Stranding of the Ruapehu.

Hastings Standard, Issue 211, 4 January 1897, Page 2

Stranding of the Ruapehu.

THE VESSEL AFLOAT AGAIN,

[By Telegraph.] (I'i'i' Press Association.) Wellington, Jan. 8. The Corinna reached the wharf at midnight with the Ruapehu's passengers. It appears that the vessel ran ashore about 7 o'clock on Friday iogJu in almost broad daylight, anil ijes in practically a safe position about a mile from the shore. On Sunday morning the Waverley carried a hawser from the Talune to the stranded vessel, but in the attempt to tow her it parted and further efforts were abandoned, though no difficulty is anticipated of successfully floating her. At 11 in the morning the work of transhipping the passengers from the Ruapehu to the Corinna was begun, the Mawhera acting as tender, and in a couple of hours all were safely on board with the exception of about a dozen young fellows who decided to stand by the steamer. The deck was in charge of the tirst and fourth officers at the time of the accident. When t ho Corinna left only a moderate sea was running. Mr William Irving, a passenger to Wellington, died on the voyage from consumption. iSki.sox. Midnight. The steamer Waverley reached the Ruapehu at about ~> .a.m., when the guages on the Ruapehu showed 14ft at the stern and 18ft t>in at the bow, and soundings give l'dt close by. Her head pointed due west towards Pillar Point-, which was about six miles distant. Farewell lighthouse, which is not visible from the place, being hidden by a 90-foot sandhill, is something over eight miles distant and a third of a mile from the shore. At 11 o'clock her guages showed 28ft, aft and Kifi forward, but before that the Talune had tugged strenuously, and her stern was shifted so that her head now points south-west. The Omapere held on a line to keep her in the same position as when the tide turned. Six steamers left, but the Kennedy and the Mawhera went to the spit end where the water was smoother, tlio former transhipping coal to the Mawhera in order to go alongside and lighter the Ruapehu. Evidently the sand has piled up round the steamer. Wkli.ixothn. This day. When ihe Corinna arrived she found the Ilesketh, Wainui, Mawhera, Talune, Omapere, and Waverley there. The latter was extremely useful as a tender. It was found after several attempts had been made without success by the ship's company to get her otV the vessel bumped considerably and swung right round, but did not budge. Captains Rose and Bendall boarded the Ruapehu, and after consultation decided to tranship the .passengers. These were placed in the Mawhera and then transferred to the Corinna. The Talune sent a hawser aboard the big steamer and started to tow her oil'. At tirst there was no success, but gradually she began to move and the passengers shouted with glee. Slowly her stern swung round, when just as success seemed assured snap went tlie rope, and the vessel shifted back to her old position. The tide was now beginning to ebb, but another attempt was made, and when the Corinna loft for Wellington the Mawhera and Talune were both hauling at her. There was a considerable swell on yesterday which made the work of handling the boats one both of difficulty and danger. This was also the case when the Mawhera. was transferring the passengers to the Corinna. ropes which fastened the vessels together breaking from repeated jerks. It was found the Mawhera would be wanted to take oft' some of fhe Ruapehu's cargo, and her own passengers were sent hack in the Corinna along with the Ruapehu's. Thete wero nearly 800 on board and berths were made up in the hold. Although it was jiwt on midnight there was a. large crowd waiting hero at tlie wharf who cheered the passengers heatiiy. The 1 depth of water where the Ruapehu is lying is set down at low tide at three and a half fathoms. Tile a--i light hoti>e-keeper went down early on Saturday morning with a red ensign and signalled for sewr.il hours, could get no responso from the ship. I lie chief officer ha* been ill for a week or more. Mr Wilhams, of Napier, savs that , v l— appeart d 11k. '\ nothing to haps.< ■>) !■> the |u rs tic turned in on Friday night un 1 -! pi ooii'tdlv. (Jreal a.stoni.ihuient was fell on board at die accident, which happened on a line e\'ettiiiL r with no ha/.e and the sea quite calm. The t ornma. bait a \ory rough trip out the di. eks beiii:.' ei tisiantlv awash eh 'lVraw hiti. The R up h ; hi! an unusually roui'tl \f>vage, !;• .Hi ilaie-s being lift with at the start, and ni the Hay of Biscay she water freely, Hem .she pa.-v-ed the Athenian from the ( which had. suffered freeiv aittJJMPTThree tiicii ov» rSwuird. lief.av rejjjjJnng thli i aiw she tell in with the heaviest -.on' west storm e\|H-net!ecd for years, and ield Itl-uh lb--' '. W i a'.her f T -Ollle Hint i. t-111 • 111 l7de * -Midi she met a number of large leebtugs and the wt Vie: vt. \< \ , I wi'ht.un The old*. ■•!>,«{ v. I'le r w i bil'U'Vll lioban and i ar- w t !!. (til New \i.o- Stlfh» I a.'t Sl'irtft, who w a- ati \ i-I'.» to be n ported front the spit, nave instructions that he was to be called I- ■"'«>!! a- t!f\ caitle Wliillll four n.dei of the land, and w,n; down lviiiiniur.it twi nty uuiiiiti « t<> hit mom:. > af:i !' he r< >-.e fro:i> hi, •»>«»{, looked os" i.»i tin- jmrt hull- and tbtti rushul un dick ; at thv &aiu«

time the passem-rers f.-it the ship was gliding on to sum-.-thing ami -ovcral followed the captain. There was no confusion and so slight was thi' shock that many .p-ietly finished their dinner. The steamer wa- ; going 1:1 !• »:<.• . the time, with tin- wind b; hind hi r, and struck nearly halfway r tv;een the Cape ami lighthou.-.e. S r.ul niches as far as the evi- can see seawsir-l ami up to the Cap. on the other -id. . The Ruapehn is upright and 01. an even keel. The engines at out - went astern hut without avail, and several attempt- wt re equally fruitless. ifcvefil of the pa- e tigers say they notieeiS land on th port how, and if this is so it is strange the officers did not see it too. The S'rst officer was supposed to he in . r-e of the d:c-k. but there s» i - at |souie confusion 011 thi - point, as some passengers say lie *.v,t - at dinner ; id others that he was not, h-:t that ho was urgently called from the dec-!; a few momenta before the ship struck At latest advices la-t night the Mawhera and Kennedy were standing by. and the weather was moderating. T2.:'.0 p.m. The Ruapehu p.. --id Fan well lighthouse on her way t > Wellington at 10.20 a.m. and signalled all well. The S.Z. Shipping Company have arranged a berth for the Rnapeiiu and will di-charge her immediately on arrival to-night. fch<? v.ill then hi* sent on to Lvttelton and docked without delay. '