FIERCE AND DESTUCTIVE GALE AT THE THAMES.

Globe, Volume I, Issue 7, 8 June 1874, Page 2

FIERCE AND DESTUCTIVE GALE AT THE THAMES.

The lowering of the barometer on Saturday night, accompanied as it was by a dark and threatening sky, portended a fierce storm, and Sunday ushered it in with no signs of it passing away, but if anything the soughing of the distant water as the tide commenced to flow about noon gave stronger evidence that high water without a change of wind would prove most destructive, both to shipping and property adjacent to the sea-shore. As the tide began to cover the immense mud flats the wind started to blow in earnest from the north, but as the evening approached it veered round to the north-west and west, so that the sea long before full tide was covering its usual mark and overflowing the beach road, causing immense destruction to property. About four o'clock it was seen that many of the coasters anchored between Grahamstown and the goods wharf were drifting, and would pass through Curtis's or Grahamstown wharf—no power on earth able to stay them. The first to strike was the cutter George, laden with timber, who worked herself through, and was then carried out to the Mangrove, at the head of the river, where she lies swamped. This was about five p.m., or two hours off high water, and now the tide sweeps clean over the wharves. The cutter Sydney was the next to pass through, close to the tollhouse, and drifted on to the road close to the fencing of the Wesleyan church. The Lady Rath now broke her moorings, and passed through, making the third breach. She now lies high and dry on Shortland beach. The damage done to this wharf is estimated by Mr Curtis at £l5O. Close to this wharf is the timber yards of Messrs Reid and Holdship, and in each case the sea licked up the timber and scattered2it up and down the beach as if it were cardboard. In each case the loss will be very great, but Messrs Holdship have every cause to be thankful that their wharf was not carried away, as the strain was enormous, which Mr Davidson noticing, at once gave instructions to sever the connection close in shore, thereby creating a large/gap, and saving a large pile of timber that otherwise would have gone. The Tararu wharf suffered severely, it stood the wind well, but when the water broke over it it was smashed up like matchwood, and at the present moment there is fully two-thirds of it in ruins. This is a serious matter to the Tramway Company, who not only lose heavily by the whari, but the tramway suffered severely, large gaps being made by the waves in the seawall, which will impede the traffic for several days. The Tramway Company have recently spent over £l5O upon the Tararu wharf, and to again put it in order would require a far larger amount than that. Inshore great damage was done to garden fences, chimneys, &c, and prominent among these was the spire of St George's Church, where a large portion of the zinc roof was blown away. A telegram was forwarded about five o'clock, notifying the existence of the gale, but unfortunately before the address was fairly finished, communication between Mercer and Auckland was obstructed, but repaired by noon of to-day. ' The following is culled from the " Advertiser" :—The gale was, we believe, the strongest that has been experienced in the Hauraki Gulf for a long time past. It has at all events left the Thames without wharf accommodation for passengers or steamers, except the goods wharf, which can only be reached by lightdraught vessels at high water. It seems a great pity that such a substantial structure as this is should have been erected where there is so little depth of water, or rather, where it was so liable to be filled up from the debris from the batteries. It is very doubtful if it would be wise to lengthen the wharf under the circumstances named, and unless it is lengthened it is all but useless for lauding purposes. "New Zealand Herald," June 2nd.