Severe Gale.

Two Vessels Lost in Solomons.

From Our Own Correspondent.

TULAGI, April 30.

WE had made up our minds that the Nor-west season was over, when on April 17 the weather began to show us that it was not, and by the 19th it was as bad (in spots) as the famous 1916 “zephyr,” which was credited with blowing at least one man’s teeth out.

So far, no teeth are reported missing, but two vessels, at a time of writing, have been lost. One, the “Hambia,” a 10-ton vessel, belonging to the Marist Mission, in which Bishop Raucaz was making a trip round the weather side of Guadalcanal, was anchored at Qoiqoi, in Beauford Bay, when the fun started.

Both anchor chains parted, and the native crew got the vessel under way, but at a critical point the steering gear carried away, and she was thrown up on the reef and soon became a total wreck. Luckily, the Bishop was ashore at the time.

The other vessel, a craft of 5 tons, belonged to the Solomon Islands Devel opment Co. No details are to hand, but it is presumed she was cast up on the beach at Berande (one of the com pany’s properties), which is a treach erous spot in the Nor-west season, and where several vessels have been lost in the past.

It is more than likely that other vessels have been lost.

Planters report many losses of coco nut trees by sea erosion and the force of the gale. The abnormal tide during the blow did a fair amount of damage to reclaimed land around Tulagi and Makambo, and one householder on the latter island was very lucky he was not washed to sea, house and all.