GREAT GALE ON THE AUSTRALIAN COAST.

Inangahua Times, Volume IV, Issue 50, 3 August 1877, Page 2

GREAT GALE ON THE AUSTRALIAN COAST.

LOSS OF A STSAMBE WITH ALL HAttDS. Telegrams in the Melbourne papers dated July 15 give the following account of the gale on the eastern coast of Austria. :— A heavy S.S.E. gale has been blowing all night, and torrents of rain have con* tinued all day, with a heavy sea on the coast. The steam collier Yarra Yarra, returning to the port of Newcastle at seven o'clock this morning, was driven over towards the Cawarra buoy, two heavy seas striking her and falling on board. When near the buoy an attempt appeared to be made to run out to sea. The mizzen trysail was set, but at this time another fearful sea struck her, carrying away either the funnel or. the foremast, and in a moment after she gave a lurch and went down stern foremost. It was noticed at the time that the wheels were stationary, showing that the fires must have been pu out by the seas breaking on board. A signal gun to prepare the lifeboat was fired from the lock-out station, but a heavy squall came on at tho time, and when it cleared the steamer was gone. A large quantity of wreckage came ashore on the North Beach. One body was seen but was not secured, owing to the heavy surf. Hundreds of people were on the beach and wharves at the time. One of the masts of the Yarra qan.be seen just outside Cawarra buoy. The ships St Lawrence and Steelfield partially broke from their moor,ings at the wharf at Newcastle list night. The former came into collision, with the barque Island City, carrying away her mizzentopmast, but the other casualties were small.