FIFTY YEARS AGO

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 126, 23 November 1935, Page 33

FIFTY YEARS AGO

THE MOHAKA RUN DOWN

About 2 a.m. on November 18, 1885, the steamer Waihi, found from Wellington for Blenheim, collided with and sank the steamer Mohaka, outward bound fcr Wellington, in the Opawa River. The Mohaka went down four and a half minutes after being struck, and her captain and crew managed to scramble aboard the other vessel. Before she sank, warps were made fast to the bank, and she settled on an even keel, showing the top of her funnel and her foremast above water. The mishap occurred at a right-angle bend (Harding's) in the river, and trees obscured the steamers from each other until too late. The Mohaka was an hour late, and had a cargo of wool and tallow. Both captains were at the wheel, and when the vessels sighted each other Captain Manning, of the Waihi, sounded his whistle, while the other skipper, Captain Eckford, gave orders to reverse engines. The Waihi's bows struck the Mohaka near the stem, and cut her down to below the

waterline. It was considered doubtful that it would-be possible to raise the' ship, which was lying bow in to the bank, with her stern in 16 feet of water. She was a wooden screw steamer of 30 tons, owned by Captain Eckford.

The story of the wxeck of the New I Zealand steamer Tuna on the Arabian coast was told in "The Post" of November 21, 1885. The ship was en route from Shields for Napier, to engage in river trade, for which she was specially built, when, caught in heavy weather, she went ashore about 90 miles off Aden. The crew of 13 hands watched from the boats while a horde of Arabs plundered the wreck. On the day following the wreck, August 22, 1885, boats were chased by canoes, but eluded their pursuers. Two days later they were picked up. b^ the English steamer Brenda.

The work of rebuilding the steamer Moa was going ahead rapidly at Captain Williams's shipyard on the Te Aro foreshore. ' She was lengthened 41 feet and the forward part built up about 6 feet: The old stem was cut away, and she was given a clean run aft. Carrying capacity was increased to about 200 tons, and larger cabins were built in. Thirty-five horse-power engines were on the way from Eng-

land, and the boilers were under pon* struction at the Lion-Foundry. Her speed was to be 9 knots. About 1 p.m. on November 18, 1885, the New' Zealand Shipping Company's Orari, while being towed up Ottfo Harbour" from Port Chalmers, stranded on a mud bank opposite Ravensbburne* She was being aided by the tugs Koputai and Iron Age, when two squalls drove her into the bank. She remained fast until the next tide.

Memories of a famous deep-water: sailing-ship are recalled by the death; which occurred recently at the age of 82, of Captain Nils Bull Melsom, of th* Lancing. Under his command sh* gained renown for her sailing achievements. On one occasion she covered, j 11,068 nautical miles from Buenc* Aires to New Caledonia in 42 days, her average speed being 11 knots.- She sailed from New York to Aarhus in 20 days, reaching Pentland Firth in 15 days. On another passage Captain Melsom drove the Lancing at 19 knoti for four hours. During his twelva years in command of her he put up numerous other notable records,'including Land's End to Melbourne in 64 days.