THE ENQUIRY.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 4913, 13 May 1887, Page 3

THE ENQUIRY.

An enquiry into the wreck of the Northumberland was held this morning before the Commissioner of Cuetoms and Captain Gloadow as nautical assessor.

Richard Todd deposed he was a master mariner, and held a certificate of competency issued by the Board of Trade, # London. The number of it was . *He was master of the ship Northumberland, 2095 tons register, official number 65640, of the port of Southampton. She was a full-rigged ship, well found in everything. She -was built of iron. She was partly insured. He did not know in what office or for what amount. Her crew consisted of 45 men and boys all told. She earned threo bower anchors, ono chain anchor, and two kedge anchors. She had two largo chain cables, 150 fathoms on each, the size was two inch. She also had mooring chains. Did not know what size they wero. The weight of the starboard anchor was 56 cwt., and the port 48 cwt. She carried also a steel hawser (5-inch) 75 fathoms long, and a coir spring 25 fathoms long (12-inch in size). She also had a 7-inch Manilla tow rope, 120 fathoms in length, sailed from Lyttelton on Friday, 6th May, bound for Napier. Arrived off the roadstead about 5 p.m. on the Bth May. Handed over tho vessel to the pilot at 5.15. Anchored at 5.40 in seven fathoms of water. The harbor light bearing S.E. by S. * 8., and the Bluff E. by S.E. Anchored with 75 fathoms on the starboard anchor. There was a fresh breeze from east»north-east when they arrived. It commenced to freshen with gusts, and heavy showers of rain when"they let go tho anchor. Tho pilot left as soon as the anchor was dropped, considered she was safely moored for the amount of wind they had. Asked the pilot to moor him as near the position he was in the previous year as he could. Was about a cable's length to tho westward of the mooring buoy_. Remarked, to tho pilot she was closer in than ever before, towards Petanc. Ho said, she was a very little, but in a very good position, and had tho same draught of water as she had in the old position. Thi, pilot also remarked he had some difficulty in picking up the buoy, it was so dark. It settled into a fresh, steady breeze up to midnight, veering to north-east by east. The soa remained comparatively smooth during tho whole of Monday. In the morning, about nine o'clock, the sky had a very dirty appearance ; braced the yards bye, and let go tho second—the port— anchor. A fresh breeze was still blowing and a high glass. Paid out 45 fathoms on the port anchor, and let out 45 more fathoms on tho starboard one. From noon till duck the breeze freshened, and at 10 p.m. was blowing a galo with a heavy sea. As the vessel was straining at her starboard anchor, ordered the second, end of the coir rope to be put on the starboard cable, the first end was lashed to when the anchor -was let go. Lashed two parts of tho manilla tow rope on to the second port cable as a spring. The vessel wasriding very heavily and shipping water over the forecastle. The. galo and the sea still increasing, at 3 a.m. on Tuesday was afraid.of' tho windlass breaking and had the wire hawsei , made fast from tho mainmast and lashed to the starboard cable abaft- tho springs' as a preventative. Got ; the remainder of the port cable on deck, atid secured that with two parts of manilla tow rope. About 10.30 tho sea was still becoming worse, and the ship straining heavily on her anchor. The carpenter reported one of the links of the- starboard cable showing signs of breaking. Immediately ordered the other end of the steel hawser to be passed round the.withers and 'secured to the cable before the breaking line. Before it could be secured the,cable parted, , a_ terrific sea breaking over the ship at tho time. He then paid 'out>the port cable to 120 fathoms, and shifted the coir springs over from tho other side and secured them"on to the port side. Then hoisted a signal of distress, finding the ship dragging, and proceeded as fast as possible to get tho third bower anchor ready. As phe dragged towards the shore the tide kept her broadside to the wind and sea. Ultimately she ceased dragging and lay easier, although great seas wero sweeping her decks from the weather eid&. At 5.30 p.m. the third anchor was dropped on the starboard bow, with a steel hawser attached, and this, in its turn, was''shackled on to the remainder of the broken" cable. The gale moderated during the evening, but about 11 p.m. folt a slight as if the ship ha 4 lumped, but on goundrog- foua|

cix fathoms. The wind was moderate on the morning of tho 11th and the sea was smoother, but early in tho morning, between three and four, the ship's stern was tailed in towards the beach, and she was felt to strike slightly, and five and a quarter fathoms of water was found under her stem, within about thirty fathoms of the port cable. She lay easy from then until 10.45 a.m., when the wind freshened again with great violence, and the sea began to roll in as heavy as ever. At 11.15 the steel hawser parted about three feet from vrhero shackled on to the cable. The Weka came

alongside just then, and asked if he could assist with a oablo or otherwise. The master replied ho would go for more assistance. Ran up tho signal, " Wanted immediate assistance." Shortly afterwards tho stoamers came out, the Wairoa, Sir Donald, Boojum, Weka, Fairy, and Result. Passed a hauling line to the Welca for hor hawser, but she had such difficulty in keeping head to sea that sho steamed beyond the scope of their line and broke it. Tho Northumberland was dragging slowly in and striking frequently. It was then evident that the boats could render them no assistance, and as there was great danger of tho masts coming down and injuring the crew, docided to try and get crew into the boats. Succeeded in lowering one boat, with about twolvo men. They proceeded to pull to one of tho steamers, the Boojum endeavoring to come down to pick up this boat had to cross the ship's bow, and got broadside on to the sea. Before she could straighten herself again a huge breaker turned her completely over. The vessels would then have been between two and three hundred yards from the shore. Obscrvod two men ahead of his vessel floating on some gratings or wrookairo, and called to his boat's crew to pull fust ahead and try and pick them up. As the Boojum floated towards tho ship observed a man hanging to the belting of tho Bnojum, and ordered his second officer to nil; forward and throw him a line. Saw the line thrown, and the man caught it, but while they wcrls preparing a bowline to slip overhim,"he let go his hold and disappeared under the ship's bottom, seeimftgly sucked down by the sea. Found out aftorwai'&S.. the boat picked up one, the engineer. One of tho sti aners took the men out of his boat and they all proceeded back to port. They let the boat go and it drifted on the beach. The vessel was by this time ashore and striking heavily. As farashe could remember it was between three and four o'clock. Observed tho rocket apparatus being got ready on shore, and he ordered the men to go forward. Tho rockets and lino seemed to fall short. Ordered the port cable to be slipped to allow her head to get further in to the shore. She was drawing 2ft 6 by the stern, draft being 23ft 6in aft and 21ft forward, and when the cable slipped her head went further in shore. After several attempts a line was got on shoro, and her hawser lashed On board and secured to the forestay, and the crew were landed by it. No lives were lost from his vessel. The passengers were landed the day before by the Sir Donald which came alongside, they were four nwn and a lady. Tho vessel was ralued at £30,000, and was now a total wreck. The cargo he estimated was worth £50,000. Did not know whether it was insured. Of tho original cargo from London sho had 710 tons for Napier, had 600 tons of wheat, oats, and beans from Lyttelton for London, and also 760 tons of , coal for tho ships use. Did not know , whether any of tho cargo was insured. Did not think if the steamers had been out 'on the early morning of the 11th they could have towed the Northumberland out owing to the heavy swell. At that time tho weather had every appearance of becoming finer and changing. Had visited the port of Napier with the Northumberland four times. Never experienced so heavy a gale or one of such long duration at Napier as the one of tho 9th, 10th, and 11th. This voyage the vessel was a little closer in shore than on the other trips. The cause of the vessel being wrecked was owing to the force of the gale and the heavy seas, and the open roadway. The cables and anchors had been eurveyed twice during the last three and a half years by tho Board of Trade surveyors. To Captain Gleadow:.Did not think the vessel wonld havo ridden any easier if he had got the topgallant yards down. It was the soa that was to blame. Thore were no means of getting them down except by cutting them away. Tho men were employed constantly in securing the cables. Thought also there was a probability of the wind shifting off shore, when these sails would havo been of service in getting them an offing to a better anchorage. Captain Gleadow said Captain Todd had done everything in his power to save hia ship and crew.

By.yon Broadway deposed he was a master mariner, having a certificate of competency as master issued by the Board of Trade. Did not remember the number, had lost it. Was chief officer of the Northumberland. Arrived in Napier roadstead on the Bth May. ThVJro was a fresh breeze with a haze w! en they brought up, the wind being east-north-east. There was not much sea on at the time. The pilot boarded about a quarter past five, and took charge of the ship. She was moored in seven fathoms of water. The light bore south-east by south -J south, and the bluff was oast-south-east. (The witness here gave evidence corroborating Captain Todd as to the anchoring, &c.) On Monday morning about nine o'clock let go the second anchor, the wind having freshened and the sea got up. The port anchor was let go with forty-five fathoms of chain abaft the windlass. Paid out oil the starboard anchor forty-five fathoms more. The wind increased on Monday evening after dusk and the sea got up. Continued very heavy all that night, and at 10 p.m. the hands were roused up to get moro chain up and put additional gprings on the cables. The seas were washing , out the forecastle all Monday night. At 3 a.m. on Tuesday morning the hands were roused up to stand by, and a good tackle was put on to the after bits to help them to hold. (The %vitness then gave evidence, corroborating Captain Todd as to the springs, state of the weather, parting of the chain, and getting the spare anchor ready). The fore-topmast staysail was then set, and the vessel's head paid off. Several heavy seas came on board, bursting the saloon in, and washing the cabins out. The ensign was hoisted upside down immediately as a signal of distress. The vessel at this time had only draggod about quarter of a mile from where she was first moored. About five o'clock in the afternoon the spare anchor was let go, the tide being about to turn. The enquiry was then adjourned till tomorrow morning.