was in charge of Captain Storm (pilot) who directed the course the Grafton was to take. The Captain of tbe Grafton, however, found it impossible to do as first directed, and a course in the direction of the Dashing rocks was then steered. All went well * for a time, when it is surmised (those on board both vessels at the time art very reticent, and will give no' information) that the towline suddenly slackened and fouled the 1 steanera screw, of course rendering her powerless. Captain Borman finding bis vessel drifting towards the beach bad an anchor dropped and sails set. After the Grafton had cutaway the first towline and bent pa another towing was recommenced, and it ;i ia presumed that. the Lyttelton was towed over her own anchor, which pierced her bottom, as she immediately commenced to settle down, and within half an hour sank at a point mid-way between (he breakwater and the Dashing Rocks. Another theory ia that she struck a piece of an old wreck (the Duke of Sutherland), and that it was this that caused the disaster. She lays on an even keel, with several feet of water ever her deck. Soundings taken show the depth of water to be 28ft 6in, with a rise and fall of tide of about 7ft. The decks were soon swept of everything moveable. According to last report she apparently is not greatly injured, and should fine weather prevail there is still a chance that she may be raised, Tbe opinion generally expressed is that the course taken was far too northerly, but of course this and the true cause of the accident will doubtless be decided at the inquiry, which takes place to-day. ■ The vessel was classed 100 A 1 at Lloyds. She was built for the Shaw Savlll Co. in 1878, was valued at £16,000, and her freezing machinery at £IO,OOO. The vessel and cargo are insured to the extent of some £49,000.

The insurances as far as known are as follow South Canterbury Refrigerating Company, £3OOO ; Miles, Archer and Co., £2500; Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, £1200; Canterbury Farmer* 1 Association, £2OO. Her total cargo was valued at £23,000, of which about £IO,OOO was shipped at Timnru. Mr E. El worthy, who shipped 1000 caresses of frozen mutton, was uninsured, and estimStes'his loss at £7OO. It has been decided to abandon the vessel to the Underwriters, and she will bo sold to-day.