THE MISSING BRIGANTINE

Auckland Star, Volume XL, Issue 35, 10 February 1909, Page 5

THE MISSING BRIGANTINE

EVIDENCES OF DISASTER. WRECKAGE AT CHATHAMS, NEAR iYTTEIiTOW. I ' ————— i . (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) ICHRISTCHURCH, this day. On the passage of the ferry, steamer Maori from Wellington yesterday, when about 20 ;miles north-north-east of Lyfctelton Heads, Captain Hunter sighted-a sailor's wooden chest, also a packing case chest, which bore the initials "J.R.C." 'Both are supposed to be from the missing brigaritinei-JRio Loge, overdue from Kaipara to -Dunedin. Captein Allsop; of the steamer Ripple, reports that between noon and 1 p.m. last Wednesday, when the steamer was on the way to the Chathams, he passed a quantity of sawn timber, which appeared to have not been long in the water. One piece of timber was about six feet in length, painted white. He also , sighted, about two' weeks ago, twti ship's hatches, together with an bar arid a broken door, washed ashore at the Chathams.

The Rio Loge was sighted in Cook Strait on January 13 and 14 by • the schooners Waratah and Isabella de Frame, which arrived at Dunedin over a fortnight ago, and since that time she has not been reported. The Rio Loge, which -was built in 1868, -was once regarded as a very, smart vessel, and was originally rigged as a brig. For. some years she was a familiar trader between Mauritius and Lyttelton, in company with the Ocean Ranger, Thurso, Jasper, Gazelle, Laira, Alcestis and Alexa. On one occasion the Rio Loge made a record passage for a sailing vessel from Mauritius to Lyttelton, covering- the distance Iμ 32 days,' and averaging 9i knots per hour throughout the trip. She was later on purchased by Captain Spence, and for. a good many years was engaged in "black-birding" (transporting Kanakas) from the South Sea Islands to Queensland ports. Finding her employment gone, Captain Spence brought her across to New Zealand about two or three years ago, and she has since been engaged in the timber trade. Captain Spence, who was the owner of the vessel, was accompanied by his wife and two children. It is stated that Mr Oiive, formerly an officer in the Union Steamship Company's service, was mate of the Kio Loge.