FISHING SMACKS SUNK BY A GUNBOAT

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 3037, 2 January 1892, Page 1 (Supplement)

FISHING SMACKS SUNK BY A GUNBOAT

Tin; Times of October .'J Ist gives tho I'ullowiug iicci'iuil ufau extraordinary ulliiir whicli has b'".'ii briefly reported |.y cablc .--

"Yesterday morning- about ton o'clock, a liirjjo number of fishing bo.'its were lying at anchor off tlio erlfjn nf llio whiting grounds, about thrrn miles outside the. break wutor nt Plymouth. Her Majesty's gunboat Plucky, enmmiindod by Lieut. Syfinoy Frrmiintir, wfiit out from Dovonport, for «rnn practice, :uid Mirtirsrel nt. which she .'limoil w.'is in d'wgiTOILS piMximil-j.' tu lli<! bints, ivi.-o.- ?:■'• pence. J.iiu>e uii board '.Uo fruubniit «■; :ii>.:A to bn altogether uimwiro uf. At tin o< ■• (Tinning of the firing «cvor.il shuts p issed between tho fishing , boats, but as this is a favourite fishing ground tho fisherman did net appear to pay much attention to what, wns going on. Tho gunboat, them altered her position, and the first shot that was afterwards fired struck tho hooker Sunbeam, owned by tho brothers John nnd Henry Harkcora, which was lying at the cad of tho lino, amidships, The craft sank withia a iniuutc, both her sides beiug blown, out. Hcury Harlicoui, who had timo to pull off his heavy sea boots, sprang iuto the sea ; but Johu Harkcom jumped ou to the deck of the einkinjr vessel, and as she went down he leaped off. Tbcro was a heavy spa running and a strong wind blowing. A man named Murray, who was iu n boat near by, seeing what had happened, wont to the rescue, and after a good deal of trouble picked up Henry Harkcom, whilst another man named Holden, in another boat picked up John Harkcom. Immediately after the Sunbeam had been hit the gunboat firart again and this time struck tho Turnchapol hookrr Alfon>o, owned by Prank Hani-), who, with a man named(Jeorjio Hisbcnt, was in tho boat at the time. The boat wns striK-k in tho stern, wero Jlisbonl was sitting. Tho Alfonso went down immoiliatrly, leaving Harris struggling in the water. .No more was seen of his companion, who was believed to have been struck by tho nhnt and killed instantly. Harris, after a slioit; time, wns up by another boat in a very oxhausted *tate. The three resound mon were immediately taken kick to Plymouth. On tho way buck .Murray's boat passed olosa to the Plucky, which was steaming away, and Murray hailed her. The vessel was immediately stopped and Murray called ont 'Do you know what you have done ''' of the officer* of the ship replied, 'No; what's up V Murray replied, 'You h.ive Bunk two trawlers and drowned a man with your hot.? The officer replied, 'No ;it is not true ' Can we pick the boats up ?' Murray answered, 'Xo ; how can you do that in eighty fathom* of water ?' The gunboat thon steamed away. Ou the tidings becoming generally known a teeiio of great excitement prevailed on the Barbican, and strong opinions were expressed as to the action of the guuboat in firing where so many boats were lying it anchor. HUbent leaves a wife aud fivo children, who reside at Tui'ncbi>pel,aud are entirely destitute.

[Lieutenant Frcmnnllc was subsequently triad by court-martial imd acquitted on the ground that tburc was a miiv ago (it the lirao of the disaster]