MARITIME INTELLIGENCE.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 11, Issue 837, 23 March 1867, Page 2

MARITIME INTELLIGENCE.

WRECK OF- THE STAK OF THE EVENING. . .OFFICIAL ENQUIRY. (Abridged from the "Wellington Independent," March 5.) An official enquiry into the circumstances at« tending the loss of the steamship Star of the Evening, lately wrecked on the East Coast, was held yesterday in the Resident Magistrate's Court house, by J. C. Crawford, Esq., R.M., and Captain Johnson, Nautical Aseessor. «.- Turner described the oiroumstances of the wreck — (whioh were published by us on Saturday)— and proceeded to say : I attribute the loss of the vessel to a sleight deviation of the compass, whioh perhaps may be attributed to the weight of the atmosphere in the thick and damp weather. We had a standard compass and a steering compass, and two spare compasses in the chief officer's oabin, The two first were the only ones used. The binnacle compass was in good order. The standard compass was on the bridge. In April last the ship was swung for local attraction to her compasses in Melbourne by Mr. M'Callum, the Government Inspector of Compasses. He supplied me with a card of deviation, which I had on board. It was lost in the wreck. There was no deviation to the north course. The greatest deviation, and that only a Bmall one, was on the N.E. point. No magnets were used for correcting the compasses. We had no iron cargo. We had boats enough to carry the crew and passengers. There were two boats, which would have carried the crew and nine passengers, while we only had three passengers, One boat was a life-boat and the other a gig. The boats were destroyed by the heavy sea. They could not have been saved ; they went away with the stern of the vessel. I have found the standard compass deviate on two occasions ; once in crossing the Bay of Plenty, about two months ago, in easterly weather with wet, when steering to the eastward. In a run of L6O miles it threw me about 15 miles to the northward. On the other occasion, in going from Cape Palliser to Castle Poiut, in November last, I found a westerly deviation. It deviated about two or three points. The weather, I believe, was thick at the time ; I don't think there was much sea. On each of these occasions the compass returned to its original position when the weather became fine. The binnacle which held the standard compass was not water-tight, and consequently the card might have got wet with the rain, I was in Napier three days before starting. The first day was wet, the other two days fine. I have made sixty voyages up and down between Napier and Auckland. I always take the passage inside of the Ariel rocks ; I have never gone outside. I never before found any deviation of the compasses at that particular spot. I did Dot usn the lead at all ; it would have been of mile use where we were ; it would not tell you on whioh side of the channel you were. The vessel was fully manned ; she had more hands than the Star of the South, which is of the same tonnage, She drew eight feet of water when we left Napier. She was built at the end of 1863. She was classed, I believe, for seven years. Sydney was her port of register. She was registered as a three-masted schooner, of IG6 44-lOOths tons. Eighteen men was her compliment. I hold a Melbourne certificate, No. 37. The chief officer had a second mate's certificate, from the Board of Trade. The second mate had no certificate. The first and second engineers had New Zealand certificates. We had three passengers on board. There were no wives or children of the officers or crew on board. I believe the vessel cost about £9,500, Her owners were Morrison, Law and Co. She was insured for £9,000. The cargo was worth £800 or £900 j it was partly insured, but I oannot say to what amount. George Frank Thompson, deposed • I am master of the steamer Eangatira. I have made about twenty passages between Wellington and Auckland, calling at Napier on the way: I have only once gone outside the Ariel rocks, and then not of my own accord. I was one of a fleet which took the troops to Opotiki, and I was ordered to go outside. I never observed any current there at all. I never observed any further deviation of the compass there than in other places, During foggy weather the compass is not so lively. I don't think the compass would indicate on which side the channel would be. George Mundle, deposed : I am a master mariner, now residing in Wellington. I was master of 'the Eangatira, and other steamers belonging to the New Zealand Steam Navigation Company, for five years. I have made a great many voyages along the East Coast between ..Wellington and Auckland, touching at Napier. On every occasion I went inside the Ariel Reef. I was formerly chief officer of that vessel in November last. W;h'en-.sa«Kug between Capo Palliser and Castle Point, I observed a deviation from the card of about -2^ points to the westward in the standard compass. Tne weather was thick and muggy, with smooth sea. Thore was never any deviation in the compasses in cloar weather. They always deviated slightly in a dense atmosphere. I never used the lead, while passing inside the Ariel rocks. The lead would not be of the slightest use. The Court reserved its decision.