Wreck of the Berbice.

Auckland Star, Volume XIX, Issue 139, 13 June 1888, Page 5

Wreck of the Berbice.

GALLANT RESCUE OF THE

CREW.

Newcastle, Junte 5. At five minutes to three this mornii \g the firing of a gun from Signal Hill de: aoted that a vessel was in distress. The weiither was showery at the time, and although ,all eyes were strained in the direction of tfc'e breakwater, owing to the intense darknesi' and the thick haze nothing could be seen of the distressed vessel. Ten minutes afterwards a rocket was observed in the direction of the northern breakwater, and a second gun was fired by the look-out man. The lifeboat then put off, and nearing -the beacon of Stockton, a large ship was se>en drifting rapidly on to the Oyster Bank. It proved to be the ship Berbice, 717 tons register?, Captain Ross, from Melbourne. The. intimation of the position of the vessel had previously been given to Thomas Warland, one of the Rocket Brigade, by some men working at the cranes near the Stockton Coal Company's Wharf. Warland immediately gave the alarm, and the members turned out and proceeded to the rocket station. A powerful light, known as the "wreck illuminator," was brought to play on the vessel by the brigade. The Berbice was then on the outer spit to leeward of the Oyster Bank about 450yd8 from the beach. A rocket, with a line attached, was fired which went through the fore-topmast staysail, set

afc the time. The line was then secured by the crew to the mizzen-mast, and then, with great difficulty, they were hauled ashore through the boiling surf, the cabin boy and carpenter (the youngest and the oldest aboard) being taken ashore first. The captain was the last to leave the ship. Captain Alexander Ross, master of the vessel, reports as follows : —The Berbice cleared Port Phillip Head at 2 a.m. on the 29th ult. Fine weather was experienced to Cape Howe, where they encountered terrific weather and heavy squalls, which lasted until the vessel went ashore. The Berbice sighted the Nobby light at 11.15 last 'light, burnt blue-lights and senfc up three rockets for the pilot without any response. The weather at this time was clear. Finding that no pilot or tugboat came to their assistance, Captain Ross ventured to bring the vessel into port. After passing Nobby, owing to the strong current the vessel did not answer the helm. The anchor was let £O and 47 fathoms chain paid out. The vessel dragged anchor and drifted towards the bight, touching the Oyster Bank slightly before being beached. Shortly after the vessel struck the topgallant mast and the whole of the lee maiu rigging were carried away, probably caused by the concussion. At the time of wiring (8 p.m.) the vessel is a complete wreck and is fast breaking up.