THE WRECK OF THE LIZZIE BELL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11734, 16 August 1901, Page 3 (Supplement)

THE WRECK OF THE LIZZIE BELL.

. FURTHER PARTICULARS. THE CREW IN THE BOATS. A FEARFUL NIGHT. Wellington - , July 25. Tub Lizzie Bell was an iron barque of two decks. She left here for Newcastle in ballast yesterday morning. She was very light. She had a crew of 18 men as follows : — J. Rees, master. W. G. E. Barrow, chief mate. L. Olley, second mate. J. Mulligan, cook. W. Simmons, Win. Eener, J. Harding, J. Glen, J. Perry, D. Lang, H. Fredricksen, and .1. Partland, A.B.'s. Chas. Chappell, T. Gay, W. Boyce, J. M. Tickell, A. Jones, and W. J. Arbuckle, apprentices. The barque is owned by the Liverpool firm of Tredale, Porter, and Co. Levin and Co., the agents here, do not know the insurances. Qpunake, July 25. The survivors are: Captain Rees, Barrow (chief mate), Harding and Glen, A.B.'s, and Tickell and Arbuckle apprentices. The bodies recovered are those of Olley (second mate), Lang, Simmons, and Perry (A.B.'s), and Jones (apprentice). Maxaia, July 26. The ill-fated barque Lizzie Bell is going to pieces very quickly, and the beach is strewn with wreckage. The barque left Wellington at eleven a.m. on Wednesday, and met with a favourable wind. At about eleven o'clock it was the second officer's watch, Captain Rees being also on deck, while the mate (Barrow) had turned in. The vessel had all sails set, and was travelling at the rate of 12 knots an hour. The weather was fine, but cold, and there was a slight haze. Suddenly, with little warning, the barque struck a rock on Whamaka Reef, about a mile or so from the mouth of the Oeo stream. The mate, with only a singlet on, and the crew, who had been awakened, rushed up from below, and the lifeboats were at once i got out. The officers and crew, consisting of 18 men, immediately left the vessel, but the boat hung on by a rope from the mizzenmast for an hour. The line was then cast adrift, and the shipwrecked men took to the oars. Some say that they pulled out to sea, but it is difficult to arrive at a clear conclusion on that head, as the men are very confused, and hardly seem to know what actually did occur. However, this much is certain : The boat capsized and one man was drowned before it was righted. Half dead with the cold the poor fellows left again got into the boat and drifted wherever the wind or current dictated. Later the boat again became overturned, and this time when she was righted several of the men had disappeared. The survivors, paralysed with the cold, lost all count of time or position, and at seven o'clock in the morning those of the more vigorous, and they were few, found themselves on the rocks, below Captain Good's property. As soon as the strongest were able to walk they made their way to the captain's house and sought help. During that fearful night two men died in the boat and two others, who had reached the shore safely, and had strength remaining to get out of the boat, were dead when the rescuers arrived. They were lying with their heads among the rocks. One of the apprentices had a very close call, but after restoratives had been applied he was brought back to life, although still very weak. It is understood that all but the cook are single men. The Lizzie Bell is the fourth vessel wrecked in the vicinity, the others being the Annie Wilson, Manaia, and Maramara. Only a small portion of the hull of the vessel can be seen.

RESULT OF THE INQUEST. Haweea, July 27. An inquest wan held yesterday on'the bodies from the wreck of the Lizzie Bell. The captain stated: We were abreast of the Two Brothers at about three p.m. About eight bells we off-shaped the ship's course for Stephen's Island, which we made about five p.m., then shaped the course from Stephen's Island for Capo Farewell, which we expected to see about twelve o'clock. I was on deck the whole time from when we started, the officers taking the usual watches. At about nine p.m. I sent the second officer aloft to see if he could discern Cape Farewell light; also again at about ten o'clock, and once more soon after, saying he must see it. I noticed the log registered 43 from Stephen's Island, I went down and marked it on the chart, when I heard someone say there was land on the lee bow. I ran up at once, and the helm was put down to port, but the ship struck heavily. We lowered the main topgallant sail, and called all hands on deck at once. By this time the ship was bumping heavily, throwing one off one's feet. The shiip was eight miles nor'-west of Stephen's Island when passing. I altered the course north-west by west magnetic, and kept that course until the ship struck. The compasses were adjusted at Glasgow before the ship left. The ship was sailing at 9£ to 10 knots at the time of striking, and was under top-gallant sail. It was on a reef she struck, about one and ahalf to two miles from shore. There was a fresh south-east wind, the night was partly clear, and there was a moderate sea. I had a man on the look-out. and the second officer was on the poop at the time the ship struck. I thought the land called out by the man was a cloud. I cannot account for the ship being out of her course unless some current sets in towards the reef. A lighthouse would have prevented us reaching the point where the ship struck. . I know the ship's crew were all perfectly sober. Mr. Barrow, the mate, deposed that at six o'clock the ship was ten miles north-west by west magnetic from Stephen's Island. That course was not altered up to eight, when he turned in, It was set to steer clear of Cape Farewell. Glen, the look-out man, said the second mate came on his round at six bells. Witness told him he thought it was land on the starboard bow. • The second mate replied it was not land. About twenty minutes later the ship struck. He could see no breakers until she struck. The jury returned a verdict of death by drowning in the case of Simmons, Lang, and Chappie, and from exhaustion in the case of Oiley, Perry, and Jones. The jury also added a rider that a lighthouse should be erected at the mouth of the Oeo River. Pihama, Saturday. The body of Chappie came ashore yesterday. The vessel has almost entirely disappeared. FUNERAL OF THE VICTIMS. The bodies of the victims of the Lizzie Bell wreck were iuterred at Pihama on July 28 the funeral cortege being over a mile long. The body of D. Lang, drowned in the wreck of the Lizzie Bell, has been identified as that of the son of Mrs. Lang, of Napier. MAGISTERIAL INQUIRY. New Plymouth, July 31. A magisterial inquiry re the wreck of the barque Lizzie Bell was opened this morning before Mr. Stanford, S.M., and Captains Hood and Adamson. Captain Pees, the first witness, said the vessel was well found in every respect when she left Wellington. The crew were all qualified and a full complement. The compasses were last tested ashore at Glasgow, and were since then adjusted at sea between Dunedin and Wellington. The steering compass was affected by the iron of the vessel. The vessel had a narrow escape on Ninety Mile Beach when making Port Chalmers, but it was due to a gale, not to faulty compasses. He sighted Stephens Island at 5.30 p.m., and at eight o'clock altered his course to steer clear of Farewell Spit by 25 miles. Kept that course till the vessel struck, when the log showed 43 miles from Stephens Island. He never left the deck from the time he left Wellington. He said that the wheelman steered correctly, and he (witness) checked his course by chart every hour. No report was made to him by the lookout man or the second officer, but he overheard a discussion on, deck., and ascertained there

was land ahead. He immediately ordered the helm hard aport, and then the vessel ! struck.. , Continuing, Captain Rees said he sent the second mate aloft several times, as he expected to get into the current off Blind Bay. After the vessel struck she bumped heavily. He ordered the lifeboats out, and all hands left the ship, which a little later broke her back. He put to sea in the boat, but the boat capsized. After righting her he made for the shore, but the boat again capsized, losing three or four men and all the oars. She then drifted ashore. The boats were in good older, and everything possible was done to save life.. He reckoned he was half-way between Farewell Spit and Oeo when the vessel struck. He set his course according to the "New Zealand Pilot." Captain Rees further said there was about 2j points' error between the steering compass and pole compass. At Stephens Island the log was fifteen miles out, which he accounted for by stiffness. The oars in the lifeboat were not secured by lanyards. Every man had a lifebelt. In re-examination, witness said it was impossible for the man at the wheel to discover the error in the compass during a law hours of night. He would steer the same course again as that set, unless the compass was in error or a strong surrent existed. He could not account for the ship's position. He believed now had he hung on to the wreck till daylight all lives would have been saved. John Glenn, A.8., said that about aquarter past eleven p.m. he told the second officer he thought lie saw land on the starboard bow, but the mate replied he did not think it was, and went away. Witness became more convinced, but did not again report. From twenty to thirty minutes after the ship struck. There was no sign of the sea breaking on the beach. The weather was hazy, but the land three miles off might, ho thought, be seen. j The inquiry was" then adjourned till Friday. August 5. •' The Court of Inquiry gave its finding on the wreck of the Lizzie Bell this morning. The judgment was very exhaustive and lengthy. The assessors found that the course, as stated by the captain, was not steered, and that the loss of the barque was occasioned by negligent navigation. Captain Rees' certificate was suspended for twelve months, and he vra- ordered to pay £25 towards the cost of the inquiry. Captain Grant, of the Takapuna, was fined £5 for disobedience of a subpoena. The Lizzie Bell was a fine iron barque of the following dimensions: Length, 214.5 ft; beam, 34.4 ft; depth, 21.3 ft; tonnage, 1070. She was built at Sunderland, England, in 1877, and was owned by Messrs. P. Ire- ; dale and Porter, of Liverpool. The barque [ loaded general cargo at Glasgow for New Zealand ports, and arrived at Port Chalmers after a somewhat lengthy passage, and on discharge of cargo proceeded to Wellington, landing transhipments for Auckland at the Southern ports. She sailed from Wellington to Newcastle on July 24. About £65 has been subscribed in Taranaki towards the cost of a monument over the victims of the wreck of the Lizzie Bell. The committee which has the matter in hand has expended £26 10s in advances to survivors who lost all their personal belongings. It has been decided to fence in the graves of those drowned, and erect a gravestone with a suitable inscription. The wreck of the Lizzie Bell was sold on August 10, and realised £10. The boats were bought for £6, and the wreckage for £4.. „______„__