THE RECENT GALE.—TWO VESSELS WRECKED ON THE COAST.

New Zealand Herald, Volume IX, Issue 2543, 20 March 1872, Page 6

THE RECENT GALE.—TWO VESSELS WRECKED ON THE COAST.

Captain Farqukur, of the ps. Duke of Edinburgh, lias kindly favoured us with eeveral iteine about the gale which raged at the liay of Islands on the 17th and 18th ult. The whaler Crown and Shield caught it in its full fury outside, and had her decks swept fore and aft, and her boat torn from, the davits and carried away to sea. The daviu were likewise broken, and other injury •ustained. At one litno she was in considerable danger of going down, and forty barrels of oil were thrown overboard ta ease her. She ultimately rode out the gait- in safety. The barque Elizn and the ketch Willi Duck both dragged their anchors, aud drilled for a considerable distauce down the harbour. It was at one time feared that they would be driven ashore. Every vessel iu tlie liay ha-i to put two anchors down to withstand the force of the wind, which is said to have been terrific. Ashore great damage was uoue, but fortunately no lives wevo lost. Our own correspondent, writing froiii W"angarei,and speaking of the "ale, save: — " IVoui down the coast it is re[ orted ol greater severity. The cutter Blanche is u total wreck at Whananaki; she was laden with gum, which was partly savuJ. ihe Lizzy was also wrecked in Tutiikukn. Messrs. -ferslo:! aud AlcLcod's store, iu that place, ran a very narrow chance. Had not the windows been well sheltered, the sea would have broken into the building. Fortunately, there has beeu no loss of life with ihosc disu liters." SCHOONEK .RACE. A race between the schuoiicra Nα Noba ami CuMibriu took place on February 2i, for £5u α-oide; course, from the Queen-street Wharl, round Tiritiri, and back. It will be remembered that, both these vessels ran in tiie tirsl race on the Kegalta-day, aud that the cup on that occasion was awarded to the -Nu JSoba The C-imbria, it will also be, remembered, struck on ti rock, aud had to give up the race, aad put into a friendly island for repairs. Had it not been so, there wen; not wanting nautical men who averred that she wouid have come in first, or, ut all events, second. So, to decide die sailing qualities of the boats their owners made up u match, which cume olf uii Saturday. L'he shirt was clfecleJ at eight o'clock, am! boi.li vessels at once dashed oil'. It was very soon apparent that the jS":i Nolki whs creeping up to windward, au;l when she was l:i-t Si.eu passing the North lieud into Rmigi'.o'.o channel, she had the advantage of about, three miles. Tim race was then practically at an end, for sho continued to gain on her rival, which gare up some miles this aide of Tiritiri. The .Na Koba went round, aud then turned her head for home, the Cambria of course being a long dlsUtuej aiiea-1, aud steering for Auckland, dhe rounded the Heads, and showed up from the wharf aboui 3 o'clock, when it was of course thought she was the winner. She came spinning up the harbour before a SLrong easterly breeze, and us she passed the wharf was saluted with loud cheers from tlio people collected there. But an ominous silence prevails on board the Cambria, and the rumour is at once cin-ulmed lhat she has not been round Tiritiri. The A T a Noba now shows round the Heads and speeds up the harbour like a racehorse, with every stiteh of canvas set. She is watched eagerly and curiously as she approaches the wharf. Ail doubts ure set at on her ftrriviim L

tlia goal, for a ringing cheer breaks forth from her crew that at once couvii.ce the spectators that she is the yietor. And so it proved, for, as before stated, the Cumbria had not gone round the course. And thus closed an event which had created a good deal of interest in the nautical rniud during the preceding week. The barque Adventurer reports speaking the whaling barque Sea Hunger, of jN T ew Bedford, C.ipUdu Allan, oil the 27th February, off Norfolk ls!a:id. On February 2G, lit tho yards of Measr-. Henderson and Sprtiggou, an interesting ceremony took place, in the launch of the Itub.v, n pretlv lore aud alt schooner, which has been ••emojJlled from a cutter of 33 feet. Her present, dimensions are —53 feet keei, 1G feet fee. be.im, and 7 feet depth. The following is the Customs returns for tlu month ot February : — Auckland : Dutns, ,tI3,SG7 18s 4d ; light dues, £101 H-8d ; fees under the Alerchaut Shipping Act, £-1 4s Od ; fee.t under Arms Act, .£lO lGs ; gold duty, JtllOS 13s 9d ; miscellaneous receipts, £01 Gd ; pilot:.ge for the month, £G1 Is 2d ; port rliarges, £3L Is 3d. Total, £10,230 19s od.— Kiiipira lh.rbour : l'ort charges, £3 lla 9d: pilotage. £7 Gs. Ouehuuga : Port charges, £i Is.

l'lio whaling barque Adventurer, Captain Pierce, put iu at the Bay of Islands on the Till instant, iu distress. The vessel a few days previously was caught iu a fearful g.iK", and the lie.ivy seas breaking over her carried away everything on deck. Xiie storm uso did considerable duni.isje to the hull of the vessel, carrying away the bulwarks, portion of the stern, stern boat, So;. The Adventurer is owned bv Messrs. K. Towns and Co., of "and she left for Auckland to be. repaired, whero she iirrired on the ltitU inst. A full account of her voyage will be iound elsewhere.

Allot her a.ldili.m has been mncie to our it cam U''< - ' 'f <• iisi ing vessels, iu Hie eliape of a very tu..i.isotuc! screw sLeatuer, wiiieh was on March 7 laun-lied from the yard of Mes.-rs. Uuti.ie and ltoss, shipbuilders". At » quarter to 5 o'clock the la?t of the shores were knocked away, and the pretty craft glided smoothly into her future element. As o.'ie. left, the ways a 'lOtlie (if wine was dashed against her by A« i>B liiaund, and she was christened tlii! Southern Cross. A party of gentlemen we.r<on bo'ird ut the timo of llie luunchiiig of the v. s-el, which was gaily dfcoratid with buniin;;. After Llie of the. launch a cas:> of chain j w.is ■ m honor ot Lheoecaslon, an I good luck was drank to the new *;earner. SiiK was afterwards towed round to the Goresiroet jotu, where siii) will be filled up. As stated above, s!ie was built by Messrs. Dulliie and Koss, who have turued out so many fine steamers -iinest umoug them all being lii.i Q-olde:i Crown. Tnu following are her dimensions : — liengi ii of keol, 01 feet 3 inclie- ; overall, 110 (eet; bread ill of beam, Iβ feot ; depth of Hold, 1 3 uuhes. Sho measures about 70 tons, and is built of JS'ew Zealand tiiuhcr. She is planked with timber cut four years. >he was built to the order of Mr. J. S. Macfarlane, and is, we believe, intended (or the Tauranga tru.ie. She will be schooner rigged, and will be fitted up with very superior accommodation for passeugers. Her engines are compound, and were constructed by Messrs. I'ra-ier au 1 I'iuno. They are i.l 30hor 5 e power, and with all the latest iui proveineuts. She will be fitted up without cU-Ibj.