THE ROMANCE OF THE PERTHSHIRE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 158, 6 July 1899, Page 8

THE ROMANCE OF THE PERTHSHIRE.

THE FIFTY DAYS' DRIFT

Two days after the Perthshire left Sydney, on April 25 last, for the Bluff, her shaft broke, and she was left helplessly drifting on one of the most southern of the regular trade routes between Australia and New Zealand. Anxiety began to be felt when seven or eight days having elapsed there was still no sign of the steamer at the Bluff, and a little later a search was instituted with a view to making sure that the large steamer had not been wrecked on the rock-bound coast of Western Otago, or the ■ equally inhospitable shores of Stewart Is. Anxiety was beginning to be acute, when the schooner "Whangaroa arrived in Sydney on May 19, and reported that she had spoken the missing steamer on May 12 in lat. 35.40 S., long. 160.40 E., or 450 miles east of Sydney, and a little over GOO miles off the New Zealand coast. The drift of the steamer during those 14 days had been in a north-easterly direction, and the steamer had crossed the regular Wellington to Sydney route, and was a little south of a direct line between Sydney and Cape Maria. It was felt that with this information the troubles of the steamer and her passengers would soon terminate in being picked

up by one of the regular intercolonial traders, and all these steamers were given instructions to keep, a more than usually sharp look-out. But for all that w:as seen of her the great steamer might just as well have been at the bottom of the ocean. As time went on STEAMERS WERE SENT OUT from both New Zealand and Australian ports to institute a special search, while the regular intercolonial traders deviated from their usual courses, but met with no reward. Almost three weeks elapsed, and grave fears were again entertained as to the vessel's safety. Then the timber-laden barque Northern Chief arrived in Sydney on the Ist inst.j and reported having sighted the much-sought steamer directly on the track of vessels bound from Auckland to Sydney, or vice versa. The position given was lat. 31.13 S., long. 164.0 E., or slightly north of where sighted by the Whangaroa, and 100 or 200 miles more to the east. The position was one 400 miles almost direct west of Cape Maria Van Diemau. The search was continued with renewed vigour, and among other steamers the N.Z.Government s.s. Tuta.nekai was despatched in quest of the Perthshire. In both New Zealand and Aiistralia strong easterly weather had been experienced for a considerable length of time, and as vessels arriving at both sides of the Tasman Sea also reported strong easterly winds and heavy seas. it. was concluded that the steamer had drifted more towards the N.S.W. coast. On this assumption the search was continued, and the general ■concensus of opinion that existed is responsible for the quest not having terminated earlier. Instead of drifting in' a nor'westerly direction, the steamer would appear to have made steadily almost clue north. The next news was received in Newcastle on Saturday last, when the barque VERAJEAN ARRIVED FROM JAPAN She reported falling in with the Perthshire in lat. 29.38 S., and long. 1G5.1 E., or almost 300 miles distant from where seen by the Northern Chief, and almost due north of the position reported by her. Five days later the Verajean met with the French steamer La Perouse, bound from Sydney to Noumea, and reported the Perthshire's position to her captain, who, is was expected, would at once proceed in search of the steamer. The position where the Verajean sighted the Perthshire is about 160 miles from Norfolk Island, bearing north, 78 E. The distance to Cape Maria Van Dieman is 488 miles, bearing south, 53. east; and to Sydney 754 miles, bearing south, 71. west. The day after the Verajean communuieated with the La Perouse, however (June 13), saw Ij.c I END OF THE PERTHSHIRE'S DRIFTING, for she was picked up in\the vicinity of Norfolk Island by the Talune.

The Union steamer Ta.lune is a vessel of close on 2,000 tons, and leaving Wellington on the 9th inst., her instructions were to proceed to Sydney via Norfolk and Lord Howe Islands. The steamer was to make the passage direct, and it is an instance of the irony of fate that while other vessels have zig-zagged in special searches over a groat portion of the Tasman Sea, a steamer steering a direct course should make the find. At the same time it is pleasing that the salvage should go to the Union Co., as their contribution, even among the unsuccessful searches, must be the largest to the sum total, for all their vessels in the Australian-New Zealand trade have not only kept on the alert, but have departed very largely from their usual courses.