LOSS OF THE HAWEA.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1750, 14 June 1888, Page 3

LOSS OF THE HAWEA.

The b.s. Hawea, on her trip fro,m Maookau to the New Plymouth breafewater; became b wreck/on Tuesday rnorniug at 7.30 o'clock in a most peculiar manner. She left Manukau at 10.30 fe.ro. on Monday, and came-to an anchor about 11.30 o'clock the Bnme evening about half' a mile from tlje. breakwater, where she! re-mained till'abdut on Tuesday morning. Captain Hacsby was anxiqus' to' get alongside the wh«rf ii order to catch the through tram to Wellington, leaving New Plymouth at 7 a.m. He weighed anchor shortly before 6 a.m. He took his vessel a round turn and then, steamed towards the wharf under slow steam, taking the usual route, the tide I then being quarter flood. It was dark at the time, and a uorther'y gale was blowing, the wind and tide making a strong On shore the beacons were lighted, and everything went on smoothly till the vessel was in line with a sandbank though well clear of it. Captain Hansby noticed that the Qairloch was ahead close to; or alongside the berth which the Hawea usually takes up. He then reversed the euginas, and threw out an, anchor,! in order to bring the vrssel round and pftheXiairloch, and in "going astern! to make the line taut, the vessel bumjied against a hard substance. • The bump : not a severe one, and most of ;the passengers took little notice of it., However, with the swell on, several • other bumps were felt. Soundings revealed the fHCt that the fore hold was perfectly dry, but that the aftep hold, was filling rapidly. In a few minutes the after hold was half full, 1 and cases were floating about in! all directions. The vessel soon began; to settle "down by the stern, although .the forehold was still dry and the bows were well out of water. The passengers were then landed. There were two horses aboard, Mr Keith's Allegro, and , Mr ! George's Armourer.': < Both were lowered into the surf. Armourer got ashore safely,- } but Allegro was drowned. The passengers' luggage was also landed, but the officer* and seamen lost <more or less of their personal effects. The captain and chiefOfficer stuck to'the vessel till she sank. The;, spot where the'/Hawea struck .was 'about 600feet.from the" wharf in f sontheaVlerly direction. According to the chart the soundings at-* the- spot where ; the Hawea struck indicates 12 feet at [low; water spring tides, and»at the time of; the accident the actual depth of water must have been between 16 and 17 feet. The Hawea was drawing 12J feet of It iraa not known that any rock was in the vicinity. It was suggested at [one ■ time that the vessel Lad by sorre'means got foul of her anchor, but that idea "i* not feasible. The general opioion.is thßt a rock has remained undiscovered, which knocked a large hole in the vessel's bottom. > ;

Latest accounth state that the vessel is calm water, and it is possible that she .may yet Be floated;'but the harbor master inclines to the belief thit her bottom is ] completely stove in. At low water the hull is„7 or 8 feet out of thef water. : The vessel" was valued ; «t £13,000, and was; msur«d for £SOOO. The company under- 1 writes'for £BOOO. j J Vsw ?UMOiTiH,.June 13. Hawea shows no signs of having mbved; She is upright, and has not bumped in the least. The opinion ia that she can easily be floated, as she is in no way strained. '

i, The enquiry into the; -wreck .going da." "Captain Ha'nsby sayß ue 'anchored off the breakwater 'about eleven o'clook on Monday, night., .The weather .was Bqually with a ohopping'-seai 'At 5i30 On Tuesday morning be prepared to go into the Harbour and hove in about 15 fathoms of oable. j The Gairloch was close by, and just before entering be stopped the vessel and reversed her engines to let the Gairloch go in first! He then came in with the leading light a little open to the west. When be saw breakers on the bank off the end of the breakwater he starboarded his helm, and when abreast of the banks he put the helm ha'd to port to haul up to tbe wharf, and put the engines at half speed. Saw the ship was not answering her helm on aocount of tbe fresh breeze on her broadside, so stopped the engineh and let go the starboard anchor, and went ahead slow with the helm,bard aport, thinking the anchor would check her - bow to windward. She came round a couple of points, when he felt the veßsel touch her keel lightly aft. Went at half speed as he thought the vessel had touched the bank. Immediately after he felt her strike heavily a second time, and saw her way had stopped. Sounded the wells, and found she was not making water. At 8.30 the cable'of the starboard anchor parted, and the vessel drifted to where she now lies and got aground. , /At high water tbe forehold filled with water. Got the passengers and crew ashore. ;; The officers and crew will be paid off here, and most of them will leave for the south in the Wanaka on Saturday,