Official Inquiry.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 118, 27 May 1885, Page 2

Official Inquiry.

The oilicial inquiry into the cause of the Wellingtcm-Macgregor collision was roButted to-day, before Mr H. G. Seth Smith, Resident Magistrate^ and Captains Prater and Scott, nautical assessors. Mr H. Williamson appeared for tlio Collector rf Customs, Mi Cotter for Captain StephensOß and chiof ofiicor of. Wellington, Mr Theo Cooper for Captain Johnson and second oilicer of Macgregor. Mr S. Boeketh ap poured to watch the caee on behali ot the Company. Samuel Stephonson was called, and (under examination by Mr Williamson) deposed that he wan chief ofiicor of tlio V\ cllington. Ho recollected tho night of tho 4th of this month. Ho was on tho vessel on her voyage from Auckland i'J northern ports on that night. Ho took charge of the deck at eight o'clock, and was stationed on the upper bridge. He recollected seeinj.; tho Macgregor's lights, and knew that wai< her evening for coming in. He was not expecting her, but know she might becoming in. Tho first light ho saw was the masthead light. When ho first saw tho light, tho vessel was about live or nix miles distant. Tho Wellington was going about eleven knots, with fore-topsail, fore-trysail, and jib set. The wind was south westerly, aul blowing a moderate breeze. Tho next Ik'ht they saw was tho greon light. That was about twelve or fifteen minutes after they had sighted tho white light. Ho- knew Antonio Morrn, and recollected him coming up on to tho bridge that night. Ho askod witness what Htoamor it was, and ho told lim it would bo tho Macgrogor. When ho Baw the green light, ho altered tho coitrio n point to starboard. He saw the Macgregor, saw hor red light when she ported, but not till then. She was then six or eight lengthk distant. Ho did not port when tho Macgregor did, becaiiso ho was afraid thoy might, run into her. A veesol like the Wellington took a long time to turn. Ho did not telegraph to tlio engine room, although thoy had a signal to it. He put the holm bard a-star-board, although with the sails net it wa; probablo she would have gone quickci then into tho wind. He immediately called tho captain, who cttnio up within a minute. Tho engines woro not stopped till tho captain camo up. When he saw the Macgrogor port and proceed to crosa their bowe, he thought that by going full speed he would have had time (v turn and avoid her. The vessels might have been further apart than he said when ho did this. Fron tho time that he saw tho rtd 'light till tlio accident occurred, perhaps eight to ten niinutoselapsed. (Thowitncss wasaskedif he understood tho question, and then corrected himself by the statement that from three to five minutes elapsed between tho time ho saw the red light and tho vessels struck) It was when tho Macgregor showed her red light that ho gave tho order, " hard a-star-board." The Macgregor was then about a point on their starboard bow. By Mr Cooper: Ho was a brother of tho master of the vessel. Thoy were about a mile from the Littlo Kawau Point when he first saw tho Macgregor's green light. From twelve to fifteen minutes elapsed from the time when he first saw the Macgregor's green light until the collision, and they were going from twelve to fifteen knots per hour. The moment he caw tho red light he gave the order.hard n-starboard. The Macgregor was six or woven lengths distant, and the time that elapsed after they caw tho red light was about live minvtes. Tho steamer was 180 feet long. Ho was in charge of the Wellington at Whangaroa some few months back when the vessel ran into tlio wharf. A little dnmago was done to tho wharf and ship. By Mr Cotter : The cause of that accident wa? that the man put bis helm the reverse way to what -was ordered. They were steering aft, and not, on tho bridge. Tho man admitted tho mistake he bad made. It would take the Wellington a minute or two to steam five or six of her length?. It could not have taken the vessel three to h've minutes, as ho had previously said, to steam tho six or seven lengths. The man on the lookout (Heinrich Carlson) first reported the Macgregor's masthead light to him. Ho also reported tho green light to him. When he saw the green light, ho starboarded his helm half a point, and his groen light would have been visible to the Macgregor. Supposing each vessol had been kept on her course, tho difference between them in passing would have been eight or nino lengths. The- man on the look-out and the man at the wheel were watching beside himself. If ho had etoppod the engines and ported tho holm when ho first saw tho red light, tho collision would not have been overtod, but the vessels would have struck sideways. Tho Macgregor did not show him her red light in sufficient time to avoid tho collison. What ho did was what ho considered best to avoid the collision. The Macgregor was pretty close up to the other whon tho captain came on deck. The Wellington was a very hard boat to turn, but ho did not know anything about the stooring capacities of tho Macgregor. By Mr Williamson : Tho night was a clear moonlight one, and he could see the shape of the vessol, but he did. not know that tho Macgregor was turning round the point till ho saw the red light. He did see tho two veesels going into ono, but oven then.he could not have done anything to avert the collision. By the Court: He did not consider that there was any danger until the Macgregor was within five or six lengths. Heinrich Carlson, A.B. on the Wellington, was examined by Mr Williamson, and deposed that on tho night of tho collision he was stationed as lookout on the forecastle deck. The Macgregor's white light waa half a point on tho port bow when they first saw it. They wero tli6n to the southward of tho Kawau, and four miles distant from that island. About 15 minutes afterwards he saw the green light about a point and a half on the starboard bow. There was no change mado in the course of tho Wellington, which kept steadily on. He could not tell how far the Macgregor was distant when they first saw the green light, but it was not long after he saw tho green light that ho knew it was the Macgregor. He was watching the approaching vessel, and saw that sho had sails set. She was only a few lengths off when she showed her red light. She altered her course suddenly, and not gradually. He could not tall what time elapsed from the showing of the red light till tho collision. By Mr Cooper: He had been three months in the Wellington. He saw the green light uninterruptedly until the Macgregor turned and shewed her red light. He thought they were as far from the Macgregor as they were from the land (a mile), when they first saw the green light. He was quite sure that the Macgregor did not show the red and green light at any time together. By Mr Cotter: He could not tell whether it was possible to avert a collision after the red light was seen. If the Macgregor had continued to show her green light, the two vessels would have gone clear of each other. Manuel Pena, A.B. on the Wellington, deposed that he was at the wheel on the night of the collision. From the course that they were steering, the Macgregor would have seen their red light. He was steering a northerly course, but by direction of the mate shifted it N.-half-W. This left their red light still open to the Macgregor, which was on their starboard bow. The Wellington's sails did not interfere with his seeing the Macgregor. After a time the MacGregor turned suddenly and showed her red light. She was then about six or seven lengths from them. They had not altered their course any more then. They saw the red and green lights together about ten minutes. (The witness having been pressed upon this point, corrected himself, and said he did not see the two lights together.) About ten minutes elapsed from the time he saw the red light, and became aware that the other vessel was coming across their bow, the mate called out "Hard astarboard." After this order vas given, it would take the Wellington fully two minutes to come up in the wind. The order, " Hard a-sbar-board" was given ten minutes before the collision. (Laughter, Mr Cotter remarking that both vessels would have had time to run on to Kawau in tho time.) They were seven or eight or ten miles from the Kawau at this time (laughter). Mr Williamson subsided witn this reply, while Messrs Cooper and Cotter had no questions to ask. This was all the evidence for the Crown, and Mr Cotter did not propose to supplement it. Mr Cooper said he would call one witness for Captain Johnston. Charles Spearman, formerly an A.B. of the Macgregor, deposed that he was on : deck before the collision, and was getting ready to take his place at the wheel Whan |he came on deck he saw the Wellington. When he was in the forecastle ho heard Mr '. Cftulder call out "Port." He came on i immediately, and observed the Wellington half-apoint on their port bow. The vessels ; were about three-quarters of a milo dis* tant. He caw the Wellington's three lights. The order " port" was obeyed, '

I and then hoard tha order ««.„ the Wellington had'portcd her X?"" * would have gone clear ofth e v? ella> *h* She had plenty of time to do ?hat greeorwind would not havo prevent^ v ttndtl i» was o, tho land, and P 6h rafc;;j ploted hia address, and Mr MJUl!tcoit" coininencin^. vooiier