SHIPPING DISASTER.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 31, 7 February 1899, Page 5

SHIPPING DISASTER.

A BARQUE FOUNDERS WITH ALL

HANDS

(By Telegraph—Press Association.)

WELLINGTON, this day

The Warrimoo brings news of the foundering at Taconia, Washington, of the British barque Andelana, on the 13th January. The vessel was waiting to load, when she capsized during a gale, and sank with all hands. Capt, Starling was in command. The crew numbered 1(V.

In connection with the founding of the Andelana. reports show there Was a terrible gale in the bay that night, tho vessel was lying at anchor, waiting to load. Two great boom logs were placed, one on each'side of the vessel. Durinig the gale, between 2 and 4 a.m., one of the logs went adrift, causing the ship to cant and capsize witli very' little warning.

The crew on board at the time consisteda of the captain, mate, 16 sailors. All were drowned, they had no chance of escape.

■ The vessel was entirely without ballast, and her hatches were open.

,• It is supposed that when she canted after the log got away she commenced to fill immediately, and was probably bottom side up in about twenty minutes. She .simply went out of sight, and, but for the wreckage of a life boat and one of the ballast logs discovered in the vicinity later in the day, it would not have, been known but that she had moved opt. of the harbour. ,

Two theories regarding the accident are advanced:, the first is that during a terrific squall the Andelana was given such a cant as to lift her starboard board ballast log clean out of the water, that the strain on the chain was too. great, a defective link parted, and, swept over by the gale, the ship went on her beam, quickly turning, further until she filled and saiik. The other, theory is that the ship took a sheer, and, leading ahead, tripped her forefoot on her anehdr chain and was thus capsized.