STRANDING OF THE BARQUE HUDSON.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1434, 28 November 1885, Page 2

STRANDING OF THE BARQUE HUDSON.

At about 3 a.m. on Thursday morning last the barque Hudson, bound from London to LyHelton came ashore on the Milford beach a few yards south of the outlet from the lagoon to the sea. It appears that on Wednesday evening the lights of Timaru were sighted, but the lighthouse was not observed. The vessel tacked off the land for some hours, till about midnight, and then tacked in. She was afterwards headed seawards, but the wind fell, and the currents setting towards land, the vessel came on the beach at the time above mentioned. Boats were immediately sent ashore and Captain Thomas, the master of the vessel, proceeded to Temuka, and made known the disaster which had befallen his vessel. The news created no little excitement, and the stranded vessel must have been visited by several hundred persons during the day. As soon as the telegraph office was opened the news was sent to Timaru and Christchurch. The Hudson is an iron barque of 797 tons register, classed *Aal at Lloyd’s. Her length is 194 ft, beam 30ft, and depth of hold 19ft, She was built at Stockton by Messrs M. Pearae and Co., in 1869. She belongs to the Shaw, Sovill and Albion Company’s fleet, and left London on August 15th, consigned to Mr John Inglis, She is commanded by. Captain itdwin J. Thomas, who is said to have an interest in her, and has commanded her for 6 years. The vessel was lying broadside on to the beach with her bow to the north,and was to all appearance uninjured. The tide must have been full when she came ashore as she lay well up on the

beach, though distant from the shore about 20 yards at low tide. The tug Titan was sent from Timaru during the morning, but found on arrival that nothing could then be done and returned. The Timaru Volunteer Rocket Brigade also arrived, but their services, as regards rescuing the crew of the vessel, were not. required. The Captain’s wife came } ashore about one o’clock and was taken to Temuka. About 2 p.m. steps were taken to lighten the vessel by throwing cargo overboard, and the waves were soon dotted with barrels of powder, cases of spirits, etc., etc. A# these wer® washed up they were secured and piled on the beach. A line was brought ashore about 4 o’clock, and connected with tlia land on the west side of the lagoon, and by means of one of the ship’s boats the cargo secured was soon removed to a place of safety. Of course some of the cases were smashed and the contents lost, and some of them floated to sea and were"'' washed ashore miles along the coast. The Rocket Brigade her® rendered good assistance. Shortly after 5 p.m. the tug Titan again arrived, when a j hawser was passed to the Hudson and an anchor laid out. For several hours every exertion was made to pull the ship off. She was moved a few feet seawards and also turned more end on to the beach, which made her lie with less strain on the hull. Fifteen men who were taken off in the tug were set to work to lighten the ship directly on arrival. Among the Hudson’s cargo is a lot of heavy machinery for the Timaru Woollen Factory. The tug Lyttelton was despatched to the scene shortly after 3 o’clock on Thursday afternoon, and the steamer Herald left Lyttelton soon afterwards. It was arranged that these, with the Titan, should make a united effort to pull the vessel off early on Friday morn- , ing, when the tide was full, and the } vessel had been lightened by the further jettisoning of cargo. The Timaru Rocket Brigade started for home shortly . before 6'p.m. arriving shortly after 8. The Captain gave the following account “ After a fine passage of 95 days from London, the Hudson made the Snares on Saturday last, and had fair but light winds up the coast. On Wednesday evening she made the Timaru town lights, but could not see the light from the lighthouse. At 10 p.m, she stood out to eea, and about midnight tacked towards the shore again. After a while she was again headed seawards. The wind then fell calm, and a dense fog set in. Soundings were taken, and every effort was made to keep her off the land, but the swell and the current gradually forced her near the Ninety Mile Beach, which she struck about 3 o’clock in the morning.'> Two boats were at once lowered, but as the sea was so calm nothing was done till later on in the morning, when the Captain went on shore and proceeded to Temuka, from whence he communicated with his agents.” The following telegram was received from Christchurch last Thursday evening “ The Hudson’s cargo consists of all descriptions of general merchandise, Among this is a quantity of metal and other materials ordered by Messrs Scolt Bros, in connection with their contract for the construction of locomotives for the Government. There are also a locomotive consigned to the Government and a quantity of powder. The bulk of the cargo is insured in Home offices. Local offices are interested, but not to y any very great extent, the principal risksbeing in the New Zealand, National, Onion, and South British Companies. The Hudson was sighted on Wednesday s night off Timaru by the steamers Pelham f and Ohau, bound for Lyttelton. The captain of the former vessel said she was standing along the shore between his steamer and the coast, and then had a good offing. The Hudson burned a blue light, but apparently without any reason. On receipt of the news of the wreck the tug Lyttelton was ordered to proceed to the spot, but unfortunately her boilers had been blown out for the purpose of being cleaned. She left for the scene of the disaster at 3.15 p.m. The steamer Herald was also dispatched this evening with men to discharge the cargo so as to > lighten the vessel.” ’The weather continued beautifully fine during the night, there being scarcely a breath of wind, and next morning (Friday) the vessel was found in the same position she occupied the previous evening. A 6 30 a.tn. the tug Lyttelton, which had arrived from Lyttelton two hours previously, commenced to pull at her, and as the tide rose it was noticed that she had been moved. The screw-steamer Herald and the paddle-steamer Titan arrived shortly after seven o’clock, but too late. The Lyttelton had moved her about 20 yards, but before the other steamers came the tide had gone down, and further effort had to be abandoned for the time being. She crew then commenced, transhipping the light goods to 1 the Herald with the vessel’s own , boats, and also to jettison cement and 1 other heavy goods. During the day about 40 tons of goods wore transhipped, but as to the quantity jettisoned there was no account. Application was made for the Timaru surf-boats early in the morning, but it was 5 o’clock before they reached Milford and no use was made of them. Shortly after 6 p.m., as the tide began to rise, the steamers commenced to tug at her again, and at 6.30 the Hudson was seen to roll about. Five minutes later it was asserted that she had been moved several yards, and at exactly a quarter to seven she was once more ploughing the waves amidst the cheers of those present, again and again renewed. At 7 o’clock she was about a mile seaward in tow of the tug Lyttelton, which, responded to the cheering by her whistle, Mr Kinsey, of Kinsey, Ward and Co., representing Messrs Shaw Savill and Co,, had only just landed from her,before she was taken off. He had been abo.trd.,i* of her all day, and the work of jettisoning and transhipping goods was carried on under his supervision. So far as we could ascertain when our reporter left tho arrangements was that the vessel should be towed to Lvttelton by the 5.6. Herald, but whether this was < carried out we cannot say. We believe the vessel sustained no injury whatever. There was no breakage, and she rode away evidently in as good trim as ever. It was fortunate that the weather} was so fine, else she would have become a total wreck. If there had been any wind nothing would have saved / her for she was in a bad position. Had she come in a couple of chains farther down she could have been

taken off much more easily, as the scour from the lagoon would have prevented the shingle from backing up around her. As it was she was lying where the shingle was accumulating around her fast, and if she had remained there a little longer, it would have so banked up about her that there would have been little chance of getting her off. During the two days the shore was crowded with people from all parts of the district, many coming all the way from Timaru, and the boats on the lagoon were kept busy in taking people across. A large quantity of her cargo was brought ashore and is lying on the beach, bnt what will be done with it has not transpired.