THE S.S. TAUPO ASHORE AT TAURANGA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5395, 3 March 1879, Page 6

THE S.S. TAUPO ASHORE AT TAURANGA.

LITTLE HOPES OF BEING GOT OFF. Tew 3 was received in Auckland on the 18th eb., from Tauranga that the Union G0.,8 a. Taupo, which left here previous night b 5 p.m., via East Coast and Southern ofts, had struck upon the rocks at the enrance to Tauranga harbour, and that she ad pierced a hole in her bottom beneath he machinery. The accident necessitated he removal of the passengers, cargo, nd mails, and this was done without j£>ss f life or the slightest disorder. ' The isaster coming so soon after the wreck of he company's steamer Taranaki, within , few miles of where the present accident las occurred, naturally excited sympathy, not inly with the captain and officers, but with ,bc company, as it has inaugurated a service vhich has proved of material advantage to ["auranga and the whole of the East Coast. These steamers are of a class, both as regards tonnage, accommodation, and speed, 'eyond the power of individual enterprise, ind as such have built up a passenger traffic ;bafc, under other circumstances, would not lave attained to &uch proportions as now >xists. The disaster is attributed by those capable of judging in such matters to the fact that the steamer hugged the shore between the black buoy and Stony Poiuttoo closely, and as the water gradually sballowß From the former to the Point, the ebb tide caught the starboard bows of the steamer and canted her on to the north or seaward side of the Point, and one of the huge boulders that form the shore of the Maungauui Hill pierced her bottom. The narrowest part of the channel at this point is about one cable's length in width, aud the opposite side is a sand and shell bank, with 2J to 3 fathoms at low water, while at the southern side of I Stony Point there is deep water, and it is I almost possible to jump from a vessel's deck ; on to the boulders. Of course this statement as to the cause of the accident 13 conjectural, and the merits of the case will not be ascertained until a judicial inquiry is held. The vessel where she lies would be exposed to any northerly gale. There is a good sheltered beach close at haud, if she could be floated. Latest telegrams from the eceue of the accident are not so cheering as those received in the early part of the day, Captain Cromarty having arrived in Tauranga, reports that the middle and after parts of the vessel are full of water, and that she would not lift at high tide, but remains fixed. A great deal of the cargo was out by night, much of it damaged, and in this respect we are afraid that a great loss will be sustained. With regard to the probability of getting the vessel off, the news during the evening was such as to give little hopes of that being accomplished. It will be seen that we have a telegram from our Dunedin correspondent, stating that the Union S.S. Company intend to abandon her to the. underwriters. While on the subject of insurances, we cannot pass over the comments of the general public on the apathy displayed by the insurance offices in not despatching steamers from Auckland with appliances of various kinds for lifting her. The s.s. Taupo was one of the latest of the company's boats, and was built at Dumbarton in 1575, registering 401 tons, 100 horse-power. Her dimensious are :—Length, 4 2L5 feet S inches ; beam, 27£ feet; aud depth of hold, 14 feet, is valued at £25,000, and is insured for £23,000. Captain Cromarty, her commander, succeeded Captain Andrews about three mouths ago, with Mr. Garrard, chief officer; Mr. McQueen, chief engineer; and Mr. Syme, purser. The following telegrams contain full particulars:— Tauranga, Feb. IS. 10 a.m. The Union Co.'s steamer Taupo, whilst entering the harbour, struck upou a rock, where she is now lying. There are two holes in her bottom. The engine-room is full of water, also another comjjartment. Hopes are entertained by those competent to judge that repairs temporarily can be made here, to enable her to be moved to Auckland. The passengers and ■ mails are landed. There was no confusion or excitement. ! 5.20 p.m. 1 The Taupo had a large cargo, amounting to j 150 tous, and a quantity of coal. All went well till she arrived off the Tauranga Bar, on Tuesday morning, about seven. At that'time many of the ladies were still in bed, though the gentlemen had mostly come on deck. Capt. Cromarty and his chief officer (Mr. Garrard) were both on duty, and two men at the wheel. The usual course was steered, and all went well till the vessel appeared within a stone's-throw of the Mouut, when she struck heavily on a sunken rock. Opinions differ as to the severity of tho shock. Some say it was extremely sharp, but one or two persons were not even awakened by the noise, so it cannot have been very severe. The captain immediately gave orders to reverse the engines, and for a few minutes this was done, but the engine-room commencing to fill with water, they were stopped. The mate called all bands on deck, and in ci very short time the boats were lowered, and the ladies rowed to the Mount; the gentlemer and luggage followed. Hardly 20 minute* elapsed before all were safe on shore. Imrne diately after the accident a cannon was fired and the whistle kept going until the steam gav» way. The alarm was given in Tauranga about j quarter-past seven by Mr. Clark, who observec the Taupo letting off steam, and, apparently aground. He immediately communicatee with Mr. McKellar, and in a few minutes thi s.s. Katikati had got steam lip, and proceedet to the wreck. As she neared the Mouot thos< on board could see that the passengers weri ashore, and that an accident had occurred Tho launch took on board and convej'ed ti Tauranga a number of peojile, the mails, ant a quantity of luggage, arriving about 9.30 a.m Au attempt is being made to raise the ship thi evening, and tow her into deep water. $ p.m. The Taupo entered Tauranga Heads about 1 o'clock this morning, upon a two hours'ebb tide Midway between the first buoy and the beaco: abreast of Maunganui Hill she struck upon ledge of rocks at She edge of the channel, ii about nine or ten feet of water. The engine were at once stopped and orders given to g astern. Before these could be executed th rush of water came into the middle compartmeni putting out the fires in the engine-room quicke than it takes to write the story. The datnag must be very considerable, as the vpsscl (cam tearing about full speed over the rocks. "\Vlie: passeugers left at the slack £tide she .vas up right, and seemed as if she were firmly fixed The channel, in which there is 5 to 10 fathom of water, takes a bend at this point, and th oaptain who was in charge, haviug a pilot e.\ emption, though a comparative stranger here must have taken a straight course between th buoys and beacon, and skirted the channe without making sufficient allowance for th i strong ebb tide, which would set the vessel 1 head toward the shore. There was no coufusior The passengers at first were not aware that th accident was so serious, but when it becam evident there was a hole in her bottom, th boats were lowered and passengers landed o the beach at Maunganui llill. The steame Katikati shortly afterwards came, and too them to Tauganga. The town is crowded, an 1 accommodation very difficult to get. The carg is being brought up to town and stored, thoug much is damaged. Apparently the fore an aft compartments are tight, but the vessc would not lift at high water, and there is a fea that the after compartment will uot bear th pressure. If the weather keeps fine the vess* may be saved, but the damage will, I fear, b greater than at first anticipated. 8.20 p.m. The agent (Mr. T. Wrigley) has placed all th vessels in harbour on to take" out cargo, and the 1 are working now. The vessel is filling fast. Th i tire 3 were put out in the engine-room thre • minutes after she struck. The water is now i I the saloon, and washing across the vessel fror - gunwale to gunwale. The silver, cabin fittings [ bedding, &c., have been brought to Taurangc I Doubts exist as to whether the vessel can fc got off. i . # 8.30 p.m. At high water the tide washed over tl: Taupo's deck amidships. Three cutters ai : down there receiving cargo, which will all t out to-night. It is impossible to say wheth< ; she can be got off or not. Captaiu Cromarty i r terribly distressed. The sea is calm, but it setting in thick fioin the east. The . are comfortably billeted at the hotels an » private houses. The company pny the [ expenses. It is suggested that the s.s. Kower should take the Hawea's passengers on to Aucl land on Thursday, and that vessel return Sout J with the Taupo's. Mr. Walter Bishop, a passenger, sends a I account .of the wreck, in which he states :- Soundings give two fathoms of water all roun 1 at low tide, and she is hanging amidships on } shallow patch of big boulders. The officers an * crew are most energetic in their efforts to r i lieve the vessel. Great praise is especially due t 3 Mr. Garrard, the chief officer, for the prompt an » unremitting exertions in getting the boats out au 3 landing the passengers, which was done wifchot 5 confusion. The accident was caused by tb vessel's head suddenly cautiug shorewards whe stemming a strong tide rip at the most critic* point in tho channel. General sympathy felt for Captain Cromarty under the circun j stances, and it is considered purely accidental. , . Duxedix, Feb. IS, 11 p.m. Captain Cromarty has been in command sine Captain Andrews left, three months since. B | came ousi from home in the Taupo as chi< * officer nearly four years ago. The compan • intend to abandon the Taupo* to the Unde; ' writers, INSURANCES. HULL. Home offices £10,000 Melbourne offices 5,000

South British (half re-insured) ... 6 GmT" New ... ... "j'/uvi Colonial I^oqo Union i'aaX National (unknown) " ' CARGO. New Zealand Uqiod ... ... ... tl< 306 CARGO AND PASSENGERS. Passengers Tauranga : Mr. and Mrs.Gib»on y». Sheehan, Miss Snodgraas, Miss Milne. Miss nan, Mr. Phillip*, Ker. 15 Y. Aihwell, jjffa™ Park, Xnappmg. and O'S&llivao. Giiborn* • \r„ Howatth and threo boys, Messrs. M-honey, W. Weston, aud Barcus. WeJliDztnn Mr. and Mrs. Dank 3, Mrs. Buchanan and thr?* children. Miss Gray, M*«r3. Edwards, Deardtn ind Reggall. Napier : Mr. aud Mm. ColHcs \tw Heale. Mrs. Bink», Mr. Hargreaves, Mr. dark Lyttelton : Mr. and Mrs. Graham, Ivtd children ami servant, Mr. and Mm. Chapman. Mr. and Mr and child, Messrs. T. H. Hull. Mahoncr Gtrnn Mowbray. AucuUeio, "Wade. Parfitt. DanMin Messrs. Lee, *»imtb, and Montague. " The following ti alia of her cargo, with th» -ame* of,shippers For Taurantja: 1 package, Routh~ Fnr Poverty Bay: 8 packages, Uowirth. For VaD;*r--1 cas- t Garrett: 1 case.iihaxUnd; 1 box, Hecni bery; 1 case, Uardwick; 12 sacks, McMahoV 5 lead, T. and 8. Alorrio; 39 kegs, 1 cask, ex Marar'S from London; 70 boxes, ex Australia, from ga Francisco. For Wellington: 1G coils rope. Hinder* son and Macfarlane; 33 cas*?s and 25 keg 3, ex iia, from San Francisco; 1 cask, er MarivaL f fo m London; 1 i-chest tea, 1 package, if. fcrace at-d O - 1 cask, Kemptborne and Co. For Lytteltcn* ir* case*, 2 boxes, and 1 package, ex Australia f rom * Francisco; 6cases merchandise, P.M.*<.:>. q 0 . j c^. 7r Khrenfried; 3 bales, Ireland Brothers; 1 c.\s-» Drn*« Campbell and Co. For Dunedi?: 10 bales hoc** Stone Brothers; 510 cases, 20 birrels, 1? D*v:kaeM' ex Australia, from San Francisco; 1 Conrtnay; 1 case, E. Porter and Cj.; li pvki-ea Fleming 1 . c "