ON A SUNKEN SHOAL.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 333, 21 October 1908, Page 5

ON A SUNKEN SHOAL.

BARQUE WRECKED. CREW SAFEI HOSPITABLE NATIVES. STRUCK IN FINE WEATHER. [BT IBLIORAI'H—PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPIBIOBT.) (Rec. October 20, 9.15 p.m.) Sydney, October 20. The crew of the British barque Fifeshiro roached Sydney to-day by'tho island steamer Muniara, the barque having been wrecked on the Island of Tabitewa, in the Gilbert group. The Fifeshiro left Newcastle for Portland (Oregon) on August 2 with a cargo of 2000 tons of coal. On tho. afternoon of August 21, in fine weather, while tlio ship was bowling along with a fair wind, she struck a submerged shoal to tho leeward of Tabitewa with such forco that she was carried over on to a second shoal, where she remained, bumping heavily. The crew, 24 all told, launched the boats, and reached tho Island of Tebarabati, where they were kindly treated by natives. Thence they were conveyed to Tarawa, where they boarded tho Muniara. Tho latest report is that the Fifeshiro is lying firmly on the reef on an oven keel, with all her masts standing. Apparently tbero is no hope of floating hor, but her cargo is salvablo. Tho disaster is attributed to a strong southerly current.' There was no break nor visiblo reef to indicate tho presence of danger. THE WRECK SOLD FOR £5. UNCHARTED SHOAL. . (Rec. October 21, 0.50 a.m.) , Sydney, October 20. Tho Fifeshire was insured in a Home offico for £6000. The wreck and the cargo have been sold for £5 to a Sydney firm of Chinese Island traders. The captain attributes tho wreck to striking an uncharted shoal, unknown to the masters of vessels trading to tho Islands. Tho iron barque Fifeshire, 1358 tons gross, was built at Pt. Glasgow, in 1885, ,*nd was owned by T. Law and Co. Dimensions—length 239.9 ft., beam 3Gft., depth 21.6 ft.