The Wreck of the Ship Hyderabad.

Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2923, 28 June 1878, Page 2

The Wreck of the Ship Hyderabad.

FUETHEE PAETICTULAES.

(Pee Pkess Agency.)

Wellington, Thursday.

Further particulars are to hand re the wreck of the Hyderabad. The gale which was blowing yeslorday morning continued all day with extreme violence, and it increased considerably during the night. This morning broke wit!i a wild, tempestuous sky, and the wind roaring as loud as ever. There was scarcely a house in Foxton that did cot shake and reel all night long. The liyei, Manawatu was swollen to double its width. It took half a dozen men quite half an hour to ferry the coach over. On reachiug the wreck the vessel was found in the same position as yesterday, as she had not shifted a foot. t It is pretty clear that she is not likely to move from her. present position unless under some unprecedented elemental force. Only one person appeared on deck, and he hailed the coach that all was well aboard. Owing to the sballowness of

the shoro the force of the sea was broken before reaching the vessel, and consequently the breakers caused no injury whatever.. The only members of the ship's company ashore, besides the captain and apprentices, are the boat's crew, who are in the meantime sheltered at Hastwell and Macarr's stables at Horowhenua, but to day they were without any food, as they could not get on board io pet any. Eveu yesterday, every time they gut alongside the ship the boat filled, and only three trips between the ship and the shore were made yesterday. Mixing amongst these sailovs a few additional facts were gleaned that could not be obtained yesterday. The more intelligent of tbe seamen, wlio realised the gravity of the position which the ship bad. been placed, all spoke in the highest terms of tbe quiet self-possession and seamanliko qualities of the captain in the hour of danger. The answer of one sailor, in particular, may be accepted as a good indication of what was meant:—"Sir, the captain was just the same at if he was a thousand miles at sea, and no danger.'' It appears that - the gale came without any warning. As the breeze freshened sail was taken in, and by^the time the gale reached about its-height the vessel was under storm canvass. A violent squall (or a cloudy squall, as a seaman phrased it) struck the ship, and a bran-new topsail split in two. with a loud report. About a dozen hands rushed aloft to "goose •wing" it, when another sail, an older one, blew into ribbons ; and while the vessel was under bare poles several of the sails which had been made snug, in a seamanlike manner, were blown out of the gaskets. The captain bad been endeavoring to gain shelter under Kapito, but the force of the wind was so great they could not carry sufficient sail to enable them to. work the vessel, and she was, therefore, allowed to drift. It was as a last resource that the captain dropped both anchors when they reached proper soundings, in the hope that they would hold, and brictg the vessel's head to wind until such time as the gale broke. The chain cables were remarkably strong, but snapped like pack-thread. At that time the bulk of the crew were either engaged getting up more cable or making other preparations, the only ones on the bridge being the captain and the man at the wheel. Finding they must inevitably go ashore the captain wisely directed that she should be headed square on, otherwise it is probable few would have been saved. Angus McLeod, who was at tha wheel, says the vessel first struck on a hard sand-bank, but as she answered her helm he held on. Sh« struck a second time, further in shore, but answered her helm still. Driving closer in shore-she struck a third time, more violently than before. Apparently the rudder hit the ground this time, for McLeod was tossed up in the air, striking violently against the boom on the mizzeninast, which was followed by a heavy sea breaking over the stern and washing McLrod nearly overboard. He was only saved by his leg catching between two stanchions. He is badly bruised all over, and it is feared his leg is broken. He was brought to the hospital to-night. The same rfea dashed the captain violently agrinst the mainmast, and though he did not complain of any injury at the time, he now experiences a good deal of pain. When the vessel struck it was very dark, and nothing could be seen but the wild tumultuous sea, and a general rush was made for the life-belts, but the captain gave orders preventingJt, and quieted the commotion amongst the men. There were two women on board, the captain's wife and the wife of the ship's carpenter, she acting as stewardess. Both women bpre up bravely, Mrs Holmwood merely remarking, "Poor old ship." It appears that sbe has been in the vessel wi'h her husband for seven years. The carpenter's wife behaved very pluckily, and rallied the "courage of some of the crew, who seemed craven-her-rted. Mrs Holmwood would not leave the ship until the injured sailor was taken ashore. The unanimous opinion of the crew is that not the slightest blame can be attached to any one; that, under the circumstances, it was impossible tb prevent the ship going ashore. Whatever hopes might be entertained of getting the vessel off there seems but slight chance of it now. She is firmly embedded in the sand at least eight or nine feet amidships, and six or seven forward and aft. With proper appliances everything moveable but the hull itself might be got ashore, though some of the engines weigh from ten to thirteen tens. It was erroneously stated in a previous telegram that her cargo was insured in the New Zealand offices. It should have been her " freight;" that is, the captain will not lose his freight, although the cargo may not reach its destination. It is stated that the Adelaide Government have fully insured all the material brought from Canterbury, about two-thirds of which is on board the Hyderabad. Captains Scott and Bendall, marine surveyors, went up to day to survey the vessel, which they will probably be able to do to-morrow, as this afternoon the. wind dropped and cropped round to the S.E.