WRECK OF THE BARQUE GRASMERE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 10013, 27 December 1895, Page 5

WRECK OF THE BARQUE GRASMERE.

RESCUE OF THE CREW.

[by telegraph.— association.] Wellington, Wednesday, The barque Grasmore, 440 tons register, bound from Newoastle to Wellington with a cargo of coal for the Union S.S. Company, was wrecked off (Jape Terawhiti early this morning. No lives weri lost. The vessel left Newcastle on the 16th nsb., and had fine winds across, sighting Stephen'# Island light at eleven p.m. on Monday. Next day she was beating through the Straits. Calm and clear weather was experienced until four o'clock this morning, when the breeze freshened from the northwest. The vessel was bowling along off Terawhiti with the wind on tho quarter when she ran bow on a sunken rock at ten minutes past six a.m. The officers state the rock i) in the vicinity of Horn Rock, near Terawhiti Head, and about two miles off the mainland. The wind was blowing so hard that the sea was a mass of foam, and those on board had no indication that they wore in danger. When the vessel struck all hands wore busy taking in sail. The pumps wero immediately Bounded, and it was found that, there were four feet of water in the hold. There boing no chance of paving the barque, two bouts were got out, and tho officers and men left her. Ton minutes afterwards she heeled right over on tho starboard side, and when tho Mararoa, from Sydney, passed the spot a few hours afterwards, only her yards and part of the bulwarks could be seen out of the water. Owing to tho heavy breeze tho boats woro blown off the land, and the occupants had an anxious time, being in fear of foundering. At half past nine a.m. thecable-ropairing steamer Terranora, which was out for tho purpose of laying the now cable which arrived by the Tainui, hove in sight, and picked up tho survivors and brought them on to Wellington, arriving aboub noon. The ofiicors and crew lost nearly all their offsets, but the ship's papers wero saved. Captain S. Morrison was in command of the vgssol, E. Killingpack boing chief officer, and D. Olloughtic second officer. The crew numbered eight, in addition to which tho vessel carried a steward. Tho vessel wag not insured, so that the loss falls severely on Captain Morrison, who was part owner, tho othor share being held by Mr. Walker, manager of the Kauri Timber Company, Sydney. When the survivors were picked up they wore about ton milos off the laud.