STEAMER ASHORE

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10668, 25 June 1912, Page 5

STEAMER ASHORE

THE STAR OF CANADA

NEAR GISBORNE

•(By Telegraph—Press Association.)

GISBOIINE, Last, Night. The Tyser Company's Star of Caii- - J&ida was blown ashoro on the Kaiti \<&each, Gisbornc, at midnight, during a iierco southerly squall. The vessel- sent up distress rockets, and Hashed Morse signals as follows: —"Rapidly dragging anchors on shore. Send tug at once." . Messrs Nelson Bros.' tug Hipr at once went alongside. Captain. Hart stated that he wanted the tag to put out an anchor, but the sea was too 'rough to enable this to be done, and the Hipi returned to port. The vessel has since dragged »n broadside on the beach, and appears •tjjpnavo settled down several feet, iSuragh still rising and falling to the sea, and bumping heavily. There is water in Nos. 1, 2, and 3 "Tiolds. The position is regarded by nautical men as serious. . All aboard are safe, and will have 3io difficulty in, getting ashore, as tugs toII be able to get alongside.

A WILD NIGHT

GALE BLOWS WITH GREAT FURY f By Telegraph — Press Association.) GISBOENE, Last Night. JfLast night was the wildest experienced in Gisborne for many years. A strong southerly gale was blowing with terrific gusts. At about 11.30 -the sound of rockets was first heard, »rd subsequently the Morse signals Vero seen. At that time the steamor ' was perilously near the shore. It was first thought to be the steamer Mokoia overdue from Auckland. When, the Hipi left the Star of Canada. the latter had two anchor cables and a wire out. Daylight was anxiously awaited, then it was seen the vessel had drifted fse in, and was lying broadside on the heach, and was bumping considerably. Captain Rainey, Marine Superintendent of the TS'ser line, went off at 8 o'clock iv. the Hipi, and succeeded in Tioardirtr the vessel. The Mokoia arrived in the roadstead at 8 oVock, after a rough.trip from (Auckland.

CAPTAIN'S STATEMENT.

ANCHORS DRAGGED. (By Telegraph — Press Association.) GISBORNE, Last Night. Cajftain Hart, of the Star of Canada, Jtates that as the wind was increasing about 10 o'clock last night, and the weather looked threatening, lie decided atj.0.45 to go to sea, and ordered steam to he got up and all hands to stand by to haul up the anchor. Up to this stago the anchor bad been holding splendidly. At 11.15 the anchor was found to he ■dragging, and before anything could lie done to get a second anchor down -or got to sea the vessel had touched -on the rocks. Efforts were made to back out, but it was found impossible to move the vessel either aft or forward. A second anchor had been dropped meanwhile, with the hope of peeping the vessel's head, on to the ~?fea and prevent her going on the s To3ks. Finding all efforts fruitless, ■ ilio engines were stopped. Meantime distress signals had been jriven. The ship had been lying in what the harbourmaster had informed him was the best anchorage in the liay, five and a-third cables' length • from the reef. He had ridden out heavier gales than this in the bay liefore, and accounts if or the mishap I>7 the patent anchor either giving way from its holding or pulling flat. The rapidity with which the vessel went on the .rocks was astounding. the vessel's position, the Captain states that there is 17fb of ■water in Nos. 1, 2 and 3 holds, extending from bow to bridge.

GLOOMY PROSPECTS. ROUGH EXPERIENCES ON BOARD. (By Telegraph—Fress Association.) GISBORNE, Last Night. Gloomy prognostications were to be hoard expressed on all sides in local shipping circles this afternoon, regarding the situation of the ill-fated Sirjlt of Canada. The .weather remained "boisterous all the afternoon, with occasional bursts of sunshine and frequent squalls. From the morning the vessel had subsided considerably by the head, and continues to lie almost "broadside on to the reef.- with bow •eastward. The top of the propellers appeared to be out of the water. The wind is still blowing from the south, "but it is thought the gale will blow out to-night, and probably the wind ■will veer more to the eastward, which •will help the ship. Further accounts gathered from the

men who were aboard the ship last night go to show that the experience must have been an unenviable one. One man states' that he was lying in his bunk reading, when he noticed an unusual rolling. Presently he felt the vessel touch the bottom, and he made for the deck post haste. The ship was rolling terribly, and it was almost impossible to stand on one's feet. "With each roll from side to side, the. vessel bumped, and the impact caused the great hull to quiver like a leaf. The rigging flapped together, and the masts looked as if they would lie shaken out of her. The informant added that the thumping on the rock bottom had caused serious damage in the engine room. The bulkheads between the engine room and the stokehold had bulged, and it was only a matter of bulging a little more and the dynamo would be put out of action. The main shaft also showed signs of the unusual strain that was being placed upon them in the bending of the vessel's bottom.

REPORT FROM COLLECTOR OF CUSTOMS.

PREPARATIONS FOR SALVAGE. (By Tehpraph — Tress Association.) WELLINGTON, Last Night. The Marine Department received the.following, telegram to-day from the Collector of Customs at Gisborne: —"About midnight last night, the Star of Canada, in a fierce southerly squall, dragged her anchors, and went broadside on. to the Kaiti Beach. She ha.-5 wa.tnr in Nos. 1, 2, and 3 holds. The officers are' all standing by, but the superintendent thinks that there Ka fair chance of saving the vessel if the weather moderates. No lives have been lost. Will hold the preliminary inquiry directly the officers can le've the vessel." Mr Birkett. of tho Union Cn.'s local shore staff, left Wellington for Gisborne in tho Navua to-superintend the salvage operations. The Navua also took extra salvage gear,: The Union Co.'s salvage hie Terawhiti leaves Wellington early to-mor-row morning for Gisborne to assist In thff salvage work.

The Tyse-r liner Star of India, which is due at Wellington to-morrow or on Thursday, from London, via ports, will take the cargo which was to have been shipped at Gisborne. Napier and Wellington by the Star of Canada.