THE ALEIDA WRECK.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 284, 27 November 1908, Page 2

THE ALEIDA WRECK.

[ ASHORE EC A LAGOON. SO MEANS OF BE-FLOATESG. , the Jast few rears the Pacific faas chimed a heavy toll oi those that go down to the sea in ships, but of the cases of shipwreck the majority hare teen happily unattended \>y any loss of life. To these has heen added yet another, tie ve.-sel In this instance being: the toe old Norwegian "barque Aleida, which on last advices v?as hard and fast aground on a reef at Surprise Island, a email Tocky islet situated some 75 miles to the northvrard of the Xew Caledonian, coast. At this point, on the evening of Wednesday, October 2S. the vessel ran agTound on the coral, the la.pse of some thirty honrs finding her hopelessly aleak and with ten feet of water in the hold. Particulars of the -Kreck were brought to Auckland by the barque Empreza, -which arrived in port h ofmrisgnni arrived in port this morning, and a "Star" representative who interviewed members of the crew was furnished with ar> interesting p.csount of the circumstances surrounding- the occurrence. The Aleida, -wihch was commanded by Captain "H. M. "Berntsen. and manned hy a c'mxr nf 16 al] told, had that day arrived at Surprise Island in ballast from Dunedin, after a passage of 26 days. At this port she was to take on board a cargo of I.SOO tons of guano consigned •to a firm at Devonport (Tasmania.), and ih<? disaster overtook hsr within a bare mile or so of the anchorage which she •was to take up. TUB ASCttORAGE DESCRIBED. The isVand is only a very inconsiderable stretch of flat, bare country, situated at the southern extremity of a large circular reef, many miles m circumference. The entrance to the lagoon lies directly to the west of the island, hut to gain the anchorage on the northern side a lengthy detour is necessary to escace an inner reef, about a mile long, Iving east and west, as, at the latter extremity, the passage i≤ quite impracticable. The usual course after entering the lagoon is to proceed north for about three miles, then X-EA\, or as dose as the ship -Hill lie to the wind for several -miles further, afterwards taming back at an acute angle S-"W., into the anchorage bounded the north by the inner reef on the west by the unsafe passage, and on the south "by the island itself. The inner reef is a-wash at low -water, tout althouch it cannot itself be seen except in broad sunlight, some feet the surface, its location is said to be quite evident under ordinary cirenmstanCfc " STRIKING THE REEF. The weather at the time of the wreck ■was cloudy, and a strong breeze prevailed from the eastward. The manager of the island (Mr. R- M. Thompson), who usually acts as pilot to vessels which are "strangers" to the intricacies of the harbour, signalled Txorn the flagstaff to the effect that the -weather was too " rough for him to get out to the vessel. Accordingly, in the later hours of the afternoon, the Aleida entered the passaee, the captain himself, it is stated, being on watch. The vessel proceeded saiely up on the starboard, and cleared the reef on the western edge to the sharp angle on the channel. A sharp look-out was being kept, but dusk was fast gathering as the vessel proceeded to tack. At this point, it is stated, the vessel missed stays, and, of course, _ had to be "wore" round more than if - she had been far enough to -windward. Coining up to the eastern end of the reef nearly all sail was set; the tide was just ■ at half-flood_. and the vessel glided right on to the extremity of the reef, her etern catching first on the coral. Every e£ort was at once made to get the Aleida off. and boats were immediately put out to attempt the work of refloating, but to no avail. Had a. tug been available the vessel might easily . have worked off, but with only the limited appliances at hand all efforts were fruitless. Anchors and kedge-anchors were lowered to preserve the vessel's position during the night, but the hawsers were so frayed by the sharp coral that they parted before daylight. . Bumping a-bout or the reef all through the night and during the nest day, the result could not be unexpected, and about 1 a.m. on the morning of Friday all hands were called to the pumps. But the water gained rapidly, and soon ten ieet of water was marked in the hold, the inrush being such as to cause the operation to be abandoned in despair. ; SALVAGE WOEK. On* the morning of October 31, the-cap-tain of the ill-fated vessel signalled to the island that his ship had sprung a leak, and that "nothing now available would get her off." Salving operations ■were at once resorted to, and riggm°yards and sails were dismantled and . placed ready for removal ashore. The crew were stilt living on the Aieida when the Empreza Jeft for Auckland, and intended to leave on the 20th by .two cutters for Belep Island, 30 miles away, whence they would proceed by the regular steamer to "New Caledonia. A boy named Fnrdie, who was shipped at Dunedin, returned to New Zealand . by the Empreza. It is stated that the . vessel is quite safely aground, but_might break up in a hurricane. " The Aleida was an iron barque, registered at Suedesfcrand, Norway, and owned partly by European . firms and partly by the captain. She is about 15 years old, and, it is understood, was partly insured.