STEAMER WRECKED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 147683, 31 August 1911, Page 5

STEAMER WRECKED.

KNIGHT OF ST. GEORGE.

STRIKES REEF AT TONGA.

EN ROUTE TO AUCKLAND.

A VALUABLE CARGO.

By Telegraph.—Press Association.- - Oopyrisiiu (Received Auguiit 30, 8.30 p.m.) Suva, August 30. The steamer Stratliardle, which, arrived here to-day, reports that the steamer Knight of St. George, of tho HowardSmith Line, trading from Son Francisco to Auckland, via Honolulu and Tonga, lias been •wrecked on. a reef near Tonga. The steamer ran on the-north-west reef off Nukualofa on August 20, at three a.m., while travelling at half-speed; ■ • Two of the holds (Nos. 1 and 4) are full of water and tho vessel is almost sure to become a total wreck. Captain Stephens is standing by his ship endeavouring to salvage her valuable cargo, amongst which are many motor cars. ■ ':•V". '' v ' • Tho ship was 10 miles out of her course, for which the captain blames the currents.

The Strathardle will wait' here for cabled orders.

1 The Knight of St. George is tho third vessel of the* Australian Mail line to come to grief in- the Islands. Tho first to meet with disaster was the ~4eon, which was wrecked on Christmas Island whilst on. the voyage from San Francisco to Auckland. The Boveric ran on a reef at the entrance to Nukualofa (Tonga) on March 29 of this year. The Knight of St. George was then on her way from San Francisco to Auckland via Island ports, as in the present case, and endeavoured to tow. the Boveric off, and she suffered considerable damage to hor deck fittings and hull whilst so engaged, also, having the misfortune to touch on a reef herself. She left San Francisco on i July 27 with a large • cargo of general merchandise and lumber for New Zealand and Australian ports, and was due at Auckland on Monday last, but as the vessels of this 'ine are frequently several days late no anxiety was felt. She was a vessel of 4700 tons gross tonnage, having been built at Newcastle in 1890 by Palmers Co., Ltd., for the Knight Steamship Company, of Liverpool. She was under the command <jf Captain D. R. Stephens, and the officers associated with him were: —Chief, Mr. W. J. Longhead; second, Mr. G. A. Palmer; third, Mr. Y. T. Tchaun. Mr. J. Dunning, 11. N.R., was chief engineer, Mr. J. A. Rawlinson second, Mr. A. G. Sime third, and Mr. C. J. Kerr fourth. The vessel was manned by a Chinese crew, who numbered 3.1 all told. -

AN OVERDUE BARQUE.

BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN LOST.

Sydney, August 30.

Closer investigation of the ship's lifeboat found washed up on the beach at Cronulla yesterday thows that ; she : bears the name of Laura, and has. been in the water for some time.

Fears are expressed that the vessel was lost in the . July gales with all hands.

The Laura was a Peruvian vessel en route to Newcastle to load coal, and left port 134 days ago. under the command of Captain Licuona.

GERMAN SHIP ASHORE.

FIFTEEN OF. THE CREW MISSING. ■* (Received: An groat 31, 1 a.m.)

London, August 30.

The German ship Thekal is - ashore in the Strait of Le Maire, Patagonia, Nine of the crew have been saved and 15 are

missing.