THE ACCIDENT TO THE TONIC.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 9342, 11 April 1893, Page 2

THE ACCIDENT TO THE TONIC.

Oape Town newspapers give particulars of the breakdown pf the e.s. lonic The aooldeao occurred at 2.35 p.m. on February 8. The vessel whb making favoable headway, being at the tlnu In latitude 2320 scutb, and longitude S'lG east, when the propeller wis heard to givu two violent thumna, Bonding a thrill of horror through lie ship. Then the engines started to race, and tha ?hlp began to vibrate ominously, adding to the alarm occasioned by the flrat thumps. The engines were immediately stopped, and it was found, on examination being made that the tall eh.»ft had rarted in the etem tube, and that the tabi had been Btnaehod and also tha gland which closed the lanor.end of the tube. The engines were thus rendered useless, and further progress waß Impossible Though there was natnrslly come alarm amongst the pissen^ers at the acoldent, there waß no panio, and the behavior of the captain and orew removed all fear of any serious conßequences to the lives of those on board. Endeavors were instantly made to repair the accident, and in order to prevent leakage the bulkh* id was Immediately Bhored up, and all watertight doors shut. To reassure the p%Beangors, and as a tire caution try measure, the ho its were immediately prepare! fo- inßtant lowering, and provisions got ready to put into them. At the same time a boat whb lowered, and efforts wern made to seoure the propeller, bo as to prevent it from moving, There waß, hocrever, so much swell on that it was lmpoaslb'o to do anything at that time, Thi same n'ght the cipvain made another attempt, and Bucceeded In securing the two Bldus ot the propeller with steel hiwflera, and also plaoing a chain round it. On 9th February a drift buoy was set nfloat, to which was attached a scaled bottle containing a paper, asking the finder to at once telegraph to tbn owners that the ship had broken down. On 10;h February another buoy was Benu ofl with a Bimilar mesvage. At the time the accident ooourred the lonio was midway between St. Hulena and the Cape (both biing aboud 850 miles distant) and opposite to Walflsh Bay, distant about SiS miles. She was right in the traok of e team era bound to and from tbe Cape, and Captain Kidley had calculated that tbe mail steamer which left Table Bay on the Bth February ought to pisa early on the morning of the mh. He therefora resolved to make no effort by using satis to procotd, but to allow the vessel to drift until aid came in the shape of one of the Care liners. The passengers took the breakdown very calmly on the whole, their only trouble appearing to be lest tbe ship shon'd be floating about for some days, and their friends ashore should bj anxloua. Captain Kldley's calculations pravfd perfectly correor, and sion after 1 o'clook on the morning of Saturday, the 11th, a tte»mer'<( lights were sighted, ana, in anßwer to the lonic's signals, she came alongside, and proved to be the Haworden Castle, on the voyage from the Cape to England. This vessel took the disabled Bfewmer in tow, and reached Cape Town with her on the evening ot the 15th. The New Ze land T)i>s3ergerß were brought on by the s.p. Talnui, which arrived at Auckland last Thursday night.