LOSS OF LIFE AT SEA.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LI, Issue 5604, 10 February 1879, Page 5

LOSS OF LIFE AT SEA.

' ! ■■ . [Bl TeLBGBAFH/] [T/MESV SPECIAL WISE.] DUNBDIN’.Fbb, 7. An inquiry was held to-day before Mr Haokworth, Commissioner of Customs, and Capt. Thomson, Harbour Master, relative to the alleged cruelty to a boy named William Taylor, who was lost overboard from thC ship Basterhill during the passage from London. John Martin, the mate, and Captain Andrews were examined as to the accident, which occurred oh Jan. 4, snd stated that, on! that monung, about 8 o’clock, the deceased'went up the rigging to haul in the mainroyal buntlines, whom ae > fell into the sea, stfiking said that it would have been quite useless to have lowered a boat, as the boy’s life could not hare been and his body sank ramdly. J Henry Burnet, a steerage passenger, • defosed: I remember the accident on Jan. 9.' came upon deck a little before 8 in the morning, and saw William Taylor, one Of the ship’s apprentices, rang up the rigging. I watched him ascend. He had on sea boots. He went to the maintop and thence to the end of the ratlines. He Came down, ahd I heard him say to the second officer that he could not get up with his boots on; i The second officer told him to take them Off. To Captain Thomson: I saw him fall, oHe got his knee on the foretopiand then felL As he slipped he made an attempt to grasp the outrigging, but missed hist hold. The weight of his body jerked the; rope out .of his hand. In ms faUr he broke a ratlin,: struck the skid and fell into the sea. The rolling of the ship accounts for Ms striking the sMd. An alarm of Man Overboard’Vwas raised. One of the seamen,* named Johnston, jumped overboard after him; i after ascending to the topgaUantriggiogi came do wn to the maintop and sang . out * that he could not get up higher with his sba-bootsom He left his boots on the maintop. I watched the body floating in the water ioi. five? or she minutes after the. acoident ooourred,'and did not notice it sink. ThC boy watt considered slow in his movements and) indolent,'but I saw none of the officers, ill-use Mm’. }' L. H. Blythe, saloon passenger, ■ £avfc evidence to a great extent corroborative of that furnished by the oaptaim i s < w j Arthur J. Wildie, steerage passenger, said that after deceased: fell be noticed his body in the water IQ minutes,andthat be did not see it sink. He did not; struggle, and M believed that if a boat bad been flowered he could have been saved*; M-.r ,ht:4 f •

John Martin, chief officer, also gave evidence which went< to show- that the prdem given to the deceased boy were necessary,' and were not given by way 0$ punishment When the boy fell into the sea,negated,.but it' l Was ! concluded he was dead. time •—probably half an hour—would have 'been required to lower a boat, and .to; attempt tins would have been useless. , , The inquiry was adjourned to Monday, Vfhen the second- mate aqd other witnesses ■willbepxauxined.; J "’ ,;i :