WRECK OF A STEAMER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7785, 3 November 1886, Page 5

WRECK OF A STEAMER.

LOSS OF THE TUI. PASSENGERS AND CREW SAVED. [BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION." Wellington, Tuesday. About two o'clock this morniug Pilot Holmes telephoned from the Heads that the steamer Tui, which left harbour late last night, bound to Foxton, had been wrecked at the northward of Chiffen's passage. The ill-fated vessel was under the command of Captain Pope, and shortly after she struck the water made very rapidly, and brought the steamer down by the head, so that she made little way. Finding that he could not beach the steamer before she went down, the captain lowered the boats and got the passengers and crew into them, Captain Pope and the mate, Mr. Forbes, remaining till the last. Some of the seamen jumped into the water and swam to one of the boats, but the othera managed to get into them without much difficulty. The boat in charge of the captain landed near the present pilot station/and the one in charge of the engineer (Mr. Watson) made the beach at the old pilot station, from which place the crew and passengers walked to Captain Holmes' place, where they were treated with all hospitality. The weather at the time of the mishap was very thick, and the wind waa blowing hard from the W. Just previous to the steamer striking Captain Pope states a heavy rain squall came on. He lost Somes Island light, and the pilot states that at about that time the signalman was unable to see the light on Pencarrow Head. The vessel had in the haze got out of her course with the result already stated. The Tui was going at the speed of ten miles at the time she struck, and from the rapidity with which her fore compartment, hold, and engine room filled, Captain Pope is under the impression that the bottom must have been torn out of her. It was a little over a quarter of an hour afterwards that she went down bows first, and sank in about eight fathoms of water, with her two masts about three fathoms above the suriace. There waa not much time to save anything except life. The ladies were in their bertha and were only able to get part of their clothes on before taking to the boats, but the captain, who bad thrown off hia coat and boots, landed in his shirt sleeves. With the exception of one passenger all on board lost everything beyond the clothes they landed in. The Tui was built in Dunedin ten years ago by Messrs. Sparrow, and is owned by Messrs. C. Seagar, Joseph Joseph, W. and C. Bishop, and J. and H. Barker. She waa not insured. Mr. Forbes, who was captain of the s.s. Lyttelton, wrecked recently near the French Pass, was chief officer of the Tui. A diver went down in the wreck this afternoon, but was unable to ascertain the damage. The owners expect to be able to float and repair the Tui. Our Wellington correspondent Bays there was a bridal party on board. The wedding was to take place at Foxton, bat the presents to the bride and the bridegroom, and the wedding dresses of the bride, are now eight fathoms deep.