ACCIDENT TO THE IONIC.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 898, 17 May 1889, Page 13

ACCIDENT TO THE IONIC.

SHE RETURNS TO LYTTELTON. (per press association.) Christchurch, May 13. The lonic, which left LytteLon on May 2, put back this evenin - with a broken crank shaft. Captain Kidiey states that on May 4, in longitude 168drg W. t latitude 52deg 12inin S., 926 miles from Gorßcv Head, the after crank shaft gave way. The vessel was headed for Lyttelton, and she returned under sail. On May 7 the wind changed from south-west to south-south-west ; all sail was crowded on, and the next day the sc - ew shaft was connected and one engine got to work. Lyttelton Heads was sight'd lute this afternoon. The vessel is now Ring in the stream nnd will be towed inside the breakwater tomorrow. The passengers presented Captain Kidiey with an address complimenting him on the splendid way iu which ho handled the vessel. The mails will nrobably bo sent by the San Francisco mail route, leaving Lyttelton on priday. The passengers and cargo will probably be transferred to the Coptic, now at Lyttelton. The transfer could be effected in about three days. Considerable excitement was occasioned in town Monday evening when the news jeame that the s.s. lonic had met with an accident. One rumour was to the effect that her cargo was on fire, and that typhoid fever had broken out among her passengers. It is satisfactory to learn that the only damage is a broken shaft, which can easily be repaired. The lonic was delayed several hours in leaving Lyttelton on Thursday, May 2, in consequence of rot being able ; > get all her coal on board the previous i nt. She cast off at 4 p.n . on May 2, w cn she steamed |

ajvay toward Rio de Janiero. She hail on board a fair number of pa songers of a’l cla es. Her large and valuable cargo included meat' wool) , and other produce, and iu .the matter <jf cargo she was a full ship. She left Lyttelton wharf in splendid trim, and in that excellent condition which has long since been a characteristic feature with v-- sels of the fVhite Star line. Her comp'emenfc of mails consisti"! of <?5 b .-'S, containing 9306 letters, SIS books, 7587 newspapers, IS9 r- gistered letters, and nine boxes containing 93 parcels, weighing 2551 b. The following is a complete list of her pa' °engera :—First saloon : Mr G. C. Brownell, Mr Robert Neill, Mr Edward Bage, Mis Bage, Miss Anna F. Bage, Miss Ethel Bage, Master Edward Bage, Mrs Tliomson, Mis 3 Sutherland, Mr J. O. Clemesha, Mr It. A. Sutherland, Mr A. Merck, Mr R. M. Par'ons, Mr S. H. Pollard, Mrs Pollard, Mr Jodn Andrews, Mr J. Sinclair Thomson, Mrs Thomson, Master Kenneth Thomson, Master Colin Thomson, Mr E. Elworthy, Miss Thom on, Mis'. Fulton, Miss Nieilerhauser, Mr H. J. Tollemaohe, M.P., Lord Westbury, Archdeacon Clarke, Mrs Clarke, Mr E. Honey, Mr W. Goalen, Mrs Goa’en, Mrs Williams, Mr W. G. Howard, Mr G. Maw ; second saloon Mrs Cayzer, Mr 11. L. Cayzer, Mr R. Bodkin, Mr A. J. Gray, Mr Henry King, Mr C. Sutherland, Mr A. J. Siordet, Mr T. E. H. Diokins, Mr D. Buchanan, Mr John Rose, Mrs Gawitli, Mr W. Comely, Mrs Comely, Mr C. Evans, Mias Crorne, Mrs Hutchison, Master E. Hutchison, Mits Thurtle, Mrs Whakely, Miss Whakely, Mr Thomas Durant; Mr John Gale. Mr W. ,T. Goddard, Mr 11. G. Smith, Mr G. McEwen Mi s Roulston, Mr Isaac Scott, Mrs Nicholl3, Mrs McDonald, Miss McDonald, Mr John Jones, Rev E. Bristow, Mr J. A. Langford, Mr H. A. Nevins, Mr H. T. Hughes, Mr O. Rnbotham, Mr A. Edwards, Mr F. Maiden. Steerage—Mrs Strelly, Miss Strelly, MrStrelly, Miss Ellen Johnston, Mr Richard Kuowlis, Mr R. H. Koowles, Mr A. McNivan. Mr H. P. McClelland, Mr Joshua Jackson, Mr John Jackson, Mr David Wilson, Mr S. Key, Mr F. Rabey, Mr James Reid, Mr John Norbary, Mrs Forgan, Miss R. Beeson, Miss E. French, Mr_ George Hartley, Mr Robert Callard. Mr James Pallister, Mr G. Evans, Mr .7. T, Thompson, Mr John Marchant, Mrs Marchaut, Mr Buckland, Mr William Mann, Mr Thomas Moore, Mr F. Evans, Miss Reading, Mr T. O’Sullivan, Mr J. Trezise, Mr James Rae. For Rio do Janeiro—Mr J. F. Barry. NARROW ESC \PE OF THE KENILWORTH. Captain Westrupp, of tho steamer Waitapu, which arrived hero on Sunday from Nelson and Havelock, reports that when on his way to Wellington on Saturday morning he noticed, just off Queen Charlotte Sound, a vessel hoisting signals of distress. He immediately bore down, and found the vessel to bo the topsail schooner Konilworth, Captain Goodman,bound from Oamaru to Groymouth, loaded with general produce. Captain Goodman ptated that he left Oamaru on the sth instant for Greymouth. When off Tho Brothers on the morning of the 10th the mainboom iron broke, and the boom was carried away, as were also the main gaff and crosstree". He then made across to the west side of Queen Charlotte Sound, and tried to get under Moturoa Island. He fetched the bay above Keewapi Point, and let go both anchors in 20 fathoms of water. At this time it was blowing furiously from the south-east. He signalled to the WaitapU for assistance, and tho steamer stool by him for five hours, and towed the schooner out of danger to Long Island. On account of the heavy sea running at the time the Waitapu went to her assistance, it w s found necessary to slip one of the Kenilworth’s anchors, which was buoyed, and will probably be recovered. Praise is due to Mr C'Osa and Captain Westrupp for their promptness in going to her rescue, a- the schooner, when the Waitapu reached her, was about 60 feet off the rocks, and a high sea was running at the time. Captain Goodman stated that the only thing that kept him off the rocks was the tide. He intended, as soon as the gale had moderated, to proceed to Picton to get new spars. The Kenilworth belongs to Gisborne, and is owned by Messrs Kennedy and Evans.

ARRIVAL OF THE BARQUENTINE ELINOR VERNON, FROM NEW YORK.

The barquentine Elinor Vernon, Captain Eerry, arrived in harbour on Wednesday from New York, after a passage of 123 days. She letfc New York on the 12th January, end shorLlv after met with heavy westerly winds, with high sea, in long Sadeg E., and while running bifoie it she shipped a heavy Lea, wb : ch carried away her spanker boom and damaged her aftor deckhouse, in addition to doing other minor damage. Variable weather was experience:’ during the remainder of the voyage. Messrs Levin and Co. are agents for the vessel.