NAUTICAL ENQUIRY.

Press, Volume XL, Issue 5885, 24 July 1884, Page 3

NAUTICAL ENQUIRY.

A rumor obtained circulation recently that the Hero was an unseaworthy boat, and an enquiry was held on Tuesday before the Collector of Customs at Cfcristchurch, as to whether or not each was the case. Samuel Benny, the master, stated that on the 27th June last the vessel left Wellington with ballast and a crew of two men, one named George Suffolk and the other called Aleck. The man William Lees did not ship. They left with a fair Northerly wind for D'tJrville Island, intending to leave theie for Foxton or the Sounds if wind favorable, to load timber for Timaru. But when he got outside the Wellington Heads the wind was Northerly, and he shaped his course for Timaru, as he was required to hand over the vessel to the Timaru Pishing Company at Timaru, the veseel having been chartered by them. On Sunday night, 29th, between 11 and 12 p.m., when about thirty miles south of Akaroa light, a Southerly gale sprung up, which, increasing, compelled him to run for Akaroa harbor for ehelter, which he did under double-reefed mainsail and staysail, the jib having been blown away. Having ran as he thought the distance, he brought the vessel up and lay to for about five or six hours, when he got a glimpse of the Heads and made for them, butas they were jusfcat the entrance between the two Heads the wind lulled suddenly, began baffling, and then died out. The flood tide and heavy seas carried the vessel close to the north head, and the vessel became unmanageable, the sea making clean breaches over her. Seeing no chance of keeping her from going , on shore, as she would not stay and there was no room to wear her, he determined to let go both anchors, running out the cable, and letting her have chain until she brought up, as he feared she might part if brought up too suddenly. This was about 11a.m. on the 20th. Seeing no assistance coming, although her ensign was reversed, showing he was in distress, he determined to cut away the mast; as the vessel could not have ridden out the night with it. This he did to ease the vessel and save life, and thereby he saved the vessel. They rode the storm out, and it fell calm about 6 a.m. on the following morning Tuesday, Ist July. The Lyttelton Harbor tug arrived to their rescue about 6 a.m., just as they were going to put the boat out to go ashore to get assistanca from Akaroa. The tug could not find them on the night of the 30th, so she put into Akaroa and waited until daylight, when she went out and towed the vessel to the Akaroa wharf. The tug was sent by the Harbor Board at the instance of the Akaroa people. The seaman George Suffolk had three riba fractured, and the witness was washed to the stern during the time they were cutting away the mast. Suffolk was under doctor's treatment at Akaroa. Aleck had been paid off, but had witness known there was to be an inquiry he would not have let him go. He did not know who were the owners of the vessel. He was engaged as master by the Wellington manager of the Colonial Bank on account of the Timaru Fishing Company. The vessel was uninjured, except two-deck planks, which were up the time the mast went over the side. He cut the mast above the saddle to save the boom, gaff, SnS IXIIIB. 'Jtyß-tmmtj and rl(J£r»e- ■were »ii_; covered a lew days afterwards. He lost the port anchor when slipping it, and about sixty fathoms of chain. Since tho j vessel was at Akaroa she made- no water.' He understood the cost of repairs would be about £20, exclusive of anchor and cable; One of the beams was sprung by the mast going away." His instructions from the Fishing Company were to retain the vessel on their account. He clearly understood from the Collector of Customs at Christchurch that he most not sail the vessel froii Akaroa until she had been securely repaired, and until he had obtained a certificate of seaworthiness from a competent person. He was perfectly satisfied that the vessel was eeaworthy .when he took charge of her, although there was a report in Wellington to the contrary. The vessel had been inspected at Akaroa by two shipwrights at the instance of Mr Henning, an insurance agent, and their report stated that the vessel was sound. Alexander Holmes corroborated the captain's evidence, and stated that he was satisfied that the Hero was a sound vessel. She could not live euch a night if she had been imseaworthy. He had no hesitation in saying she was seaworthy. She was strongly built, and after the casualty she made no more water than before. He had been twenty-two days on board, and during that time the pumps were only used twice to sweeten her and prove the pumps, in case she waa making water. She makes one inch in twenty-four hours—no more. This was the evidence, and it will be forwarded to the Marine Department at once.