A VESSEL OUT OF HER COURSE.

Timaru Herald, Volume LVIII, Issue 1663, 17 January 1895, Page 3

A VESSEL OUT OF HER COURSE.

— ♦ (By Telegraph.) WELLINGTON, January 16. Captain Shaw, of the Star of Victoria, reports that the vessel encountered strong easterly winds and head-seas from Sydney to the New Zealand coast. The wind then went to the north-east, accompanied by very thick weather and fogs, but as the vessel came to the southeast the weather seemed to clear, land being sighted on the starboard bow. Captain Shaw was under the impression that it was the mainland, but it has E roved to have been Great Barrier. As aptain Shaw was unable to pick up Tiritiri he decided to stand out to sea, and when able to distinguish Cuvier Island light took a fresh departure, which enabled him to verify his position and shape a correct course. Captain Shaw, after sighting the New Zealand j coast, kept m the course similar to that followed on previous occasions when coming from Sydney. He gives as a reason for being nearly 30 miles to the eastward out of the track that it is possible he may have kept the steamer a little further out than usual, and the strong current running through Hauraki Gulf must have caught her on the starboard bow and pushed her still further out. In view of the Wairarapa disaster this item is of special interest.