VESSEL RAISED FROM SEA

Taranaki Daily News, 20 February 1931, Page 7

VESSEL RAISED FROM SEA

STRANG£ EARTHQUAKE EVERT.

NfcW SHIP OF SAME NAME 'NEARBY.

By Telegraph-— Association. . 1 .. . Wellington, Feb. 19.. To see the remains of the ship that bpce bore the same name as their own vessel reappear from the sea-bed where slip had rested for heilrly 44 years, was tine of the many uncanny experiences .of the ship’s, company of the big Federal liner Northumberland in the great earthquake at Hawke’s Bay. The Northumberland was lying at anchor in Napier roadstead’loading frozen meat apd other cargo frohi the lighters when the great upheaval occurred withbyt a secohd’s warning. Despite the facts that the ship had her anchor down arid that, the sea was smooth and the weather fine, the terrific shocks to the vessel gave the impression that she had struck lieavily. In fact, one officer who was serving in the ship when she did strike a reef steaming at full speed said life jit Oil that occasion was very riiild compared with those caused bjy the earthquake. Another officer who served in the ISlavy during the war Jikened the shocks to those that would be caused by the explosion of four powerful depth charges dope to the ship. The sight of ! the nearby coast and of the collapse of. the leadjpg. beacops on, the hill at Xapier quickly apprised the ship’s company that a mighty earthquake hid taken place. The ship’s wells were at once sounded, the results indicating that her hull wa? intact., Soundings tqken overside, aowever, quickly revealed that the sea .boitejp had been forced up, and that the w eatef had shoaled greatly. No time was lost iii casting off the lighters, which anchored, while the Northumberland got under way,-and with the leads going constantly in taking soundings, she mpved out through the mud and muddy ,wat?r to a safe anchorage in deep water. The upheaval, of. the sea bottom exnosed to the sight of those on board the Northumberland the remains of an old vessel, which were afterwards identified by old residents of Port Aliuriri as those of tile old Shaw, Savill and Albion sailing ship Northumberland, a vessel of 2095 tons, which was driven ashore on Petane beach on May 10, 1887, in a heavy gale. The "vessel had recently, arrived from London, via Lyttelton, with a part cargo. In the gale she lost one anchor, and dropped the others, and was Iriven ashore broadside on. The Union Company’s tender Boojuni went to her assistance, but was capsized in the breakers -with the loss of all hands, save one, who was rescued by a boat previously lowered from the Northumberland. The crew of the latter ship were ill saved, most of them after a perilous light on board the wreck. The Jigure•icad of the Northumberland was secured by a fisherman,, but later became the property. of ?Ip. Frank Armstrong, the ell-known sheep farmer of Akitio;