THE LISMORE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 196, 19 August 1899, Page 2

THE LISMORE.

A ROUGH PASSAGE. COAL WASHED OVERBOARD. The steamer Lismore from New York via Melbourne and Sydney, which was reported in the Gulf yesterday afternoon, arrived in port in the evening, after a protracted passage of 9^ days. The vessel met the easterly gale which has been raging along the coast since Saturday last. The Lismore left Sydney at 7 a.m. on the 9th inst., and had fine weather and smooth seas for the first three d \ys. The weather then Changed, the wind freshening from the eastward raising a heavy sea. Besides being exceedingly heavy, the sea was very confused, breaking on board from all quarters at once. A large amount of water was shipped and over 100 tons of coal were washed overboard, while a considerable portion of the railing on each side of the bridge deck was j carried away. The gale raged continuously from the time it set in until the steamer reached port, and she was driven to the southward nearly as i'ar as Hokianga. The Lismore, which has powerful engines, capable of driving her at a speed of about 10 knots per hour under ordinary conditions, took 6 hours to steam the distance (about 23 miles) between Cape Maria and the North Cape, with her engines working at full speed. The steamer was i flying light, having discharged part of her cargo at Melbourne and Sydney. She also had a quantity of coal on her upper deck, and being so light, this made her roll more than she would otherwise have done. Captain Andrews considers she would have done better had she been heavier laden. She was very light forward, and pitched a good deal. On Wednesday night she came down on the water with a great, crash, which shook her from stem to stern. The crew all turned out under the impression that she had struck a rock. Down the

coast yesterday the gale was still very strong and the sea heavy. One wave came aboard when dinner was being prepared and flooded out the galley. One of the freeing ports in the side of the vessel was also washed away. Mr T. Sloane, the chief officer, reports that the steamer left Sydney on the morning of Wednesday week, and had light, variable winds and fine weather until the 12th, when the wind freshened from the eastward, the sea rising. In the afternoon the wind increased to a gale, with a high confused sea, while the barometer fell suddenly. The wind increased in violence, and on Sunday last it was blowing a hard gale, with heavy sea, and continuous rain. The gale increased in the afternoon, the sea being tremendously heavy, the vessel falling off, rolling, heaving, and lurching dangerously. At 3.15 p.m. the coal bins on the bridge deck gave nay, carrying away the rails, while part of the coal was washed away by the water which broke on deck. A quantity of coal on the after deck was also shifted.

At 4.20 p.m.. the steamer was put before the wind, as she was shipping large quantities of water, both fore and aft. The whole of the coals on the after deck. were washed overboard. At 8 o'clock the vessel was again brought before the gale, which was raging violently. At eight o'clock on the morning of the 14th the gale slightly moderated, but there was a heavy cross sea. It comtinued moderating until next mornin, when it again freshened, with \ery heavy squalls and much rain, continuing throughout the day. Towards midnight it moderated siightly, the barometer dropping to 29.32, the lowest it reached.

On Wednesday a fresh gale was bloAving, with a heavy confused sea, the steamer rolling and pitching heavily and shipping large quantities of water. Cape Maria Van Dieman light was sighted at 5.20 p.m. on the snme day, and was abeam at 7 o'clock, but the North Cape was not rounded untill 1 o'clock next morning. The gale was then moderate, but the sea was still very heavy, and thick, rainy weather set in. All down the coast a fresh gale was experienced, and it was not till reaching Tiri that the wind became moderate.