SHIPPING DISASTER ON THE COAST.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10423, 22 April 1897, Page 5

SHIPPING DISASTER ON THE COAST.

WRECK OP THE ZULEIKA, TWELVE OF THE CREW DROWNED. A TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE. PLUCK 00WOT OP AN APPRENTICE. far TELEQ&APH,—PRSSS ASSOCIATION,] Willingjon, Wednesday. Asoihkb wreck in the gale of Friday last, unhappily attended in this cue by serious loss Of life, is reported, the ship Zulelka, from Dunedin to this pott, having bean lost in Pailiser Bay, and twelve of the crew drowned. The Zuleika was an British vessel of 1092 tons, and commanded by Captain Bremner. She arrived at Port Chalmers from New York on Much 26, and left Dunedin for Wellington on the 12th insfc. Shortly after 11 o'clook on Friday night land was lighted on the part bow near Palliser Bay, a strong gale blowing at the time. The captain, seeing the vessel was in danger, gave orders to wear the ship, and she was in the aob of wearing when she struck. A grating sound wat heard as if scraping the bottom, and in a few minutes she was hard and fast.

A tremendous sea was running into the bay, and the wares dashed over the ship, sweeping everything moveable on deck overboard.

The officers, men, and apprentices (21 in all) recognised that it was a matter of life and death with them, but no panic occurred.

Life bolts were served out to all and an attempt was made to launch the boats, bat the effort was not successful, the boats being knocked about so inuoh that in t few minutes they were unfit for use,

Ail on board then took to the mizzan rigging, the seas at that time breaking up as far as the mizzon tops.

After remaining aloft for over an hour, the unfortunate fellows, thinking that the vessel would hold together, came on to the deck again, and made their way to the forecastle, and remained in it till half-past two a.in., protected from the sea and blinding rain, which had chilled them to the bono.

About two o'clock the ship began to take a list to starboard, and la half-an-hour or so she was canted over so much that her rail was under water, allowing the sea to break into the forecastle and almost wash out the shivering crowd which had taken refuge in it.

The whole of the men and boys, with the exception of the captain, who clambered on to the jibboom, then sought refuge in the forerigging, and they remained there for about half an hour,

About three o'cloak the mizzen-mast went, and as there was every appearance of the foremast going, the crew returned to the deck and joined the captain on the jibboom. Shortly after the vessel lurched into the sea, and everyone was thrown into the water. Many of the men were able to swim, and at once struck out for the shore, on which the sea was breaking with a deafening roar. Those who were unable to swim, clung to pieces of wreckage, but wore soot) washed away from them, and several of them were drowned. Others who oould swim were stunned by cases which were being tossed about, and were washed ashore dead and battered and bruised almost boyond recognition. Twelve men were drowned, viz.:— H. Graham, first mate, aged 28. George Pettit, steward, 28. George Wilson, A.8., 55. William Swanson, A.8., 31. Charles Lawson. A.8., 26. Blake, A.8., 30. Jones, A.8., 52. alter Summers, apprentice, 17. McKay, A. 8., 20 (shipped at Fort Chalmers, where his parents reside). Gillon, A.8., 54. William Cook, 27. David Struck, apprentice, 18. All the bodies, with the exception of the three last named, were washed ashore. The I only married men drowned were Wilson and Gillon. Those who escaped are nine in numbernamely, Captain Bremmer, William Lane (second mate), Adolph Nnvorke (carpenter), William Lisson, Eugene veil, Peter Anderson, and William Kneen (A.B.'s), Archibald Billetb and Thomas Carson (apprentices), The wreck occurred in Palliser Bay, about four mites from the lighthouse. There is a large flat' several miles long above the beach, running out from whiob are numerous rocks that are submerged at high tide. The ship struck stem first, and all that remains above water is a piece of the forecastle iron plates, which are twisted out of shape. One of the yards is floating close by. The beach is strewn for two miles with battered kerosene (ins, wooden cues, ohurns, mangles, axe handles, cases of axes, American lamps, spokes, and a few hundred tins filled with kerosene.

The Government steamer Tutanekai came back to Wellington this afternoon for the purpose of getting coffins and taking down a clergyman. She. brought up the carpen. ter of the Zuleika, who had several of hi? ribs broken. This man hag been shipwrecked four times. • The men who survived are loud in their praise of the pluck displayed by one oi the apprentices, Herbert Bellitt (ion of Captain Ballitt, of the ship Corelli, trading out of Liverpool), who, after being washed back three times, went to the rescue of one of the sailors and pulled him out of the water. Unit THE CAPTAIN'S STATEMENT. Captain Bremoer arrived .at Wellington to night. He (tales that on Friday they had a southerly gale, and half an hour after midnight went ashore. Previously he had taken soundings, giving 69 fathoms. A tremendous tea was running./ The boats were ordered' out, but as there was no chance of their living in such weather all hands were served with lifebelts, and he advised them to do the best for themselves. He jumped overboard, and had great difficulty in gaining shore owing to . floating wreckage. Some time after reaching the shore he met some of the other survivors. He had been on the deck since Thursday, and was very exhausted. 1 The chief officer and Sherwood did not havelifebelts. They j both refused to take them, being excellent I swimmer*, Both were drowned.' '. : The Zuleika was an iron ship,' built by Messrs. Aitken and Manaeli of Glasgow, in October, 1875, and was owned by; Messrs. T. Law and Co., of Leith.: /Her dimensions were:—Lunath, 2115 feet; breadth, 33'2 feet; depth, 21-2 feet; tonnage, 1144. She '•ailed from New York on December 17 for Dune Jin and Wellington, with & fall cargo ot general merchandise, reaching the former port on . March 20, after an eventful experience with the ice in the Southern Ocean. On discharge of bar consignment! at Panedin, she sailed for Wellington 'on the 13th instant . }?tt, for,'- >yt:'■