WRECK OF THE DAYSPRING.
The Presbyterian mission steamer "Dayspring is a total wreck off Newcastle, New Caledonia. Six of the crew are missing. So far as can be ascertained the Dayspring had no passengers. She left Sydney on the 6th with the usual cargo of stores, and struck a reef on the north coast of New Caledonia a week ago. The captain, mate, engineer, and seven others Innded safely, out a boat with six of the crew is missing. The vessel, which is quite new, cost about L 12,000, and was only insured for L2OOO, her cargo being insured for LSOO. The Dayspring was commanded by Captain Bibbing, for many years connected with the command of Melanesian mission vessels. He was noted as an able and careful officer, with great experience in the Island trade, and it is considered probable that the disaster was due to a mishap to the machinery. Mr F. R. Rudder, a New Zealander, was acting as second officer of the Dayspring. A London cablegram says a lady has offered to subscribe LI OOO towards a new mission vessel to replace the Dayspring. Many other subscriptions have also been promised. Captain Bibbing states that the vessel was bound to the Island of Santo, and struck on an uncharted sunken coral- patch in Brand's Pass, 50 miles north of the Noumean coast, early on the morning of October 10. The captain was on the bridge at the time, and the weather was clear and the sea smooth. The vessel com* menced to make water rapidly, and gradually slid off the reef and floated for several hours, but all efforts to save her were unavailing. Before she sank the crew collected the ship's papers, compasses, and chronometer and personal belongirgs, and placed them in two of the ship's boats, which were launched and made ready for the voyage. When the vessel finally settled down the boats shaped a course for Noumea. On Saturday night they lost sight of each other. The. missing boat was in chargeof the chief officer, Mr Carmichael, and no trace of her was seen after they parted, company. After beating about for four days, and calling at two islands for provisions, the captain's boat was picked up by the Noumea coastal steamer St Pierre; and the crew taken to Noumea. Captain Bibbing and Rudder are both confident the missing boat will turn up safely They think she will either be picked up by a passing vessel or land on some island. -■&. i i
WRECK OF THE DAYSPRING.
Clutha Leader, Volume XXIII, Issue 1165, 30 October 1896, Page 6
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