HEAVY SOUTH-EAST GALE.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 385, 28 June 1879, Page 19

HEAVY SOUTH-EAST GALE.

Oue of the heaviest gales which have been experienced for over twelve months, from the south-east, swept across the harbor on Friday night and lasted up to a late hour on Saturday. The gale started on Friday night about 10 o’clock, and gradually increased until early on Saturday morning, when it blew with hurricane force. At daybreak it was at first thought that several casualties had happened amongst the shipping. The barque Australian Sovereign, which sought shelter here, was seen to be dragging in the direction of Petoni, and at one time it was feared that she had gone aground. The Glendovey also was observed to be dragging her anchors, hut eventually brought up all safe off Ngahauranga. We are happy to state that no damage whatever was done to either vessel. The former got under weigh, and sailed out with a change of wind on Sunday morning ; the other set sail during the forenoon and ran out, but before she got clear of the Heads the wind again chopped suddenly round from the south, and she ran back and anchored off Harwell Point. All Saturday the harbor was feather white with spray, and the squalls were something terrific ; but all the small craft rode out the gale without receiving the slightest damage. The steamer Luna, which was at anchor opposite Messrs. Robertson’s foundry, parted her starboard anchor, and dragged a little, hut sustained no injury. The vessels at the wharf had all taken precautionary measures, and received no mishap of any kind. The steamer Wanganui, from the South, was in the thickest of the gale, and arrived in port on Saturday morniug with her foreyard smashed, and what little sail there was left torn to ribbons and hanging from the shivered spar like so many festoons. The mishap occurred at 2 a.m., at which time she was running before a terrific sea. Suddenly the foreyard was smashed, and the two ends of it commenced swinging round, rendering it a matter of considerable difficulty to make things snug. Orders were given to cut away the sails, and the canvas immediately split t® ribbons. Tho crew were then enabled to clear away the wreck, and she arrived, with this exception, all right. The Wanaka, which arrived on Sunday, reports a sea like a mountain running on the East Coast. Captain Holliday, harbor-master, received a telegram from Pilot Holmes to the effect that the sea at the entrance of the harbor is the heaviest that has been seen for twelve months.

The gale has been felt at the other provinces, the ketch Frauklyn Belle having been driven ashore at Oarnaru, and the cutter Annie ashore on the North Spit at Wanganui. The captain of the St. Kilda saw a steamer bumping heavily on the bar at Wanganui as he was crossing on Friday evening. The steamer was supposed to be the Tui, but this is not correct, as both her and the Stormbird were bar-bound at Foxton. It was thought that the Murray might have been the steamer, but as she was in Nelson on Friday evening that is impossible. A barque has been wrecked in Lyttelton Harbor. The gale blew with unabated fury until 10 o’clock on Saturday night, when it became suddenly calm. On Sunday morning a light breeze from the north sprang up, but only lasted till 4 o’clock in the afternoon, when another gale from the South sprang up, and the harbor was again white with spray. This puff only lasted till 7 o’clock, when it abated once more. The only serious damage ashore, so far as we could ascertain, has been the washing away of a portion of the concrete railway embankment between Ngahaurauga and Petone. Mr. Ashcroft, the station-master, at once took prompt measures to prevent a further washing away, as he immediately despatched a number of men with a quantity of sand-bags to make the embankment secure. TOTAL WRECK OF THE BARQUE BELLS AT LYTTELTON. (PER PRESS AGENCY.) Christchurch, June 22. By midnight on Saturday all the vessels at Lyttelton except the barque Bells were safe. Shortly after one o’clock the stern of the Bells struck, smashing her rudder, and at four o’clock the water had risen 4 feet in her hold. The crew worked at the pumps, but at 7 p.m. the vessel slung her head outwards, and without any warning, seemed to slip off, aud sank. The crew took refuge iu the mizen rigging. A boat from the Mary Blair rescued all hands. The Bells was owned by Captain Turner, and was a wooden vessel. She was insured for £2OOO, and the cargo for £IOOO, iu the New Zealand Insurance Company. She is now in about 16 feet of water. The gale was something unprecedented.

The ships Red Gauntlet aud Oakhursl, which arrived this week from England, are reported to be ashore on the Forty-Mile Beach. There is a heavy south-west gale, and torrents of rain aud hail are falling. The rivers are brimful, but no other material damage is reported as yet.