DEPARTURES.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 2991, 26 January 1881, Page 2

DEPARTURES.

January. 25—Sir Donald, s.s., for Waimarama and Fairy Bay.

The three-masted schooner Silver Cloud, Captain J. P. Balle, arrived in the anchorage yesterday afternoon about 4.30 o'clock. She left Newcastle N.S.W., on the 12th inst., experienced unsettled weather until the 14th, ■when it settled down to a heavy E. gale ; from the 15th to 17th experienced variable winds and calms, thence had fine S. and W. breezes until rounding Cape Farewell on the 22nd, passing Stephens Island that same evening, and making Cape Palliser ; after that had fresh W. winds, lasting until off Bare Island, on the 24th, thence calms and and light variable winds until arrival as above. Captain Balle reports sighting a barque tacking up Wellington harbor. _ The schoner brings a full cargo of coals consigned to Messrs C. Dolbel and Co.

The s.s. Sir Donald left for Fairy Bay and Waimarama at 9 o'clock last night. She called at Waimarama this morning at daybreak, and landed a few tons of cargo, but was prevented from going as far as Fairy Bay on account of the strong southerly ■wind blowing. She returned to port this forenoon.

The brigantine Ethel, Captain Wyatt, is to leave for Newcastle, N.S.W., to-morrow morning in ballast. The Union Company's s.s. Te Anau

. ''at tbe Bluff from Australian ports arnveu . Messrs Fraser and Budd at noon yes,. ._ ew b w fo _ ir ap j el .. Sunday next. She will arrive here on . J

STRANDING OF THE SILVIw CLOUD At 11.45 a.m., this day, when the Ujreemasted schooner Silver Cloud, Capt. Charles Balle, was being towed inside the harbor by the s.s. Sir Donald, under charge of pilot Kraeft, she met with a disastrous accident, almost rendering her a complete wreck. It appears that, as she was being slewed round at the heads, the tide being at about half-flood and at its greatest strength, her stern struck the shingle baDfe, just inside of the eastern pier-head, when tbe tide catching her broadside on carried j her off the bank and shot her over to the western pier, where her anchors only ohecked her sufficiently to give hern fresh cant across the tide and let her strike with terrific force against the boulder bank just above the cattle wharf. The concussion appears to have knocked her stern post out, and partly carried the rudder away, causing her to make four feet of water in less than ten minutes from the time of striking. The pumps, after some short delay, were started working, but could do little or no good. At 12.30 p.m. the tide, having risen slightly, caught her stern, snapping the warps and carrying her across to the bank on the western side at the commencement of tho woodwork of the pier, where she now lies full of water. It is not yet known the extent of her injuries, or what plan is to be adopted to get her off and repair her; in the meantime lighters are to be got alongside to get part of the cargo out, so as to lighten her. She is, we believe, in the New Zealand Insurance Company to the extent of £3,500. Pilot Kraeft is, we believe, not to blame in the matter, although he departed from his usual course of bringing the vessel in at the last of the flood in order to avoid the possibility of the tide turning on him as it did last voyage, when she was jammed against the western pier hoad for about half a day. Later. Just before our report left the Spit she heeled over on the port side until the water was half way up her deck. She is, we believe, just on the edge of the bank, and fears are entertained that she will fall over into deep water and go down.