Post by NZBC on Jun 3, 2011 19:11:20 GMT 12
FOUNDERED NEAR HOKIANGA.BOAT AND CREW MISSING. HOKIANGA, October 29.
The steamer Ventnor, which left Wellington for Hongkong on Sunday, foundered off the Hokianga Bar last night at about a quarter to nine.
The Ventnor left Wellington, as stated, on Sunday, with 500 Chinese bodies and 6400 tons of coal. She was owned by Gow, Harrison and Co., of Glasgow, her port of register, and was captained by H. G. Ferry. Before she had been long out, at forty minutes after midnight on Sunday, a shock which shook the vessel from stem to stern made manifest to everyone aboard that the steamer had struck a rock, a subsequent investigation showing that the reef hit was to the southward of Cape Egmont. , The engines were at once reversed, and in a short time the vessel managed to get off. The wells were then sounded, ana it was found that the vessel was making water in No. 1 hold. The vessel was headed off shore to a safe distance, and then proceeded up the coast.
Meanwhile, the steam pumps were got to work, but from the first it was found that they were unequal to the task of coping with the inflow, and gradually the water gained, rising higher and higher in the hold. On Tuesday morning it was found that the ballast tanks in the peak were full, putting the steamer down by the head, and making it evident that she had but a short time to float. In the evening her bow was so far under water that she became unmanageable, and it was seen that she was gradually sinking, despite every effort that could be made. At about 9 p.m. it became evident that the vessel was going down fast, and all hands were ordered to the boats. , These were launched by their respective crews, who immediately pulled away from the sides of the doomed vessel. Hardly had they reached a safe distance when the vessel's stern rose in the air, and she sank, bow first. The Hokianga .Heads light was seen at a distance of about ten miles, and the boats pulled in the direction of the light. At daylight this morning two boats arrived on the Oma.pere Beach, bearing fourteen of the crew, including the chief mate, John Cameron, the second and third engineers, D. Bailee and K. Muir, and two cooks, and a messman. Mr Martin, harbourmaster, has taken the small steamer Energy out off Whangape to pick up two more boats which were sighted from the pilot station. One of these was picked up at 10 o'clock, but the other had not been reached at the time of wiring, 10.30 a.m. Besides her crew of 31 persons, including five Chinese, the Ventnor had six Chinamen as passengers. Of the coffins 489 were insured in the Alliance Company for £5490. The fungus was insured for a/bout £320 in various offices. She was under the charge of Captain H. Ferry, who has been seventeen years in the employment of the same company. The steamer was under charter to W. Scott Fell and Co., of Sydney, contractors. Messrs John Mill and Co., of Dunedin <_nd Wellington, were the colonial agents. Of the coffins 489 were shipped by the Chong Shin Tong Society, which is a branch of the big society in China called the Tai Chuen. The other ten coffins were shipped by Yei Chong, of Manners-street, and did not belong to any society. The Ventnor's crew numbered thirty-one, and those on board included nine Chinese body attendants. These attendants of the dead are old and decrepit Chinamen, who are being sent home to China by the Chong Shin Tong, and given sufficient money to keep them from work for the remainder of their lives.Auckland Star, Volume XXXIII, Issue 258, 30 October 1902, Page 6
This newspaper was digitised in partnership with Auckland Libraries.
The steamer Ventnor, which left Wellington for Hongkong on Sunday, foundered off the Hokianga Bar last night at about a quarter to nine.
The Ventnor left Wellington, as stated, on Sunday, with 500 Chinese bodies and 6400 tons of coal. She was owned by Gow, Harrison and Co., of Glasgow, her port of register, and was captained by H. G. Ferry. Before she had been long out, at forty minutes after midnight on Sunday, a shock which shook the vessel from stem to stern made manifest to everyone aboard that the steamer had struck a rock, a subsequent investigation showing that the reef hit was to the southward of Cape Egmont. , The engines were at once reversed, and in a short time the vessel managed to get off. The wells were then sounded, ana it was found that the vessel was making water in No. 1 hold. The vessel was headed off shore to a safe distance, and then proceeded up the coast.
Meanwhile, the steam pumps were got to work, but from the first it was found that they were unequal to the task of coping with the inflow, and gradually the water gained, rising higher and higher in the hold. On Tuesday morning it was found that the ballast tanks in the peak were full, putting the steamer down by the head, and making it evident that she had but a short time to float. In the evening her bow was so far under water that she became unmanageable, and it was seen that she was gradually sinking, despite every effort that could be made. At about 9 p.m. it became evident that the vessel was going down fast, and all hands were ordered to the boats. , These were launched by their respective crews, who immediately pulled away from the sides of the doomed vessel. Hardly had they reached a safe distance when the vessel's stern rose in the air, and she sank, bow first. The Hokianga .Heads light was seen at a distance of about ten miles, and the boats pulled in the direction of the light. At daylight this morning two boats arrived on the Oma.pere Beach, bearing fourteen of the crew, including the chief mate, John Cameron, the second and third engineers, D. Bailee and K. Muir, and two cooks, and a messman. Mr Martin, harbourmaster, has taken the small steamer Energy out off Whangape to pick up two more boats which were sighted from the pilot station. One of these was picked up at 10 o'clock, but the other had not been reached at the time of wiring, 10.30 a.m. Besides her crew of 31 persons, including five Chinese, the Ventnor had six Chinamen as passengers. Of the coffins 489 were insured in the Alliance Company for £5490. The fungus was insured for a/bout £320 in various offices. She was under the charge of Captain H. Ferry, who has been seventeen years in the employment of the same company. The steamer was under charter to W. Scott Fell and Co., of Sydney, contractors. Messrs John Mill and Co., of Dunedin <_nd Wellington, were the colonial agents. Of the coffins 489 were shipped by the Chong Shin Tong Society, which is a branch of the big society in China called the Tai Chuen. The other ten coffins were shipped by Yei Chong, of Manners-street, and did not belong to any society. The Ventnor's crew numbered thirty-one, and those on board included nine Chinese body attendants. These attendants of the dead are old and decrepit Chinamen, who are being sent home to China by the Chong Shin Tong, and given sufficient money to keep them from work for the remainder of their lives.Auckland Star, Volume XXXIII, Issue 258, 30 October 1902, Page 6
This newspaper was digitised in partnership with Auckland Libraries.