Loss of the Federal.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume III, Issue 130, 30 March 1901, Page 1

Loss of the Federal.

0Melbourne, March 27. The latest from Gabo Island states that the wreckage includes five lifebuoys, portions of hatches, cabin., fittings, boat chocka. and_ oars. A steamer which has arrived from Newcastle reports that on Sunday High t they saw a fire on the beach at Ramhead, some thirty miles south of Gabo Island, and suggested that if the Federal wag wrecked, the crow, or some of them, might have got ashore there. However, there are some fuhing stations in the vicinity. The owners of the Federal are to-day more hopeful that the vessel may weather the storm. Sir W. McKachern said that in any case he was firmly convinced that she had not foundered if she wag lost. His opinion is that the steamer either struck land and went down or collided with another vessel.

Sir W. McEachern thinks chafc ■ the discovery of the varnished portion of the taffrail suggests the theory that the Federal collided with another vessel. Finding the gale so furious, he thinks that the captain may have attempted to run to a harbour of refuge, and in the fog lost his course. Sir W. McEachern said that he would not be surprised to find the steamer ashore somewhere along' the coast. March 28. The description of the body washed ashore is said to correspond with that of the captain of the Federal. In some quarters the recovered body is supposed to be that of Henderson, chief officer of the Federal, and by others that of the captain of the schooner Hawaiian Isles, which left Melbourne ten days ago.