CASUALTIES, ETC.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXIV, Issue 3342, 2 April 1868, Page 7

CASUALTIES, ETC.

We regret to have to record the circumstances, so far m they have reached us, of another collision between twoof ourcoastingfleet, which occurred on Sunday last in the vicinity of Brown's Island, JKangitoto. The cutters were beating out of the eastern passage with an easterly wind, the Shamrock bound to Mercury Bay, and the Waterlily to Whangapouamills to load timber. The Shamrock, Captain Casey informs us, was on the starboard tack at the time, and the Waterlily on the port tack, so that it would be the doty of the latter to give wayunderthecircumatances. The two came into collision, the Waterlily striking the Shamrock atem on abaft the middle on the port side, carrying away her bulwarks and opening her side to the water's edge. Both vessels put back to port to repair. The injuries to the Waterlily were only of- a alight character. The smart schooner Jane, Captain Moller, arrived in port on Thursday last from Tauranga, and bore unmistakable appearances of an accident on making her anchorage to the eastward of the Queen-street Wharf. On inquiry we learned that tbe damage was the result of a collision with the schooner Saucy Las*, of this port, off Mercury Island, at 1 a.m. on Wednesday. It appears the Jane was making her course off the island, the wind being at the time N. by JT., when she was suddenly struck near thebows by tbe Saucy Lass, and had her bulwarks and four stancheons carried away. Neither vessel was carrying lights at the time, so we presume some difficulty would be found in allotting the blame. Certainly, neither vessel can enforce the penalty attaching to such neglect. The Saucy Lass had her head-gear carried away, and sustained other injuries. Both vessels bore up for Mercury Bay to ascertain extent of in juries and repair before continuing their passage. By the arrival of the Aspasia on Thursday from the Fijis we are in receipt of the following letter fiom Captain McLiver, of the Auckland schooner Bluehell, giving a short account of a terrible gale experienced on the pags«ge from Sydney to the Fiji Islands : — " The Bluebell schooner, Captain McLiver, arrived at Eewa, Fiji, on the 12th of February, 1868, after a very boisterous passage, having lost the greater part of her canvas in a gale of -wind. She was obliged to run in the gale for 18 hours before the wind, expecting every moment to founder, but she proved herself to be a good seabo&t, and .weathered it out. After the gale had subsided, spoke an American man-of-war, from New York, bound to Japan, who kindly provided us with sails and other necessary assistance, thereby enabling us to continue on onr voyage to Fiji Islands. All well on board."