SUNK IN PORT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8472, 24 January 1891, Page 5

SUNK IN PORT.

THE BURNING SHIP LEADING WIND.

A VALUABLE CARGO SPOILT.

As announced in yesterday's Herald a disastrous fire broke out about midnight on Thursday on the ship Leading Wind, lying at No. 2 Jetty, nearly fully loaded with flax and gum for New York. At the time of our going to press it had been found by Superintendent Hughes and Captain Field that any further efforts of the brigade to extinguish the fire by means of their hose were hope-

less, and the question of scuttling the ship as quickly as possible was considered. This course bad been strongly advocated by Captain Field, of the Salvage Corps, as early as one a.m., and Superintendent Hughes coincided in this opinion, though no cessation of effort in pouring water down the hatch and numerous holes which had been cut in the forward deck planking and ship's side was made. The tug Kotoiti, with Captain Campbell aboard, hud been alongside ready for the emergency for some time, anil about 3 a.m. Capb Burgess, Harbourmaster, who had been sent for, arrived from the North Shore in the steam launch Despatch, and .Mr. A. Alison, of the Devonporfc Ferry Company, brought over the p.s. Victoria, which was alongside the ship only three-quarters of an hour after the first news of her being wanted was given. On the arrival of Captain Burgess a consultation between him, Captain Hinckley, Superintendent Hughes, Mr. C. V. Houghton, and Captain Fisher, who had been busily engaged at the fire since the time of its outbreak, was held concerning tho best means of combating the tire. lb was agreed that scuttling only could save the vessel, because, as previously stated, there was no means of practically getting at the seat of the fire and no diminution in the volume of smoke or measure of heat had been discerned. Superintendent Hughes strongly expressed the opinion that the ship should be scuttled where she lay, as it was near high water and the '26 feet of water alongside the jetty would be more than sufficient to drown out all the flames. The harbourmaster was opposed to this course, because of the danger to the wharf, in the event of tho fire obtaining the mastery ; and after a good deal of discussion it was resolved that she should be towed into the stream and there sunk. Mr. Alison suggested Brick Bay as a suitable place, while some others thought the vessel might be placed in Calliope Dock. Captain Burgess chose the western portion of the harbour, and at 4 a. m. the order to tho Fire Brigade to get clear with their appliances was given. All the apertures that had been made wero closed with tarpaulins, etc., so as to keep down the fire as much as possible, because of lack of air. Accordingly, at 5 a.m., the Leading Wind, whoso heavy list to port had been a trifle righted by pumping out some of the water forced into her, was hauled clear of the wharf by the p.s. Victoria abreast, and thes.s. Kotoiti ahead. The ship moved , sluggishly through the still waters, her appearance as she passed the wharf, canted over as she was, with smoke oozing from forward and from the compauionway of the saloon aft, was a sight that has not been seen in Auckland harbour since the City of Auckland met a somewhat similar fate about 17 years ago. About 6 o'clock the stricken vessel was safely navigated out, under the direction of Captain Burgess, between the hulks, inshore of the dredge, to a position off Freeman's Bay. A boat had meantime been taking soundings, and when six fathoms was called, the order to stop the tugs was given. As there was then no present further need of the Victoria's services, she, and the p.s. Britannia, which had followed up quickly to see if her aid was required in careening the ship, cast off and left. The Rotoiti (happily when the towing was finished) had the misfortune to have a rope, which was in the confusion left dangling from the Leading Wind, entangled with her propeller, and did not get clear of the ship till nearly 7.30 o'clock. As soon, however, as the ship was stopped in the spot chosen for her immersion, her carpenter and several shorohands began operations in cutting holes in her hull aft to let in the water. The ship's stout timbers long resisted the attacks of auger, axe, and adze, but about 0.45 a.m. an aperture had been made about four feet long by three or four inches wide, by which the water found steady ingress into the hold. The vessel settled slowly in the water, but as more apertures wero cut her hull her rate of sinking began perceptibly to accelerate, until at about ten o'clock she quietly took the ground, which was soft mud, and settled upright upon her keel in 27 feet of water. The water had gradually subdued the flames as it gained upon the vessel's hold, and when she touched bottom all the burning had apparently ceased, as no smoke arose from the ship except a slight column from away up under the forecastle deck. This was quenched, it was thought, by a plentiful application of water from the ship's pump and hose ; but about midday it again broke out, and it was found that some of the deck timbers had been burnt through near the cable lockers. Mr. C. V. Houghton, who had only left the Leading Wind at eleven a.m., hurried back, and the hose from the p.s. Eagle, which was standing by the Leading Wind, put an end to this last danger. When the ship first took the ground her 'tween decks were covered with all the untouched flax thereon, while the water was awash with the main deck. As the tide reached its height, about six p.m., however, the water advanced till ib covered the deck and was about a foot high on the bulwarks, which, with the poop, forecastle, and deck-houses amidships, stood out like miniature islands.

During the clay Captain H. Worsp, secretary of the Marine Underwriters' Association, and Captain M. T. Clayton paid the vessel a couple of visits, but the results of their investigations were not made known. As a comparatively brief submersion was, of course, sufficient to quench all lingering fire, the charterers of the Leading Wind lost I no time in organising plana for her being lifted, and accordingly tenders were invited up to five p.m. yesterday for the floating and raising of the ship, and theso will be opened and considered to-day. No great difficulty is anticipated in raising the vessel, and the holes cub under her waterline will be plugged or otherwise stopped, and the vessel then pumped free of water. It is expected that she will be able to start the discharge of her damaged cargo on Monday. As previously stated, the cargo of the ship was comprised of flax and gum alone, there being about 570 tons of the former, and 80 of the latter. The flax will, of course, be almost wholly spoiled for commercial purposes, but it is anticipated that the gum will not be a great deal the worse for itsseawater bath. A rough computation places the value of the freight at about £16,000. The following firms were the chief shippers of the cargo on board :— Messrs. Carr, Johnston and Co., A. Heather, E. Porter and Co., New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Company, Patterson and Co., L. D. Nathan and Co., and Wingate, Burns, and Co,

Amongst the kauri gum on board the ship was a particularly valuable box of rare varieties, comprising the splendid collection which Captain W. Farquhar has taken years to amass, and which cannot be replaced. Though frequently importuned the owner had always refused to send these specimens to any exhibition owing to the danger of loss or breakage. Ho was, however, persuaded recently to forward them to the World's Exposition at Chicago, and they were shipped on board the unlucky Leading Wind. For. special safety they were stowed in the storeroom apart from the general cargo, bub though about nine o'clock an effort was made to remove them the smoke was too thick to admit of anyone reaching them, and they went down with the ship. lb is worthy of mention that when the vessel was sinking all who had been connected with her showed a laudable desire "bo go down with her," and Captain Hinckley, Captain Fisher, Mr. Houghton, Superintendent Hughes, and several other gentlemen were to be discerned standing firmly on the poop as sho sank beneath the water —to a certain extent. The Leading Wind is a Boston ship, being owned by Messrs. Rust of that city. Her hull is insured in the Bureau Veritas, but for what amount is nob known here. The officers and men saved their

clothes and personal effects by sending them ashore early at Quay street Wharf. The South British has a policy of £650 on the flax ; New Zealand £2260 on freight and an open cover on the flax ; Rational, an open cover on the flax under 100 tons; Thames and Mersey, £2360 on flax, £1060 reinsured in the Manheira; the United, £200 on kauri gum. The Canton Insurance Company is also interested on the cargo. Some of the companies scarcely know the full extent of their loss yet, but it is understood the loss of some of them will be greater than represented by the above figures.