LOSS OF THE BARQUE ELECTRA.

Press, Volume XLV, Issue 7215, 28 November 1888, Page 4

LOSS OF THE BARQUE ELECTRA.

Captain F. Fisher, who arrived at Auckland from the Islands on the 19th instant far the s.& Bichmond, gives the following wgticwlara of the loss of the British baiqae Electra, of which he was master, at Kaiafoou, one of the Tonga Group, on October 11th:—The Electra, 668 tons register, after driving off shore at Nuiafoou OB the 9th instant, went on shore on the xnoxning of the 11th. The bank for anchoring is only some two cables off shore, and at its edge too deep, being 37 fathoms, and at two ships' length the depth is 13 fathoms, in which spot the pilot wished to anchor the ship. The vessel was is charge of the pilot, Mr W. Grey, sod 9aptain Fischer. The pilot was in the fore-rigging, and the master atseeded to the orders of the pilot being 3»rotnptly carried out- Two men were at the helm. A. Frank, A.8., and Samson aae of the boat's crew. The vessel came -to the anchoring place under krver top«*fls and spanker qn the wind. The port apchor was let go by the pilot's orders, bat the cable broke near the 30-fathom ahackie. The etarbotrd anchor was let go at once, bat could not bring ap the mbip before she was bard and fast on shore. We hove in on the windlass starboard cable* bat although we did slew the fillip's bow off the rocks, we could not heave her off, as she was evidently fast somewhere in the starboard bilge. She commenced to make water soon after Betting on shore, occasionally striking heavily- It was evident that the ship mtdd be a complete wreck in a few hoars, so everything was at once done to sere personal effects and some stores, as the island was bat poorly supplied. With help from shore and great exertion, as there was great difficulty in landing, some •tores and nearly ail personal effects were

saved. There was no life lost or any : Casualty 6f any kind." By 9a.nL tile VfiWel baA sft 6in water in her hold, and was making water very fast, still hanging over to the starboard bilge. By 10 a.m- she had 9ft of. water in her, and by 10.30 she hove over toward the sea and sank in such a -depth of water that some sft of the starboard side was dry. The captain was the last man to leave the ship, aad left her no sooner than when she began to turn over. The tides were neaps at the time, and tne state of tide at the time of striking a little after low water, usual fall about 3ft. The weather was fine, the wind S,E> to S., a moderate breeze with trade wind, swell running a rather high surf. Many of tfie stores were spoilt in landing, and much of the personal effects were more or lese spoilt in the same way. The white residents did all they could to prevent pilfering, still the natives succeeded in carrying off many things in the shape of food. My hearty thanks are due to the; whole crew for the cool and seamanlfke manner in which they carried out all my orders during the wreck, and to Captain Lane, of the schooner Maile, for assistance rendered at the time. I also give my heart y thanks to Mr C. A. EdenboroUgh, Captain Hiitcon, and the other officers of the s.s. Richmond, for the kind, way in which myself and crew were treated on the passage from Apia to Auckland. A court of enquiry was subsequently held at Apia into the cause of the wreck, before the British Consul and Mr J. T. Campbell, barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court of New Zealand. The evidence adduced went to show that the captain was not to blame far the wreck, and he was accordingly fully exonerated from blame. The insurances on the Vessel' are unknown. She was owned by John Stewart and Co., of London. Captain Fisher purposes remaining in Auckland for a few days, and then leaving for home by the direct steamer lonic.