ACCIDENTS, ETC.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 8283, 16 June 1890, Page 9

ACCIDENTS, ETC.

MASTER AND MATE LOST. On the 23rd of May, about nine a.m., the fore-and-aft schooner Maud Graham arrived in port, terminating a passage from Lyttelton that has been attended with more than usual danger, and during which the master of the vessel, Captain Richard Fitzgerald, and his brother John, the mate, were swept over', board and drowned. The Maud Graham left Lyttelton with a cargo of 1200 bags wheat, oats, etc., on May Bth, and heavy weather was experienced up the coast. On the third day oat she was off Portland Island, and at nightfall the wind, which had been blowing very fresh from the W.S.W. all day, increased to a furious gale with high seas, many of which found their way on board the vessel. Captain Fitzgerald, after consulting the crew, expressed his intention of heaving-to at eight p.m., but the high seas # running rendered this impracticable, and it was decided to keep running till midnight, when, if the weather moderated at all, it was agreed to lay-to for the night. About eleven o'clock Captain Fitzgerald came on deck to see how things were, and found that there was no diminution in the force of the wind, which was now a howling hurricane, while the sea was running very high, and threatening to poop the vessel. The master took the helm, but had not long been there before an enormous wave broke over the stern and washed him over the bulwarks like a cork. A second wave swept him back, however, and grasping a rope hemanaged to retain his footing. The poor fellow's respite from death was however but brief, for in less than ten minutes a similar sea broke on board, and carried the hapless master over the side into the seething waters without any of his shipmates being aware of the fact at the instant. The mate, John Fitzgerald, came aft to see how his brother was getting on, and to his horror found that he was not? at his post, and the first accident lurnished an easy means of surmising how he had been lost. The wheel was found to have been broken bodily in half, and the fragments were washing about the decks, which. were full of water. Mr. John Fitzgerald then took command of the schooner, and, uu .Hunted by the tragi© fate of his brother, stationed himself at the broken helm. For about live or six minutes he succeeded in keeping the vessel on her course, when a mountainous sea almost overwhelmed the schooner, breaking over her stern and sweeping along the deck. 'The crew held on to the nearest hold for dear life, but when the vessel shook herself free from the wave they were horrified to find that the. mate was not at the wheel, where he had been standing when the water broke on board. While bravely standing to the post vacated in so untimely a manner by his. brother, John Fitzgerald had been hurled' into eternity without having time to utter a cry for assistance. In his case, as in that of the captain, the furious sea raging rendered it suicidal to launch the one boat the vessel possessed, and the crew were reluctantly compelled to take no means for the rescue of their officer, even, if they had seen him again. There was no sign of the gale abating, those on board comprising a crew of three, and two extra hands who were working their oassage, determined to keep on their course and "make port impossible. The fore gaff was carried away shortly after, and the sea breaking continually aboard, it was found necessary to cud holes in the bulwarks to clear the decks more quickly. The rest of the voyage was very rough. Captain Fitzgerald and his brother were both young men, being under 3ft years of age, and were very popular in both Lyttelton and Auckland. The former ha«j been recently married.

WRECK OF THE ROSE BLANCHE. Our Parua correspondent writes:— The moat profound regret was expressed here upon the news reaching us of the loss of the cutter Rose Blanche, upon the Mangawai beach, and the loss of the whole of her crew consisting of William Aubrey, age 37, Henri? ' I Aubrey age 35 years, and a boy named ! Albert Roebuck, formerly of the a.*. Planet, The Rose Blanche left Parua loaded with firewood and a little other cargo for Auckland at half-past ten on the morning of Maw 20, and haff-an-hour after her the cutter Corahe, which was loading gum at Mr Huett's, left The Coralie °saw the r££ Blanche after she got to sea, but dF course, as soon as darkness came on she*lt»h sight of her. It will be remembered that only about two months ago I reported the launch of the vessel at Pataua. ShTwal built by Mr. R. Howie of this place" H. R. Aubrey, father of the two deceased £ doing all m his power to gain all information: He also sent a man to the scene of the wreck. William leaves a wife and one chUd to mourn, their loss. Henry was unmarried but I learn that his life was msured Alt of the deceased were highly restated The wind on Tuesday night, very" heavy from th ES.I. The Corahe bS> as vtSkSfts&r m^ to mim **