Official Inquiry.

THH BARQUE MONAKOH. An inquiry was opened to-day at° the Cus torn Home, Lyttelton, before H. Hose, Esq. Collector of Customs, into the acoident whict happened to the barque Monaroh on Pori Chalmers bar last Saturday. John Magnus Wretman being sworn, de I posed :I am master of the barque Monarch - Swedish vessel, of Gelfe, of 822 tons register built at Gelfe in 1880, launched in May Classed in the French Veritas, X 8/3, I 11. I hold a Swedish certificate at master, granted June 6, 1879. Arrived at Port Chalmers, March 2, in ballast Proceed to load with grain for Falmouth foi orders. We completed loading on March 28 Sho was loaded under the Surveyor for the Otago Marine Underwriters' Association. Th< 1 cargo oonsiated of 10,883 bags wheat, amouat • ing to about 1212 tons dead weight. lh< ship draught when fully loaded was 20ft or. an evon keel. The vessel was insured it different companies for about £8330. ] presume the cargo is insured, but cannol give particulars as the charter has left foi Melbourne. We cleared the Customs on March 30. Pilot Kelly came on board at Port Chalmers, aoting under the orders of the l Harbour Master at Port Chalmers. The Pilot came on board at 4 p.m. same 1 day, and took charge of the ship. The ) tug Plucky came to the ship side at t 615 am on 31st. Before that time I had . already told the pilot that I did not like the appearance of the weather, and disliked the 1 idea of putting to eea under the oircumL stances. Ihe wind' was from 3.8.8. The ■ pilot, in speaking of the probable condition of the bar, was of opinion that there ought to bo no danger, aa he had ordered three balls to bo hoisted at the Taiaroa Head Signal Station should the bar be in any way doubtful. As no signal was shown he wiihed in any case to weigh and proceed down towards the bar, so as to judge for himself. Insisted to be permitted to take the vessel over iE he deemed the bar fit to be crossed, and explaining that there would be no end of talk regarding the capabilities of the pilots or their lack of energy should the ship be detained without reasonable cause. I left the matter in the pilot's hands, but warned him not to expose the ship to any risk if doubtful about the condition of the bar, v I would rather wait weeks than have the vessel touoh the ground. The Pilot seeing the steamer Waitaki coming ia, passing close to us, hailed the master, and asked if there waß muoh swell on the bar, and received the reply "No." He immediately gave the order to weigh anohor and for the tug to tow. She was fastened alongside of the ship on the port side, and towed us in that manner till we arrived as far as the lightship. The signal MLF (meaning "wait for high water," was shown from Tararoa signal station, whioh was acknowledged, and the tug in consequence ceased to tow. A little later on a boat was observed coming towards the ship from Taiaroa, in whioh Pilot Patton waß recognised, and the tug was made to tow slowly towards him. He came on board at 7.45 a.m., and was of opinion that the bar did not look dangerous, but that it was t too early yet to cross over. Having stopped the speed for about a quarter of an hour, and after consulting Pilot fatten, Pilot Kelly made up his mind that he would attempt to take the ship over, ordering the tug to go forward before the bow to receive the ship's tow rope, fie also ordered the lower topsails to be Bet. Pilot Patton recommended him to have the jibs set at well, which waß ordered and done. As we came down towards the bar Pilot Patton observed that the ocean swell appeared to have increased in »ize since he left Taiaroa for the purpose of meeting the ship, and some breakers showed to the north of the fairway or channel. She time was now 8.15 a.m. Suddenly the forefoot of the vessel struok aground, though not very severely. But another very hard bump followed, lifting, as it appeared, the whole bow, and violently shaking the foremast, causing at the same time an ugly creaking sound from every joint of the fore ship. In a short while ft sensation was felt as if the keel was dragging along the bottom and then followed the third bump, whioh was a very severe one. It hit apparently abaft the mainmast, violently shaking it, and causing a oraoking noise that made me believe the vessel had burst open. Two more severe bumpings followed, hitting the stern part of the keel, after whioh the vessel waß afloat outside the bar. Fearing that the pumps might have broken, being made of cast iron, I ordered them to be immediately tried, and we found them to* be in good wo. king condition. The well waß thereupon sounded through the port pump ; thia was at about 8.35 a.m. ; about 11 inohes was found. At 855 pilot Kelly ordered the tow-rope to be hauled in, on whioh I requested the pilots to stay for another hour or more, to see if there was any serious leakage. The vessel was under small canvas tacking to and fro, when at 9.55 a.m. sounded port pump and found 13 incheß, showing a leakage of 2 inches in an hour, the tug standing by meantime. I asked the Pilot if it were possible to bring the vessel into Port Chalmers again on the following high water, and they recognised the impossibility of so doing. I then asked if it would be advisable to anohor in Blueskin Bay to await a better Btate of the bar. This they strongly reoommended me not to do, as being quite unsafe. I then deolared my determination of sailing towards Lyttelton, and to make that port. (Left sitting.)