LOSS OF THE MATAUEA

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6090, 29 January 1898, Page 6

LOSS OF THE MATAUEA

♦ PROBAELE SAFETY OF ALL HANDS. United Press Association— By Electric Telegraph— Copyright. Beceivea Jan. 28, 7.10 p.m. LONDON, Jan. 27. The Mataura went ashore at Sealers' Cove on Jan. 12. A boat containing the captain, doctor, three passengers and ten, oi the crew arrived at Sandy Point, a cape and town on Magellan Strait. It is believed that the remaining boats are safe. Assistance has been sent to the scene of the wreck.

WELLINGTON, Jan. 28. The officers and crew numbered sixty all told. Mr Silba, the chief officer, had command of the Company's ship "VVaipa, and when she was sold he was transferred to one of the Company's steamers, subsequently being appointed chief officer of the Mataura. Mr Leech is a son of tho harbour-muster at Westport. A series of misfortunes has befallen Captain Milward during the la3t year or bo, he having lost his wife and several members of his family by death. This had a detrimental effect upon his health, and he was unwell when last in Wellington. He has been connected with the company for many years, having joined its service as third officer of one of its sailing ships, and he is regarded as a first-class seaman. At one time he was second officer of the ; Kaikonra under Captain Crutchley. This is'the first accident he has had since he went to sea. . ■ THE INSURANCES. WifiLLEWoN,' Jan. 28. It is estimated thai the'^total value of the Mataura's cargo was some .£300,000. There was .£250,000 -worth of wool, besides frozen meat, <tc. All the companies doing marine business in Wellington hold risks on the cargo of the wrecked vessel. . One company alonehas a line of .£03,d00. The net loss of tho Thames and Mersey Company will be .£BOOO. The Commercial Union, Chiua Traders, South British, Standard, and Alliance Companies are also understood to have heavy lines. The insurances on the vessel's hull are held in London. The hull of the-Miitaura was insured for JJBO,OOO in the London Commercial Union Office, which has risks on tho cargo to the extent of .£20,000; tho Canton Offico J310,000 and .£10,000 ; tho New Zealand Insurance Company .£33,000, but this latter is very largely reinsured. Ib is understood that .£280,000 insurances on the cargo can i be accounted for. i DUNEDIN, Jan. 28. ] The National had lines to the extent of .£20,000 on tho cargo, reducocl by reinsur- J ance to £DQOO, and tho total insurance in ' the Standard Office, .£16,000, is largely ( reinsured. Tho South British, at the Dunedin office, had .£BOOO on the general cargo, reduced by reinsurance to jfiloOO. Other insurances: Victoria .£6954, British and i Foreign .£BOOO. THE FEELING AT LFTTELTON. i Considerable excitement was occasioned i at Lyttelton yesterday afternoon wh^n the news of tho total loss of tho New Zealand Shipping Company's fine steamer \ Mataura was made public. Captain Milward, her commander, and Mr L. G. Silba, the chief officer, were both well and favour- ' ably known at Lyttelton, for both had 1 traded out of the port for a great many years, and Mr Silba was for some time iv command of the Company's sailing ship Waipa. The other officers, too, had made a large circle of friend 3 dnring their visits . to the Port, and there were numerous in- , qtriries for them. • c The Mataura was' one of the finest and " { most modern steamers visiting the Port, and enjoyed the distinction of being the largest vessel docked in New Zealand , waters. She was docked at Lyttelton when she came here the voyage before her last. - The vessel was built by Barclay, Curie and j Co., of Glasgow, and was launched in 1896. The vessel was constructed of steel, nnd \ was of the following dimensions : — 421 feet | long, 54 feet 6 inches beam, and 29 feet ' depth of hold, which gavo her a pross j tonnage of 5764 tons, her net register , being 3756 tons. She was classed 100 Al J at Lloyd's, the date of her classification bsing April, 1896. She was essentially a ; cargo steamer, but had accommodation for - about twelve saloon passengers in a comfortable saloon situated amidships, while special provision was made for steerage , accommodation in tho between decks. The ] steamer took her final departure from Wellington, but was practically laid up at Lyttelton for several weeks awaiting the new season's wool clip. SCENE OF THE WKECK. Sealers' Cove, the point at which tho Mataura is reported to have gone ashore, lies a few miles south of Cape Pillar at the, southern entrance to the western morith of Magellan Strait. It is by the circuitous route taken by the Strait, about two hundred miles from Sandy Point, but at this time of the year there would be no. great difficulty or danger in making the passage in an open boat. Sandy Point was occupied for several years by the Chilians as a penal settlement, but has lately come into more • favourable prominence as the seaporb of a fairly promising mining and pastoral district. • It is in pretty regular communication with' Buncos Ay res and Monte Video on the" eastern side of the South American continent and with Valparaiso on the ■western. •