THE WRECK OF THE FORMOSA.

Press, Volume XIV, Issue 1833, 26 February 1869, Page 3

THE WRECK OF THE FORMOSA.

[From the "Argus."] Early on Saturday, Feb. G, Captain Ballardie and tlie crew of the wrecked steamer Formosa, with Mr Frederick Paterson, a passenger, in all eleven souls, arrived in Hobson's Bay by the steamer Titan, which on Friday had been sent to the scene of the disaster to render any assistance which might be required. From Captain Baliardie we have such details as were wanting to complete the record of the loss of the unfortunate vessel. After passing Cape Otway on Thursday morning, the wind, which had been blowing fresh from the S.W., moderated towards evening, the weather, however, being still cloudy and squally. At about eight o'clock the Formosa was nearly three miles from Port Phillip Heads, where Captain Ballardie expected to be picked up by a pilot, and seeing a light a little to the eastward of Point Nepean, he bore down for it, thinking that it might be the pilot boat's light. This light, most probably, was that of a vessel bound to the eastward, after burning several bluelights, and receiving no response, Capt. Ballardie tried to tack to the S. W., but the vessel missed stays and wore round, the time occupied in wearing round being fully an hour and a half. The Formosa then stood off to the S.W., but seeing that she was making a deal of leeway, and that there was no hope of her being able to weather Point Nepean, Captain Ballardie again attempted to tack, and once more the vessel missed stays. The mizen and main sails were then taken in, and two hours more elapsed in wearing round again, the vessel Tunning towards the land all the time. Between two and three o'clock in the morning, Captain Ballardie, finding that the vessel was still drifting to the leeward, made another endeavour to tack, but with no better success. In wearing, the swell hove her in shore, and it being evident that she would not clear, the port anchor was let go, bringing her head to sea, and then the starboard anchor was let go. Both anchors, however, were ineffectual to hold her, and shortly after three o'clock she struck the rocks, and drifted on to the , beach • and about sixty fathoms of chain were payed out to let her go further up. The heavy swell rolling in shore continued to break over her, and towards daylight the vessel parted between the main and mizen chains. The boats, as well as all loose articles on deck, were speedily adrift, and washed ashore, and all hands, together with Mr Paterson, the passenger, took to the rigging for safety. Mr Paterson,who was coming to "this colony for the benefit of his health, and who was too weak to assist himself, had to be lashed to the rigging. During this period of great peril and anxious suspense, one of the sailors, G-eorge M'Kenzie, when the tide fell, exerted himself effectually, ani happily succeeded in making the shore, and by means of a line established communication with the wreck. Mr Paterson, the passenger, was first made fast to the line, and having had to be dragged through the surf, he was landed in a very exhausted condition. All on board were then safely got on shore, i and proceeded to the sanitary station at Point !Nepean, and from thence on board the steamer Titan, which left for Melbourne with them about eleven o'clock on Friday night. On 4 he flood, the vessel broke completely up, and the cargo all washed ashore. The great length of time taken up in wearing the vessel, it is said, is to be accounted for from her masts being badly placed. By the catastrophe Captain Ballardie has lost his personal effects, chronometers, &c, and indeed evem thing except what he, etood up in, and

the crew onlylsueceeded partially in saving the contents of their chests. The Formosa was a.new iron steamer of 173 tons register aurl 205 tons measurement, and was fitted with twin screws and two pairs of engines ; and from heriine model, and the rate of speed attained on her trial trips, together with her good carrying capacity—3oo tons on Bft 3in of water —it was expected that she would be disposed of in these colonies to advantage. She was built by Messrs Seath and Connell, of Rutherglen, for the Clyde Shipping Company, and was sent out! here by Messrs Kidston and Co., of Glasgow, consigned to Messrs Alexander Macfarlan and Co. She is stated to be fully insured, and a portion of losses on hull and cargo will fall on offices in this city. She cleared i out from Glasgow on September 18, with a full cargo of bottled ale and cast-iron pipes, &c, and met with contrary weather until off Scilly, when she was caught in a violent gale, during the continuance of which the foretopmast was carried away, and having no foremost head to which a spar could be rigged, sho was very much crippled on the passage out. On Saturday, Captain Ballardie, Captain D. M'Callum, marine surveyor; Mr M'Given (of Messrs Alexander Macfarlan and Co.) r MrD. Moffatt (of the Southern Insurance Company), ■and Mr James Lawrance proceeded to the scene of the wreck to take steps in the interest of owners, underwriters, and insurers. The wreck and the salvage of the cargo were on Monday sold by auction by Captain Lawrance, at Lloyd's rooms, and bought by Mr James Purves, on the shore of whose station the wreck occurred. The prices paid were £200 for the wreck of the ship, and £465 for the cargo. Advantage was on Tuesday taken of a very low tide to examine the hold of the wrecked steamer Formosa, and it was estimated that, besides all the heavy portion of the cargo, there still remain about 400 casks and cases of beer, and a large number of loose bottles. On receipt of a telegram that the vessel was purchased by Mr Purvis, twenty men were engaged, and at once sent to the wreck. In connection with this subject, we may add that the person admitted to the Melbourne Hospital was Mr Paterson, the passenger who, after being tied in the main rigging for two hours, was lowered into the water, and dragged.ashore in a state of insensibility. He was with difficulty brought to by Walker, of the sanitary station, and Sergeant — constable Lyons, who stripped, rubbed, placed him in blankets, and conveyed him to the station, where he remained until carried on board the Titan.