ARRIVAL OF THE SHIP WAVE QUEEN FROM LONDON.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 2, Issue 132, 11 April 1879, Page 2

ARRIVAL OF THE SHIP WAVE QUEEN FROM LONDON.

LOSS Oil' CHIEF OFFICER AND A PASSENGER OVERBOARD.

(From the New Zealander.)

A ship was signalled from, Mount Victoria at daylight Wednesday, and shortly after her number was run up, which proved her to be the expected ship Wave Queen. More than ordinary interest was taken in in hor arrival inasmuch as she was known to have a full complement of pas-

sengers. About 2 p.m. the vessel was signalled as being inside the Heads, immediately information was received that the steamer Moa had her in tow, but as the Moa, as well-known 'has but little power in towing such a vessel it was nearly tour o'clock before she rounded Point Hastwell. When the Wave Queen was half way up the harbor the Harbor-Master, Captain Holliday, along with Pilot Simras, boarded the vessel; and she was brought into the berth at the wharf by 5 p.m. The Wave Queen is a vessel, of 853, tons register, and is owned by Messrs Shaw, Savill and Co. and Mr Park, of London, and comes under the. command of Captain Pevriam, who, although a stranger to this port, has visited Lyttelton, on several occasions. On our reporter boarding the vessel, it was evident thatshehad encountered somobad weather, but notwithstanding that, her passengers arrived in good health, and speak in high' terms of the treatment received at the hands of Captain Perriam, in testimony of which they have presented him with a very flattering address. During the voyage three melancholy accidents occurred, which cast -a gloom over the ship. On February 9 Mr James Hooper, a steerage passenger, died of liver complaint, when the vessel, was in latitude 26deg. IGniin. S. and 25deg,. 19min.W.,Mr Hooper was a young man, and generally liked among the passengers. He was a brother resident in New Zealand who is supposed to reside at New Plymouth. On the 11th March H. Smith, the chief officer, 32 years old, and a native of Devonshire, jumped overboard, and, despite all efforts made to save him, was drowned. It appears from the official log that two days previous to the sad occurrence he refused to obey the lawful commands of the captain, stating that he would enter up his log to that date, and then go forward. On the following date the captain, again spoke to him, but lie positively refused to turn to, and walked the deck in silence. On the day which he jumped overboard, Captain Perriam asked him to return to his duties, but he again refused. At 5 o'clock in the afternoon dinner was served as usual, and the stewards call the chief officer, when he remarked he would- take some refreshment after the passengers, had finished. After dinner the captain, along with two of the lady passengers, was walking the poop on the port side, and Smith was doing likewise on the starboard side, when suddenly he exclaimed " Good bye," and leaped over the rail into the sea. Captain Perriam immediately gave the order to bring the ship in the wind, and sent men aloft to watch while he attended to the life buoys himself. A boat was lowered with all possible speed, and for an hour pulled round the spot where ho was supposed to be, but, after a fruitless search, was signalled to return to the ship. The vessel then squared her yards and proceeded on her journey. The Wave Queen experienced moderate weather until the 30th March, when off Tasmania, when a terrific S. W. gale sprung up, with a mountainous and confused sea. As the sea was breaking on board, Mr Graham, a saloon passenger, was seen to leave the cabin, and was warned that a heavy sea was approaching and asked to retire, but lie did not appear to hear the request, and a few moments after a large body of water broke on board, completely swamping the decks and washed him along with every moveable object on deck overboard. The patent log was down at the time, and the poor fellow was seen by a lady' passenger clinging to the line. The captain immediately ■ grasped at the line, but, as the vessel was going at the rate of ten knots, he was unable to haul in more than a fathom when Graham disappeared. No efforts could be made to save him, as a tremen- ; clous sea was running. Mr Graham was only lately married and had his wife on

board, from whom much sympathy in hei sad bereavement which she has sustained. After the sad occurences which we mel

with, and the ship arrived in harbor as above. On the Bth Januaay, Harriet Ada Crooks aged 2 years and 6 months, died of convulsions brought on through a severe attack of croop, and on March 4th, Amelia Smith, aged 15 months, died of convulsions.