Stranding of the Loch Ken.

Thames Star, Volume XIV, Issue 4538, 21 July 1883, Page 2

Stranding of the Loch Ken.

FURTHER PAitTICULJtBS. While the ttotomahana was ptociMaisg on her way to Auckland jesUfraaV iaiorfk {■)%, the captain of the barque^ which was aground about five miles from* Grahams- ' town,," or two miles to tho westward. of the swash*way buoy on the edge of the Thames Hirer channel, ran up a signal of distress. The captain of the Botbmahana replied by asking if he wanted assistance, and receding the answer " yeß,v sent r a boat aboard. ' Upto thii time the captain , of the Loch Ken did not know where he was, and was naturally very anxious. XkiV first mate went back incite snail boat to \ the Rotomahana, which proceeded :»t onoe- to Auckland. In tbe^ tftetnomf Captain Bsyfdoo* Harbormaster, and a crew went off, uk the harbor boat.. Tfcey left the Goods Wharf a* 4 o'clock, and reached - the Teasel, alter a hard poll, at ffls pan. When they gofc aboard Captain Bayldon found thai the vessel was the Loch Ken, an iron barque of 595 tons register, commanded by Capt. Wilson, and owned by the Jtf.Z.3. Co. She was fast on the mad, andi a heavy ground swell caused her to rock violently. The anchor had not been dropped, the ■captain fearing that she mitfUt dnft.on to it and by bumping knock a bole in her bottom, bnt a kedge had been ran pat - astern, the boat's head at that time point* ing northward. Captain Bsyldort at once"' advised the skipper to drop his andior and take in the kedge.* as otherwise wfieu the tide rose the vessel would probably swing round higher on to the mud~baak This was at once done, and at high tide the after sails were {set This listed her over to starboard, thus lessen*. iof! the draught, and before loaf she was found to be slowly forging ahead. The anchor.was then heaved op, the fore topsails set; and the vessel steered down the gulf three or fovr mjles, when the anchor was again dropped in 4| fathoms of water. In the meantime the harbor boat had returned to shore. A blue light was burned on board the Loch Ken to attract the attention of the &otouiabina on her down trip, and that vessel steamed up alongside. The first mate returned .from Auckland, accompanied by Messrs Clayton r and Anderson, the former representing Lfoyd's and .the latter tho New Zealand Insurance Companies. The steamer waited about half an hour, during which time' an inquiry :was held, the , result of which was thai the age»U gave Captain Wilton a ctearaaoe, eertifving that.the vessel was uninjured, and ,}■ a thoroughly seaworthy condition, autho> rising him tb proceed on his voyage* The Eotomahana then cama on to the wharf, and the .agents went back to Auckland this morning. ■ / " \ - •;. ' THE CAUSE OF TH?. ACCIDENT* At the inquiry held on board last night, Captain Wilson stated th&t be left Auckland on Thursday, bound for London, and at about 2 p. m. of that day, was five, mfo f off Kawau. He gave the officer on deck orders to keep htir head, E.&&, which would have carried him out into open water. The mast-head oompk&r,. how* ever; wbioh is the one relied iipbn oh board iroa ships, was not acting, the needle being »tationary, owing to the pin- > head having worked through tile «gate bearing. During h heavy squall tba Vessel payed off a good, deal,* but" tho .compies not altering, the officer ooneJade'd - that the wind had shifted k to tkfr »oxtlh~ west, instead of whiqh be was running ??■s*" stM'Xht before it up the Haaraki <*ott. He thought he was clear of Capa , GolviHe, and when coming up past TapW' at the rate of 10 knots pee hour, mistook the Miranda shore for the casters coast Sj. th*: Jgoromandel Peninsula, and the. Thamcs^htrfor those of soae fisbin* village. Th« low lying land of the Pnta swamp not being visible, it. was mistaken^ for . |h« -channel, ud the -tae* -£»Jr directed to keep a good look out for th 7 Cuvier Island., The vessel, which was drawing left of water, dragged in th« and the first intimation that they had grounded was when the helmsman discovered that the vessel bad osther wav, It was very fortunate that it was fttfly two hours after high water w^en she ran ashore, as had the tide been ull she might not have got off without lightening the cargo. The defective comLSJ* 8 W^i? hatniKht, and the vessel would probably have sailed with this morn- , ings tide had not tha wind been ahead. Captain Wilson is a young man, bnt he has been in the Hew Zealand Shipping Company s service for a long time. Her was formerly an officer on board the Loch Dee, and this is his second trip as master of the Loch Ken. He is an able officer, and onhis lu.t entry into Auckland took his vessel into harbor without the »,si ß , tanceof a pilot. The cargo on board ia valued at about £31,000, and thai* are three passeogers. At fdur o'clock * ■tWr ittenm Mr E. F. Tizard, Ctpt. Bayldou,, and, amoogst others, oar x£ porter went off to tho* Lot* Ecu " £ La Buona Ventura to hold in i^nS! into the uause ot her stranding g»^ - lars of which will appear jbhSS^ issue. ' ** 'f**J '•