DUCO MYSTERY ENDED,

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 693, 18 December 1909, Page 5

DUCO MYSTERY ENDED,

WRECKAGE WASHED ASHORE,

AT THE CHATHAM ISLANDS. -,

(By Telegraph-Press iuoclatlon.l Christchurch, December -17. Captain AJlsop, of the e.B. Ripplo, wliicji arrived in Lyttelton from tho Ohathoni Mands tliis aftomooni reports that a. quantity of wreckage from tho miesing steamer Duco had boon washed ashore at tho islande since hie last visit there. Tho wreckage included a boat hook with the namo "Duco" plainly stampod on tho moUil portion, a number of and a largo quantity of pieces of thnber which the Duco was taking to the Chathame for making fisli boxes. Captain Allsop brought tho boalhook back with him, and is handing it to tho Collector of Customs.

Tho Duoo left Wellington for the Chatham "' '"-] Islands on September 7, ; and.a nautical inonirr ,,, '.' ,;i : into tho. oirouinstances' attending her disappear--'''- ;! ? ance was held on November ,19, 22, nnd- #.£'■;'■;<)• Iho Court announced its finding on November K; ; > ! 25. : , In answer. to the:qnostion, whether the;'"' ,'i vessel was seaworthyw.hon ; she left the port of "■:'«> Wellington, the; Ihagistratfe , said;—. ■' ,:r , ,' ■• "I, opinion' .tliat:the :; Dnco v whcn^v'^ leaving tho port of Wellington was not = "i :'v"i' .in a condition;to encounter:snclrpe'rils-of- ; ;..tho sea ae-sho might; be fairly expected ■Uyi^V'^ encounter. in eoing : . to\ thoAChatham ■ -Iβ-■■■-.•; : <U ; lands. I conaderMhat, ladon asßho >vos,'' f ,; -- 1 a dock, cargo, of .'ten .tons of : coal,' not -V;.^lashed, a 400-gallon tank full of -water.::■■-■N^ ,somo timber, and sonic concrete blocks,- -v , ''^ , was snffioknt to render.aehip'of tho Duco". •:■';.':'■ S :: class unfit to encounter -tho: perils: refer- ■'■'&, red. t0,•.-. and hence,' 'ordinarily 6poakiuff,, : ' ; -"f! . 'unseoworthy.V 1 ';.,-: ■■;■. ... _;■,. .•_■. : : .. ; . ■. 'v.-:',..^,i ! ; Tho ovidoncD,- tho Court added/shoived thaK'"SS on.the ovenine of her departuKy'at 9p,in,;t : «'< strong eontherly gale eetin,.with a ; fnaxiimini V;l ' ; about-midnight. Thoi Court- was of opinion that sho foundered at sea, andi'in'all , '. probability, on 'tho night of he'^-departure. -In view, of , what: has now bMii'found by the" : : • ■'.' iKipplo, it, is interesting to mention, that: tain Hooppr, in the.oourse of aninton-iowwith >■ a Dominion. reporter on October 6, stated that r ~:->% the Duco, might- have . be&u \vreoked,on Star- ;: /'- : keys (or reefs near Stark«j-s), ; which is an out-'' ' ;, ':». lier,of the Chathams. Ho added; 'Had sh« been '-'-k t : » wrecked on tho,first night, near tho,N«w.:Zoa- -■'K' land coast, -some sighs: of -wreckage .ought to 'o'- ; .'' .have been seen ,cro this." ■•'■ .'-■'. ■• s| .;'.'.-' ; : ; ,v< ;s:<(-^^C