FIFTY YEARS AGO

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 35, 10 August 1927, Page 10

FIFTY YEARS AGO

EPIC OF THE SEA

WRECK OF THE QUEEN BEE

BESCTJE OF THE CREW,

j At midnight on 6th August, 1877— just fifty years ago last Saturday—the ship Queen Bee, 726 tons, bound from London to Nelson with passengers and cargo, went ashore at Cape Farewell. Two boats which put off from the Queen Bee were missing for some days, and great consternation prevailed in Nelson. Eventually, the occupants of both boats were rescued, but not before they had suffered many privations. The cluef actor in the rescue of one of the boats was Captain W. Harvey, for many years one of the best-known masters on the New Zealand coast. Captain Harvey, who retired from the sea some years ago, is now living in Wellington, and in conversation with a "Post re porter to-day he recalled the part which he and the members of the crew of the paddle steamer Manawatu played in the The Queen Bee, commanded by Cantain Davis, made the New Zealand coast on Thursday, 2nd August, and, according to an account given by the master of the ship at the time, experienced dirty weather to Cape Farewell On Monday night she grounded on the Spit r. V •InJ lis narrativo of the wreck, Captain Davis stated that if she had been 200 yards further out, she would have cleared the Spit end. Lifeboats were put off from the Queen Bee, which under the stress of the prevailing weather soon became a total wreck. Withm a day or so of the wreck B he brok« amidships, and the cargo was washing out. Surveyors who made an inspection of the wreck were apparently of the opinion that there was little chlnce o± the ship being saved, for in an official report they stated: "We recommend that she may be sold for the benefit of whom it may concern " This course was afterwards followed, but not before a protest had been lodged by the owners, who expressed the view that the surveyors had no right to interfere. CAPTAIN HARVEY'S STORY. When Captain Harvey flr3t came into the picture, his steamer, the Manawatu was at Wanganui, ready'to leave for Wellington with a number of passengers and a quantity of cargo. The Manawatu was one of the old paddle steamers, built.m Auckland, and owned by the New Zealand Steam Shipping. Company. Just before leaving port, Captain Harvey received a telegram from the Government instructing him to proceed to Stephens Island, Port Hardy, and D'Urville Island to search for the missuie crew ana passengers of the Queen Bee. At that time it was blowing a hard westerly. "We left Wanganui ia the evening," said Captain Harvey, "and proceeded to Stephens Island, but we saw no sign of the missing boats. We went into Port Hardy, but again we saw no sign. Just after we left DTTrville Island we went round to the western side of the island, and there at a place known as Bottle Point, round by a sandy stretch about 100 yards lons' we saw a boat lying on the beach. I immediately sent a boat ashore, and there the crew was found, with the ex£?l £ w, 0*6 man- AP*rt from the fact that their feet were cut about by the rocks, the members of the crewwere little the worse for their experience and they were soon safely aboard the Manawatu. The missing man had to be left behind on the island, as he had climbed the cliffs and was unable to get down again. I blew the whistle vigorously for some time, but there was no response, and we had, to go on our way without him. This man was subsequently picked up by a warship, and I believe he was little the worse for being left behind. (Captain Harvey was unable to recall the name of the warship, but files of "The Evening Post" show that it was H.M.S. Sappho. The man's feet were in a bad state when he was rescued.) At this time I was getting short of coal, and I decided to proceed to Nelson. While on my war I passed a warship, and gave directions as to where the man was. When we arrived at Nelson the men who had been rescued, aIL of whom were members of the crew, did not get much of a recaption, as it was the passengers that the people were interested in. The missing passengers were later picked by the Naval Brigade at Nelson somewhere near the French Pass. THROUGH THE STRAITS. "I received further instructions at Nelson to continue in the search t6t the missing passengers, and to place myself under the orders of old Captain Cross. He told me to go to Farewell Spit, and run before the wind through the Straits, and to keep a good look out for the passengers. This was against my ideas, and I told Captain Cross that in my opinion the boat would make for the land and that it was not. likely that those on board would venture through the Straits. However, I had to obey my instructions. We passed -through tons and tons of cargo, casks of whisky and other stuff, but we saw no sign of the missing passengers. Eventually we were informed that they had been found, and that ended my part in the search of fifty yeafrs ago." The files of "The Evening Post" show that the Queen Bee's passengers were picked up by the launch Aurora. When they arrived in Nelson they had a great reception from a large crowd of people who lined the shore. A thanksgiving service was conducted by the Bishop of Nelson, and a half-holiday was declared in the town. Members of the Naval Brigade, who had rescued the passengers, took part in a special parade, and received an ovation from the people.