DISASTERS AND MISHAPS – SHIPWRECKS
HMS Orpheus
In addition to these, however, there have been disasters of the first magnitude in New Zealand waters which in their day shocked the country. The first of these, and the worst, was the wreck of the steam corvette HMS Orpheus (1,706 tons) on the Manukau Bar, Auckland, on 7 February 1863. Disaster struck in fine clear weather at a cost of 189 lives. HMS Orpheus had arrived from Sydney with stores for Her Majesty's ships on the New Zealand station, and ran ashore 2 miles from the Heads, only 50ft from deep water. Huge rollers sweeping her port broadside forced the hatchway fastenings and the ship filled with water. A strong flood tide completed the vessel's destruction and when a roll call was taken, after only partially effective rescue operations, it was found that 189 (including the captain, Commodore W. F. Burnett, C.B.) of a complement of 259 had been drowned.
