We take the following from the Nagasadt Shipping List of the 31st ultimo A very brief inspection of the hull of the 8.8. Guelic as she now lies in the dock at Tategami, would conclusively show even those with absolutely no knowledge shipy construction, that the damages done to the vessel are far more serious than previously reported. Upon the starboard side, from her bows toa spot under the stoke-hold, the plates are more or less bent and damaged, while in several places they have been smashed in. Upon the port side there is little damage visible with the exception of a few started rivets and an ugly-looking dent just beneath the boiler space. Roughly speaking, about 40. plates, 9 frames, and 3 bulkheads will require renewal or repairs, and it may be accepted as settled that the vessel will have to go to Hongkong for these to be executed, after being temporarily patched up here. Altogether the damage extends from the vessel's bow for about 250 feet aft, and the huge indentain the plates, on the starboard side especially, bear witness to the splendid riveting work done by the builders, Messrs. Harland and Woolf. Tt appears that at the point at which the impact with the rocks was most severe a number of bags of coffee with heavy general cargo stowed on the top of them acted as a species of buffer, and took off a considerable amount of strain from the frames; otherwise the damage would have probably been much greater. When the vessel first struck, the' main-stay, a heavy wire rope, was carried away. ' The reason for this was not apparent at the time, as the heel of the mainmast was not shifted in any way. It now appears probable that when the keel of the vessel near the boiler space was struck, the jar caused the mast to jerk violently and thus carry away the stay.
Just as the Gaelic was going into the dock on Friday last she touched the ground towards the south side of the entrance. What caused this we do not know, but we understand that the ship was in the hands of the Captain at the time. Mr. Crowe, the Dock-master, had just seen the Kokura Mari out and was going on board the Gaelic as she grounded. - Of course she was soon off again, but had she stuck upon the sih of the dock the probability is that she would have broken her back. The repairs to be executed here are not expected to occupy more than a few days, or a week at most.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.