THE WRECK OF THE SHIP NORTHUMBERLAND.

Evening Star, Issue 7212, 14 May 1887, Page 4

THE WRECK OF THE SHIP NORTHUMBERLAND.

FUNERAL OP THE VICTIMS. NAPIER, May 13. The inquest on Captain Setter and Messrs Waddell and Bain was concluded this moraine. Nothing new was elicited, and a verdict of "Death by accident while endeavoring to save life" was returned. The funeral took place this afternoon, lue eorttge was over a quarter of a mile long, as many more people being collected at the cemetery. Mr Waddell was carried on a fire engine, he being a prominent member of the Spit Brigade. Fire brigades, fire police, and friendly societies turned out, and all the crew of the Northumberland were also in the procession. The funeral services were conducted by the Bishop of Waiapu and the Revs. Walsh and Paterson. The service was read during a tremendous downpour of rMn " THE INQUIRY. This morning an inquiry into the wreck was commenced. Captain Todd said that when the pilot brought the Northumberland to her moorings he remarked that she was rather nearer shore than before. He said she was a very little, but in good position, and had the same draught of water as she had in the old position. The pilot also remarked that he had some difficulty in picking up the buoy, as it was dark. It settled into a fresh breeze up to midnight, blowing to northeast by east. The sea remained comparatively smooth during the whole of Monday, but in the morning about nine o clock the sky had a very dirty appearance. He braced the yards and let go the second port anchor. A fieah breeze was still blowing and there was a high glass. He paid out forty-five fathoms on the port anchor, and let out fortyfive more fathoms on the starboard. From noon till dusk the breeze freshened, and at 10 p.m. it was blowing a gale with a heavy sea. As the vessel was straining at her starboard anchor he ordered the second end of the coir rope to be put on the starboard cable. Ihe first end was lashed to where the anchor was let go, and he lashed two parts of the Manila tow rope on to the second part of the cable as a spring. The vessel was riding very heavily, and shipping water over the forecastle. The gale and sea still increasing at 3 a m. on Tuesday, he was afraid of the windlass breaking, and had the wire hawser made &«t from the mainmast, and lashed to jthe starboard cable aft the springs as a preventer. He got the remainder of the mort cable on deck and secured that well with two parts of the Manila tow rope. At About 10.30 the sea was still becoming worse and the ship straining heavily on her anchor, and the carpenter reported one of the links of the starboard cables showing signs of breaking. He immediately ordered the other end of the steel hawser to be passed round the withers, and secured the eable before the breaking of the line. Before it could be Beared this cable parted, a terrific sea breakingover the ship at fee time. He then paid out the port cable to 120 fathoms and shifted the coir spring over from the other side and secured them on the port aide. He then hoisted a signal of distress, finding the ship dragging, and pro, ceeded as fast as possible to get tho third bow anchor ready. As she dragged towards the shore the tide kept her broadside on to the wind and sea. Ultimately she ceased dragging and lay easier, although great seas were sweeping her deck from the weather aid*. At 5.20 p.m. the third anchor was dropped 08 the Btarboard side and bow with a steel hawser attached, and this in its turn was shaekled on to the remainder of the btwken cable. The gale moderated during the evening, but about 11 p.m. they felt a slight shock as if the ship had bumped, but on sounding found six fathoms. The wind was moderate on the morning of the 11th and the sea was smooth; but early in the rooming, between three and four, the ehip's stern was tailed in towards the beach, and she was felt to strike slightly, and five and a-quarter fathoms of water was found under her stern. She lay easy from then till 10.45 a.m., when the wind freshened rfigaia with great violence and the sea began to roll in as heavy as ever. At 11.15 the steel hawser p>rted about 3ft from where it was shackled on to the cable. The Weka ,came alongside about itfajen, and asked if she «ould assist with a cable or .otherwise, and the master replied he would go for more assistance. He ran up the signal " Want Immediate assistance," and shortly afterwards several steamers came out the Wairoa, Sir Donald, Boojum, Weka, and Fairy—and the result was that they passed a hauling Una to the Weka for her hawser, but she had such difficulty in keeping her head to sea that she steamed beyond the acope of their line and broke it. The Northumberland was dragging slowly in and striking frequently, and it was fchen evident the boats #ould render no assistance. As there was great danger of the masts coming down and injuring the crew, it was decided to try to get the crew into the boats. Captain Todd then repeated the details as to the loss of tho Booium and the landing of the crew. He valued the ship at £20,000. She was partly insured. The eargo was worth L 50.000. He did not think if the steamers had been out on the early morning of the 11th they could have towed the Northumberland, owing to the heavy swell at that time. The weather had every appearance of becoming finer and changing. He had visited the port of Napier with the Northumberland four times, and never experienced so heavy a gale or one of such duration at Napier as the one on the 10th and 11th, Xh'u voyage the vessel was a little closer in shore than an the other trips. The cause of the vessel being wrecked was tho force of the gale, the beavy seas, and the open roadway. The cables and anchors had been surveyed twice daring the last three and a-half years by the Board of Trade surveyors. At the Police Court to-day five men were charged with wrecking a»d stealing cargo. They were brought up And remanded. Other arrests are likely to be made. The agents of the vessel have sent L2l to the crews of eaeh steamer, and probably all will be given to the funds being raised for the families of the drowned men.

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NAPIER, May 13. The 'Telegraph,' referring to the telegram published by the morning papers on Thursday re wreckers in connection with the Northumberland's cargo, Bays; Making every allowance for the contradictory statements continually brought from Petane beach, the Press agent should have sifted the truth from obvious hoax before T telegraphing the nonsense he did. 116 remains to be told in connection with the Northumberland. The wreck this morning presented an appearance very similar to that of yesterday, very little more cargo having come ashore. Yesterday afternoon was a lively one for the Customs officers, who were busy unearthing ' plants' which had been made the night before. A smart piece ef werk was effected by Mr J. E. Provis and jfoteotive Grace, who had been keeping a look-out all the afternoon, and had most of the suspicious character* marked down. Just about dusk they observed a boat put off from theshore, manned by men whopulkdin thedirectionof one of the low-lymg islands fa the Sr lagoon. Their "lovemente there ' .could not be distinctly observed, owm £ Se darkness, but when the boat, left the fcUad it was noticed that she was considerably »ore by the Btern than when she lelt - the shore, wMch convinced the rigilantron ,r dure that tiwre was «more in the V !*§4*dk of/ Tb» men proceeded to pnll to ■■'; ' ifcittwotfon of the Spit, stealthy ™«ched ; *>'■ b7frien& on shore, who, xm reaching the l&Mi, and observing that flja jugglers. _ biaflb. Ml>Wtf» fooyM; %#

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Grace sprang on them, and succeeded in securing three of tho men and their plunder, which consisted of two casks of rum. The other two men managed to escape." Shaw-Savill and Co. have made fresh arrangements for all the wool, tallow, and skins which were waiting shipment by the Northumberland. It w.W be all sent to Auckland and transhipped to the Hermione, now loading at that port. Captain Babot is up there, and no doabt arrangements will be made with him to relieve Nelson Brothers of 15,000 sheep which are in their freezing chamber ready for shipment. The merchants at the port met this morning and decided to open a " Northumberland Disaster Fund" for the relief of the seamen and others who have suffered by the wreck. Up to the present those watching on the beach have not succeeded in recovering the body of Kilvington, although it is said to have been seen in the break yesterday afternoon whero Bain's body was washed up,