AKAROA.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 243, 22 February 1869, Page 2

AKAROA.

ABETTED. t Feb. 19— Challenge, schooner, from Dunedin, in ballast.

Feb. 19— Msra, s.s., from Lyttelton, with passengers and-cargo, Order.'-. ; /.}'-/ •'"-/■ V s; vji'; SAILED;*?-. - • HFebV 20-nE«sra, s.sjy:&r;Dunedin and inter.jSediate portsj with piart' original cargo and 2 Sfegs'tbutter, 20 'cases 'fruit, J. D.iGarwood ; 3 m"pxes : ; fxuit,;Ji H^tley- 4 bbies do, T. :Felthahi; ; lt^esdo>yir;C. Pearce; lease do, G. Felgate ; 9 caseirdo, 9 cases cheese, J. Daly ; 5 cases cheese, G. Checkley, 27 cases fruit, S. Watkins ; 1 pkg pictures, E. C. Latter. Feb. 20— Foam, ketch,. Jor Dunedin, with 28,000 ft timber, Saxton and Williams.

. In pur latest telegrams from Australia, , published on Feb. 15, it was stated that the ; steamer Forni6sa had been wrecked off Point iNepean on Feb. 5. The Argus of Feb. 8 says; ; — Early. on Saturday morning Captain Baljlardie and the crew of the wrecked steamer Formosa, with Mr Frederick Paterson, » | passenger, in all eleven souls, arrived in jHobspn's Bay by the steamer Titan, which on .Friday had been sent to the scene of the j disaster to render any assistance which might be required. From Captain Ballardie! we have [such details as were wanting to complete the record of the loss of the unfortunate vessel. After passing CajJeOfrv^ay on Thursday morning, the wind, which'had been blowing fresh from the S.W.j; moderated towards evening, the weather, however, being still cloudy and squally. At about eight o'clock the Formosa was nearly three miles from Port Phillip Heads, where Captain Ballardie expected to he picked up by a pilot; and seeing a light a. little to the eastward of Point Nepean, he bore down for it, thinking that it might be the pilot boat's light. This light, most probably, was that of a vessel bound to the eastward. After burning several bluelights, and receiving no response, Captain Ballardie tried to tack to the S/W., but the vessel missed stays and wore round, the time occupied in wearing" round being fully an hour and a half. The Formosa then stood off to the S.W., but seeing that she was making a deal of leeway, and that there was no hope of her being able to weather Point Nepeah, Captain Ballardie again attempted to tack, and once more the vessel missed stays. The mizen and main sails were then taken in, and two hours more elapsed in wearing round again, the vessel running towards the land all the time. Between two and three o'clock in the morning, Captain3allardie, finding that the vessel was Btill drifting to leeward, .made! another endeavour to tack, but with no better success. In wearing, the swell hove her in shore, and it being evident that she would not clear, the port anchor "was let go, bringing her head to sea, and then the starboard anchor was let go. Both anchors, however, were ineffectual to hold her, and shortly after three 'o'clock: she' struck the rocks, drifted on to" the "beach ; and about sixty fathoms of chain were paid out to let her go further, up. The heavy swell rolling in shore continued to break over her, and 'towards daylight the vessel parted between the main' and inijten chainstt vTheiJxiats, as well as all loose articles on deck, were speedily adrift, and washed ashore, and all hands; together, with Mr Paterson, the passenger, took to the .rigging for Safety. ', Mr Peterson/, who was! coming to this colony for- the -benefit of his <health, and who was top weak to assist himself, had to be* lashed to the rigging. During this period of great peril and anxious suspense one of the sailors, George M'Kenzie, when the tide fell, exerted himself effectually, and happily succeeded in making the shore, and by means of a line established communication with the wreck. Mr Paterson, the passenger/ was first made fast to the line, and having had to be dragged through the surf, he was landed in a very exhausted condition. AH on board were then safely got on shore, and proceeded to the sanitary station at Point Nepean, and from thence on board the steamer Titan, which left for Melbourne with them about eleven o'clock on Friday night. On the flood, the vessel broke completely up, and the cargo all washed ashore. The great length of time taken up in Wearing the vessel, it is said, is to be accounted for from her masts being badly placed. By the catastrophe Captain Ballardie has lost his personal effects, chronometers, &c, and indeed everything except what he stood up in, and the crew only succeeded partially in saving the contents of their chests. The Formosa was a new iron steamer of 173 tons register and 205 tons measurement, and was fitted. with twin screws and two pairs of engines; and from her fine model,- andthe rate of speed attained x>n her trial trips, together with her good carrying capacity — 300 tons on Bft. 3in; of water— it was expected that she would be disposed. of in these colonies to advantage. She was hujlt by Messrs Seath and Oonnell, of Rutherglen, for the Clyde Shipping Company, and was sent out here by Messrs Kidston and Co., of Glasgow, consigned to Messrs Alexander Macfarlane and Co. She is stated to be fully insured, and' a portion of the losses on hull and cargo will fall on offices in this city. She cleared out from Glasgow on Sept 18, with a full cargo of bottled ale and cast-iron pipes. The wreck and the salvage of the cargo were sold at auction by Captain Lawrance, at Lloyd's rooms, and bought by Mr James Purves. on the shore of whose station the wreck occurred. The prices paid were £200 fox the wreck of the ship and £465 for the cargo.