HEAVY GALE AT WELLINGTON.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 7929, 21 July 1887, Page 2

HEAVY GALE AT WELLINGTON.

A FREEZING HULK BLOWN ASHORE,

FOUR MEN DROWNED IN THE

HARBOUR.

(Peb United Pbess Association.)

Wellington, July 20. A heavy southerly gale which was blowing early this morning caused tho freezing hulk Jubilee to break away from her moorings afc Petone wharf, and at 3 o'clock she was blown on the shore, grounding on the east side of the pier stern first, ond she now lies almost head to sea. She had about 4000 carcasses of mutton and some sides of beef on board, bnt these are not likely to be injured. The vessel is supposed to be quite safe, and very little sea is breaking on her. The Jubilee has two refrigerating machines on board, and the ship and machines are insured in the Colonial Insurance Company for £10,000, a portion of which is reinsured by them as follows:—New Zealand, £2000; Victoria, £2250; South British, £2250 • Union, £500; Batavia, £500; Equitable, £500; United, £250; Australian Mutual Live Stock. £250. At 11 o'clock this morning a boat containing provisions put off to the Jubilee and capsized, four out of the six comprising tho crew being drowned. It appears that the boat, which was manned by six men, named James

Tetley, George Ashton, Edward Williams, Samuel Tyndall, Peter True, and Charles Lloyd, put off from the beach with the intention of boarding tho Jubilee, which is lying in the breakers about lOOyds from the shore, and when about two-thirds of the distance out the boat was capsized and the four first-named men, whose bodies havo now been recovered, were drowned. Charles Lloyd swam to the shore in a very exhausted condition,' and the sixth man (Peter True) managed to get on board the Jubilee with the assistance of the men on board the vessel. Dr Whitehead, of Petone, was on the beach before the bodies came ashore, and did everything possible to restore animation, but without effect, although efforts were made for over two hours. Williams just gave ono gasp as they got hold of him in the water, but he was dead before reaching the boatshed. The other men were quite dead before their bodies were recovered. Tetley was a married man with * four children. Tyndall was also a married man, and leaves one child. Williams and Ashton were single men. Tho accident is all the moro lamentable because there was really no occasion for the fatal voyage to be undertaken, and it seems to bave been done from a pure spirit of adventure, although nominally attempted for the purpose of taking the mau Williams on board, and also to take some provisions to the men who had been on duty on the Jubilee during the night.

There are several breaks ie the sea wall along the railway line, but none serious, and trains pass easily. The son is very heavy, and is making breaches over the trains as they pass Ngahuriinga.