The Chile.

the Chile, an iron barque of 768 tons, one of the old school, built in 1856, was purchased by the Shaw, Savill Co. in 1860, and continued to trade to the colony until 1886. She will be remembered by many old Aucklanders from the fact that in 1874 she nearly came to grief during a hurricane in Auckland Harbour. Early on the morning of the 9th February a strong S.W. gale was blowing, and the shipping had taken shelter on the eastern side of the wharf. For a few minutes the wind lulled, and then came down with intensified violence from exactly the opposite direction. The change produced an extraordinary and alarming effect. The small vessels were now exposed to the fury of the blast. The hurricane continued for three hours only, but it played havoc with a large number of the small fry, some of which sank at their moorings, and others after the storm were lying around in various stages of dilapidation. At 11 a.m. the barque Beatrice, moored at the eastern end of the outer tee of the Queen Street wharf, broke adrift and fouled the Chile, which occupied the next berth. the Chile's cables, unable to bear the double weight, parted, and both vessels drifted past the little steamer Victoria up the harbour. In passing the fore topgallant mast of the Chile caught the foremast of the Victoria, with the result that both came to grief. The captain of the Chile let go both anchors, which stopped the erratic course of his vessel when only 200 yards from the wharf.

At nearly the same minute that the Beatrice got loose the barque Lauderdale broke away, and she canted round with her stern fast to the wharf. As there was not enough water to let her swing clear her bow struck the Auckland Steam Packet Co.'s tee just in front of the company's office, which was badly damaged by the Lauderdale's jibboom. Here the barque remained fixed, the cutwater gradually forcing its way through the planking of the tee till the stem of the vessel was half way through the wharf, which really suffered more damage than the ship The Lauderdale made only one voyage to Auckland, arriving here on June 30 in command of Captain True after a passage of 103 days.

the Chile had accommodation forpage 187 about 250 passengers, and in her twenty years' service she must have landed many thousand immigrants, who were distributed at nearly every port. On the voyage to Nelson in 1875 the Chile called at New Plymouth and landed 105 immigrants, and had on board 63 for Marlborough and Westland, and some for Nelson. On this occasion the Chile made the passage to New Plymouth in 93 days, and three days later was at Nelson. The greatest distance logged in one day was 260 miles.

the Chile experienced many severe gales during the twenty years she was engaged in the trade, but always came through without any serious damage.

Here follow the records of the passages outwards made by the Chile:—

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