WRECK OF THE SHIP ST VINCENT.

THE CAPTAIN, ONE PASSENGER, AND EIGHTEEN OF THE CREW DROWNED, TWO LIVES SAVED.

One of tho mosfc disastrous wrecks which have occurred for several years on the New Zoaland coast took place on Sunday evening last, Fob. 14. in Palliser Bay, Cook's Straits, when the fine ship St Vincent, 834 tons, Captain Barron, owned by Messrs Potter, Wilson &Co,of Glasgow, wentashore in the heavy gale, which was then blowing. The St. Vincent, which was one of the finest ships that have ever visited this harbor arrived here on the lst Jauuary from Cardiff, wifch coals for fche Panama Company, and having discharged her cargo sailed on Saturday last, in ballast, for Lyttelton, to load tliere with wool. On Sunday, afc noon, when off Cape Campbell ifc came on fco blow heavily from the south-east, and tbe ship was ultimately blown into Palliser Bay, where she struck at 10 p.m. on Sunday night. The wreck occurred a little to the north of Capo Turakarai on the Mokomoko Rocks. The vessel was insured. The chief officer, Mr Stringer, and the sailmaker, a Swede, alono succeeded in reaching fche shore. The following is the official statement made by MJr Stringer at the Customs : —

I, John Stringer, do hereby solemnly and sincerely declare, that I was chief mate of fcho ship Sfc. Vincent, O N, 50,367, belonging to Glasgow. That the vessel sailed from Wellington on the 13th day of February, 1869, at 3.30 p.m. "in ballasfc," bound for Porfc Lyttelton. to load wool and grain for London. Passed the Lighthouse, Pencarrow Head, afc 4 30 p.m., the wind wasN.W., moderate, fche weather hazy and threatening. The breeze lasted till aboufc 7.30 p.m., afc wliich time the ship was seventeen miles from the Lighthouse, when it fell calm, with hoavy rain. Afc 8.30 p.m., the wind came up 6fcrong from the southward, with increased rain. The ship was then put on the starboard tack, standing to the eastward, and continued so till ia.m. on Sunday, I tho 14th, the weatlier thick and still raining, the wind increased to a strong gale. The ship was wore on tlio porfc tack and to tho westward (land being afc that fcimo oufc of sight in conscquenco of fche haziness of tho weather) until noon on Sunday, when Capo Campbell was seen, distant four miles. She then wore again to the eastward, it was then blowing terrifically with a furious sea, the ship under two lower topsails, the foro and maintopmast staysails blew away (the foretopmast ssaysail was nearly new), and the foresail split in reefing. The weafcher still thick. No land was seen after losing sight of Cape Campbell, until 4 p.m., when land was sighted on the lee bow, but could not make out what it was, until 6 p.m., when it was discovered fco bo Cape JPalliser, bearing S.E,, and JCurakarai Head, wesfc, which placed the vessel in Palliser Bay. She was immediately wore round and stood to the westward (by order of the captain), in hopes of weathering the point and running into Wellington. Reefed foresail (a now one baying beon bent immediately when fche other carried away) and mainsail, mizzentopsail, reefed upper topsails and spanker wore set, the ship making very bad weather, driving bows under and rapidly drifting to leeward. About 9 p.m., the wind suddenly dropped, immediately shook out all reefs, bufc the furious sea rolling into tho bay prevented the vessel being kept to the wind, and she still kept falling off fco leeward. Afc 10 p.m., breakers were discovered, close under the leo bow, the wind light and the ship not answering her helm, she was thrown all aback, and fcho captain gavo orders for both anchors to be lofc go, whicii I immediately did myself, sixty fathoms of chain ran oufc. Aboufc 10.30 p.m. sho struck heavily abaffc. All hands wero employed in clearing away fcho lifeboat, when, a heavy sea struck the ship throwing her almost on her beam ends, smashing thcjlifeboat to atoms, andcarryingaway theboatswain (George Harrison) who was nofc seen again. The cables must have parted about this time, and she went broadside on fco the rocks, the sea throwing her completely on her beam ends. I called out immediately to all hands to ruu aft fco save fcheir Jivos. Some crawled up into tho main chains, and somo into the mizzen chains on the port side. We had barely time to get there when an enormous sea struck her and gutted her completely oufc, carrying away masts, decks, and everything bufc the hull, at one sweep, leaving nothing bufc the shell of the ship. Wo hung on in fcho mizzen chains '(those who were in tho main chains having joined us by direction of the captain), as fche mizzen chains were nearer tho shore, and in order to huddle ourselves togethor for warmth. We hung on in fchis manner, as near as I can remember, till 3 a.m., at which time I was washed away. I remember being in the water for some timo. I had an indiarubber life-belt on, and soon after I was. washed off, I gofc hold of a spar, bufc very soon let it go, finding it stopped my progress in tho water I musfc have been insensible when I reached tho shore, as when I recovered consciousness I found myself in a flax bush. Ifc was then, I imagined, aboufc six in the morning. I saw a part of the hull distant about one hundred yards from the. shoro. I imagined that all hands except myself musfc havo been lost, and started for tho lighthouse ; but on my way came to a shepherd's cottage, which proved to bo belonging to Mr Riddiford. There I found the sailmaker (a Swede) had arrived before mo. I afterwards, accompanied by Mr M'Kenzie, went down to tho wreck (the Swede was too much bruised to go with us.) The first thing wo saw was a live pig whicii had belonged to tho vessol, and was washed ashore, although very much bruised. A littio further on wo discovered the body of Mr M'Kay (who eamo out from England in the Melita, and was going back to England in the Sfc. Vincent) lying face down. Carried him np a hundred yards above high-water mark. I took from him ono watch and key, £12 9s ljd, a bunch of keys, two knives, and a pocketbook containing papers, all of whicii I handed over to the police. We then found one of fche seamen, dead, namo not known, and placed his body above high- water mark. After searching for several hours along tho beach until dusk, we found no moro bodies, bufc found another of the ship's pigs alive. Wo then returned to M'Kenzie's cottage for the nighfc.

I feel confident that the sailmaker and myself are tho only survivors.

I loffc M'Kenzie's on the morning of the 16th February to bring the news into town, arriving in Wellington between 5 and Q- p.m. Thero were only a few pounds of tobacco, ono easo of brandy, and a fow sundries (ship's stores), bufc only somo of tho mess beef, washed ashore.

The following aro the only names of the crew whicii I can recollect, viz : — Shipped at Cardiff: James Barron, master; JohnStringcr, chief officer j William Patterson, 2nd officer (all British subjects.) Georgo Harrison, boatswain, American. Robert Mitchell, carpenter ; William Forbes, steward (both British.) Sailmaker, Swodish ; John Stirling, A.8., British ; August Kauaski, 0.5., Dutch ; Charles Richards, A.8. ; and John Kirkpatrick, A.B. (both British). There wero eleven other eeamen whose names I do nofc remember, and- one passenger beforo mentioned, JM'Kay.

Jno. Steingeb, Declared before me at the Cusfcom House, Wellington, this 17th day of February, 1869. J. Hackwoetu,

Deputy Collector,

Tho following aro the names of the crow as they appear on tho manifest :— Shipped at CardiffJohn Stringer, Wm. Patterson, Geo. Harrison, Robert Mitchell, C. Johnson, W. Forbes, Chas. Smith, John Stirling, August Kanaski. Shipped afc Wellington— Wm. Smyth, Chas. Richards, Richard Griffiths, Alfred Kennedy, Harry Dabosfca, Alex. M'Kea, John Kirkpatrick, Benjamin Balis, Joseph Bradley, and John Stewart. Of these Benjamin Balis and Joseph Bradley are supposed nofc to have joined. Mr Stringer leffc M'Kenzie's on horseback on fche morning of the 15th, and rode to within five miles of the Lighthouse. He walked to Phillips', and there procured a horse, and then rode to the Hutt, coming into town by the coach on Tuesday evening. Mr Stringer has desired us to express his thanks to Mr M'Kenzie, Mr Phillips, and the

Lighthouse keeper for their kind attention to his wants.

Thus much have we been ablo to learn of this sad event through the providential escape of Mr Stringer ; it has cast a gloom on many in this community, and adds another to the long lisfc of calamities which have befallen those whose occur pation is on the waters.

As a 6ign of mourning for the lo9t, all the flags in harbor were lowered to half-mast yesterday. The pilot boafc will be despatched to the scene, :of tho wreck this morning. August Kanaski, or Charley Sailson, the othor .survivor, arrived in town yesterday afternoon. The Harbor Pilofc, Mr Holmes, wenfc to the scene of the wreck on the Monday morning following. The bodies of Mr M'Kay, a passenger, the captain, and seven of the crew were found ; of which only four were recognised. All except five have since been found.

A subscription list for the survivors and friends of the deceased has been commenced. Captain M'lntyre has bought the wreck.