WRECK OF THE BARQUE CLYDE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXII, Issue 7414, 3 December 1884, Page 3 (Supplement)

WRECK OF THE BARQUE CLYDE.

EIGHTEEN LIVES LOST.—ONE

SURVIVOR,

Early on Thursday, Nov, 6. the news reached Lyttelton of what ultimately proved to be an appalling disaster on tho rocky shores of Banks Peninsula. The first intimation was conveyed in a telegram to the Customs authorities from Akaroa, stating that the barque Clyde, from Dunedin, was ashore near the Heads. Messrs Kinsey, Ward and Co., agents for the vessel, on receipt of tho nows, telegraphed to the steamship Akaroa, then at Akaroa, to proceed to the spot and render all assistance in its power. At the time of telegraphing, only one of the crew was reported safe. It was at first supposed that there was a possibility of getting the vessel off, and as tho Hawea waa to call in at 6 p.m., it was hoped she would be of some assistance. The nows was received by the Harbourmaster at Akaroa, by telegram from Duvauchello's Bay, at the bead of the luurbour, in the following words: —"The barque Clyde is ashore at Horseshoe Bay, on this side of Peraki, There are 19 souls aboard, only the apprentice having got ashore as yet. There is rather a heavy sea on, and assistance is wanted at once.” There waa a fresh south-east breeze, with heavy rain and sea, on Wednesday night, and it was during a fog that the barque struck. A horseman conveyed tho news from tho scene of the wreck to Duvauchello's Bay, whence assistance was tolegraohed for. A volunteer crew embarked on the Akaroa at once, taking a Government boat with them. The news was received at half-past 10, and the steamer was off before 11, so that no time was lost. Unfortunately she was too late to render any assistance While all were anxiously awaiting her return a further telegram tame from Duvauchelle’s Bay, stating that the apprentice, who was saved, feared the v< ssel bad broken up, and all lives been lost except the mate and boatswain. I hem two wi'fo soon on tho bottom of ft ooftfc drifting towards land. The Akaroa returned at 3.50 p.ra., alone. Tlio sad truth i«?camo known that, with the exception of tiie hid who had been fortunate enough to get ashore, not a soul had Is-en saved. The barque was completely broken up, and nothing but wreckage was to lw seen. The Akaroa came on to Lyttelton, leaving the apprentice and on® liody, which bod been washed ashore, at Akaroa

THE APPRENTICE'S NARRATIVE. Our Akaroa correspondent wind* Hie following particulars, obtained, apjmrouUy, from the apprentice Gibson, the sole survivor of the unfortunate ship a company i —" The baruae was steering north-east by north i-north, nothing to leeward. About four this morning it was foggy, and the aea was rather heavy. George tHhson, the survivor, had turned in a few minutes, when the mate told the off wateh to he handy. In five minutes the man on wateh called out * Iswad on the lee bow/ All hands were called to 'bout ship. She missed stays, and they tried to wear her, bat she struck amidships. Got out one of the three boats, and the captain ordered Gibson and another boy to to bale. Put in his wife and three children.botthe stem of the boat was <mught under the be rap and swamped. The woman and children £Se dragged aboard. Gibson, seeing the

tmlmuiut falling, dived and got to the imaokcr lioom, and thence on hoard. The aipUift wwt bleeding and stunned, floating nisoot the deck, with two children. Oitrtmn pulled the children out. They, with the Imatewain, mate, and other*, got into Another which vw swamped Among the wreckage. dlhson Again got on Urn spanker hoom. The captain'* l>ocly mu! a girl nine yean old floated hy. Oilmen seiml the child, hut a boa eatno over him and made him let««. lie got on the deck house, which wa* drifting hy, and wa* carried Into n little Imy. He walked «<nmi miles to M'l’hnil'*, whence the news was sent. He then returned to the shore, and was taken almard the Akaroa,” TUB f’i.YDK’B HISTORY.

A Dunedin telegram gives th® following details about tho vessel and her crew, cargo, Ac,!—'* The Clyde was n wooden barque, 652 tons register. Sh« was built In 1874 at Williams’ river, New Month Waif's, for Mr James Brown, but is now owned by Mr J. 0. Kills, ML.A.. of Newcastle. Captain Calmer was fairly well known in Dunedin and at the Tort, ns he commanded the Edith May when that vessel was trading here some time ago. Tho vossol arrived in Dunedin on Get. 20 from Mauritius, after having made a rather long passage of 40 days. She hod visited this port on a previous occasion, about seven years ago. She was consigned to Messrs If. Scottllar and Co., and Drought a full cargo of sugar, 17,714 packages in all, of which 7440 wore for Lyttelton. She was re-consigned to Messrs Wood, Stand and Co., or Christchurch, and tad on board about 160 tons of sugar (this being the 7440 mats mentioned before). It was expected that on leaving Lyttelton she would have sailed to Newcastle in ballast.

“The following ore th® names of the crew who were on board tho vessel t William Currie (mate), H. Ferdinand Second mate), Richard Harney (A. 8.), orbert Boyle (boy), Ah Lab (coos). An King (boy), David Murray, H. Sampson, P. M’Lean, P.’ Soderqnhist, T. Smith, Charles Brown, Andrew Chrlstepherson, (A.B.'s). In addition to tho crew there were four passengers on board, vie., Mrs Culmor (tho captain's wife), and their three children, Misses M., E., and E. Culmor.

" The Clyde was a very strongly built and woU appointed vessel, having originally cost £IB,OOO. It is understood that Mr Ellis bought her very cheap, and he sresent5 resent market value would not bo more turn £SOOO. The Sydney office of tho Now Zealand Insurance Company hold a risk of £IOOO on tho hull, and the South British and Union offices also have £6OO and £260 respectively on the hall. The remainder of the insurances on the hull, in all probability, arc with some of tho Sydney offices. The cargo is valued at £6OOO, and is insured in the National Insurance office for £4600. Most of this amount, however, is re-insured in the New Zealand, South British, and Victoria offices. “ fhere is a deep and widespread feeling of regret for the untimely fate of Captain Calmer and his family. While he was in Dunedin he made many friends, and all those whose business brought them in contact with him, speak highly of his good nature and genial disposition.” SCENE OP THE WRECK. Horseshoe Bay is a small rocky inlet on the coast of the Perl insula, four miles south of Akaroa Heads. It is difficult of entrance even for boats, and it is no wonder that the ill-fated barque broke up so speedily once she was entangled there. As the bay is considerably to the west of the extreme point of Banks Peninsula,. which the Clyde should have rounded in order to make Port Lyttelton on her northward passage, it is evident that tho captain must have been out in his reckoning as to the position of the ship. It is not unlikely that one of those unusually strong currents setting in shore, which was supposed to be the cause of the striking of tho Ringarooma near the Akaroa Heads, carried the barque much nearer the land than die should have been. As it appears now to be certain that none have survived except tho brave lad Gibson, all that remains to hedone is tho sad duty of recovering tho Wdies bf those who perished. With this object Inspector Pender has made arrangements for the coast adjacent to the wreck to be watched, and two constables will leave Christchurch this morning to meet Sergeant Brooks at the Head of the Bay, whence they will proceed on horseback to Horseshoe Bay w order to see that any of the bodies which may he washed ashore are accorded a decent burial.