WRECK OF THE WESTPORT.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume III, Issue 265, 23 June 1882, Page 2

WRECK OF THE WESTPORT.

(united press association.) BLENHEIM, This Day. The crow of tho s.s. Westport arrived here yesterday. The following information is gathered from Captain Gihbs. The Westport left Lyttelton at 5 a.m. on Sunday, and at 9 p.m. was abreast of Waipapa, when the wind commenced to freshen from the N.W. Captain Gibbs put back into Half Moon Bay, and again got under weigh on Monday morning, and passed Kekerangua about 11 a.m. The wind then came on fresh from N.W., and the Wesport anchored under Flag Rock, and left on Tuesday morning, and proceeded past Cape Campbell at 10 o'clock. The sea was then smooth, hut eight miles further north it commenced to blow from N.W. stiffly, and as the sea was getting up rapidly Captain Gibbs deemed it advisable to return back under shelter of Cape Campbell, as the centrifugal pump was not working very well. In turning, the ship made some heavy lurches, and pitched everything in her hold to the lee side and went over on her beam ends. She lay there perfectly unmanageable, and so much on one side that the coal would not lie in the bars of the furnace, and in consequence the steam went down. Ultimately the vessel was got to forge ahead a little, and on being steered for Cape Campbell, the steamer jii6t fetched Flaxbourne anchorage, below Capo Campbell, at 4 p.m. on Tuesday. The anchor was let go off Flaxbourne in 10 fathoms. The engineer made a survey of the damage done to the centrifugal pump and engine, and reported that it was impossible to right it. The water, which had been gaining fast, was now level with the lee-rail ; and Captain Gibbs then ordered the two remaining boats to be lowered away. After consultation, Captain Gibbs manned the boats at 5 o'clock, made for the leeside of the reef at Flaxbourne, and reached beach just at dark. The captain and crew lost everything. Before they left the Westport the bulkhead of the engineroom bad given out.