Shipping Calamity Feared.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume IV, Issue 567, 7 February 1891, Page 2

Shipping Calamity Feared.

THE KAKANUI MIBSING. [ueeniAL to thb standard.] Br.urr, last night Tbs return of the Government steamer Hiuetnoa without hsvimt seen anything of the missing steamer Kukanui has caused a profound sensation, Her Oqptgjn (Fairchild) says that at the Macquarrjes fie found Mr and Mrs Mellisb, from whom be learned that the Kakanui arrived on 2nd January, and left again on the return trip the following day. Hatch’s party consisted of Mr and Mrs Mellish and eight men. As Boon as the Kakanui made near a landing these eight men determined to return* in' her, aud they were accordingly taken on board and the Kakanui left. Mellisb and bis wife refused to leave the island, and informed Captain Fairchild that they had endeavored to persuade the eight men also to await the arpyal of the Gratitude, of the early departure of which vessel from Invercargill they bad information by letter from Mr Hatch, sent by tfie Kakanui. '"A'neiy bad plenty of flour, rias, end bisauits, and were quite com-i fortable and happy. They fled no occasion to fear starvation, and besides the provisions already mentioned there were plenty of eggs and penguins to be got, and a certain proper-* lien of the latter were capital eating. Mellisb had no anxiety in the matter of remaining on the islandfwhere l)e liaij beau tor over a year, end he was determined to await the arrival pf iffe Gratitude, T'vo days after the‘Kakanui sailed a terrific westerly gqlg bgd been experienced, and was the most severe Mellisb bad witnessed. There is evidence of the force Of the wind. Some large casks of oil lying On the beach awaiting shipment were blown from their position aur) rp.led along the crouud. Captain Fajrqhi'4 ttiinks that the Kakanui must have been caught In a gale shortly after leaving the island, when the coal, haring space to shift in the hold, would be an element of danger rather than otherwise, and that she h -s foundered. Had she been merely disabled she ought to have made eotne port or other even under sail, and beau heard of before this, although on the other hand her Bails, like those of steamers in general, might not be of much service to her in severe weather. Gtptaiu Fairciiiid says that at the Macquarrleb the

barom ter frequently fills nine-tenths below lhe lowest reading h re, and that th: gules in those latitudes are corre-pomiingly heavy. Shortly after leaving the Island on this voyi ge the Hinemoa encountered one of great violence, the most severe Captain Fairchild has had to contend with even in thete seas during the past thirteen yea s. He is of opinion that the Kakanui should never have seen sent on such a mission, as although he says she was one of the finest little vessels of her kind in the colony, yet at the same time she wae too small to make a voyage in mid-ocean, and to latitudes where gales of great violence are always occurring. He had remarked to the authorities of the Marine Department, when he knew that the Kakanui bad gone to the Mncquarries, “ This is another job for tbe Hinemoa,” meaning of course that she would have to go after her. He also expressed the opinion that if the Kakanui is knocking about mid-ocean under sail she would not make for the Bluff, but for one of the northern ports, such as Dunedin nr Lyttelton, The Hinemoa is being sent off on another search, but little hope ia entertained for the steamer and those on board. The Kakanui was commanded by Captain Best, one of the best known shipping masters on tbe Coast, and was owned by a company, She was of about 59 tons. She had a crew of ten—Capt. Best, J. B. Eckhoff, mate; James Norman, second mate ; R. Stewart, engineer ; John Silvester, J. Ludvig, and Peter Sands, A.B.’s; W. Buster, steward ; William Morgan and Hugh McMillan, firemen. Mr Stewart also went with her as a passenger, representing the Government, thus making twelve aboard when she left Invercargill. The Englishmen who were taken off the Macquarrica were Henry Coulen, Chas. Gamble, William Cowan, Harry Lewis, Geo. Godfrey, Alex. Watson, Wm. Dawn, and Wm. Ralph. The two latter were youths of about 18 years. All. with one exception, were engaged in Port Chalmers and belonged to that locality. A relief fund for tbe families is now being opened in Dudedin.