WRECK AT FIJI.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 9580, 3 August 1894, Page 5

WRECK AT FIJI.

TOTAL LOSS OF THE EPHIALTES. , ALL HANDS SAVED. - The Union S.S. Company's steamer Ovalau arrived from Fiji last) night, bringing intelligence of the total loss of the Norwegian barque Ephialtes on a reef in the Fiji Group. We are indebted to Captain Norman Beaumont, of the Ovalau,,. for the following particulars regarding the casualty News reached Sara on July 23 that a I barquo was on. the Astrolabe Reef, about thirty miles S.S.E. of Suva and about) two miles north of the Sola light. The Ovalau left Suva on the morning of the 29th for Auckland, and ib was Captain Beaumont's intention to call at the scene of the wreck in order to ascertain what the vessel was. . On Che way, however, the Government steamer Clyde was met with, having on board the captain, officers, and crew of the wrecked vessel, which proved to be the Norwegian barque Ephialtes, Captain 0. Torkildsen, bound from Sydney to Navun, Fiji, with a full cargo of coal consigned to. the Fiji Sugar Company. The barque went on the reef at 8 p.m. on July 26, the weather being thick and rainy at the time. She is a total loss. The Ephialtes sailed from Sydney on July 12, and on discharge of cargo was to load copra for Europe. The Ephialtes will be remembered as having partly loaded with kauri gum and flax at this port for New York about two years ago, under charter to the New Zealand Shipping Company, completing her loading at Wellington. She made a record passage, only occupying about 73 days. On this occasion of visiting the colonies the vessel sailed from New York for Brisbane on January 22 with a full general cargo, and on discharge at that port proceeded to Sydney and loaded coal for Fiji. She was a handsome-looking wooden vessel, and was built by Mr. Jacob Boe, at (J rims tad, Norway, in 1879, and was owned by Mr. J. Munch, of the same port. Her dimensions wore as follow :—Length, 164 , feet 5 inches ; breadth, 32 feet 8 inches ; \ depth, 18 feet 4 inches ; tonnage, 696.