WRECK OF THE SCHOONER PRINCE CONSORT.

Timaru Herald, Volume VI, Issue 170, 16 January 1867, Page 5

WRECK OF THE SCHOONER PRINCE CONSORT.

We regret to have to record a deplorable accident wfiich occurred m. our roadstead on the evening of Dec. 20, m the complete wreck of the , schooner Prince Consort, of 35 tons ■ register, Captain Bitchie, which arrived here last Sundaj from Lyttelton with about 60 tons of cargo. Ob ; Tuesday she discharged her cargo, and the , Captain was awaiting instructions from hei ; owners, Messrs Laurie and Gannon of Lyttelton, as to whether he was to keep his schooner here for the next month or two to be employed m lightering wool off to the Melita, now loading ; Captain Beswick, Manager of the Landing Service, having applied for the vessel for that purpose. All Thursday it was blowing stiff from . the' north-east, and there was a good deal of snri ; running ,on the beach, when at about half-past two : oclock m the afternoon the schooner drove a short distance m shore, having but a single 1 anchor -down* :A second : anchor was soon

r dropped, and to all appearance the vessel r then seemed riding easily, and m perfect safety ; I the only possible risk was that being close m I' shore she was more exposed to the breakers than c if she had had more offing. At six o'clock a sea r struck her broadside on, and careening her over, - the ballast — some sixteen tons of loose shingle, 3 at the same time suddenly shifted, and kept the , unfortunate vessel hopelessly down on her beam c ends. But three men were on board at the time, ? one of which was washed off the wreck, and the F other two stuck to the vessel till taken, off by the 1 life boat, which reached the scene of the disaster - from sixteen to eighteen minutes from the time - of the accident. The lifeboat had to be dragged i by some forty or fifty men from the shed m ', which it is kept, to some little distance, as it could s not be launched opposite the shed, the bad - state of the beach at that spot not adi mitting of a free passage to the water. Eager ) volunteers rushed forward to man the boat, r but Mr Mills, the head boatman, very b properly preferred taking his own crew. Mr i Mills took the steer oar, and Mr| Morrison the r tiller, and seven men manned the oars. The 3 •• Alexandra " went through the surf m splendid 3 style, and m eight minutes after launching 3 reached the wreck. The unfortunate men were 1 got off with little difficulty, and m a few - minutes all hands reached the shore m safety, r amid the cheers of a considerable concourse of » people assembled on the beach. All interest was, 3 however, just at this time, centered m the man - who was washed off the wreck, and was now , seen paddling with one hand and holding on to > a large spar amid the kelp. When near the r shore, appearing exhausted, a brave fellow (Mr f Bertram!, of the Custom House — his name 3 should be widely known) rushed into the surf r and swam out to the struggling man. On reaching him, he seemed to receive fresh pluck, and , let go the spar. Mr Bertrand supported him for l a few yards, and then both the men, who were r splendid swimmers, struck out and were safely i landed, just before the "Alexandra" touched f the beach. • s The Captain and his crew have lost all their , personal property, as with the exception of the l heavy spars arid sails, nothing could be saved s from the wreck, which, soon after the accident, i drifted on to the rocks, where she now lies a , complete wreck. The Captain reckons his perb sonal loss at something like £100. The vessel i was, we believe, insured m the New Zealand ,■ Insurance Office.