THE LYTTELTON ENQUIRY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7693, 19 July 1886, Page 14

THE LYTTELTON ENQUIRY.

The judgment of the Court of inquiry into the wreck of the ship Lyttelton was delivered at Timaru on July 2. It attributed the accident mainly to the want of skill shown by the master of the Grafton, who never got proper control over the vessel from the time she left her moorings to the time she dropped anchor. The pilot was guilty of a grave error of judgment in not having the starboard anchor shackled on to the cable before lifting the port anchor and proceeding to sea, and also for not ascertaining with some degree of certainty whether the Lyttelton was forging ahead at the time he let tho port anchor go. The Court expressed the opinion that the harbour authorities should not have allowed the tug and the harbourmaster to be absent when a vessel like the Lyttelton was ready for sea. There was no evidence to show whether the Lyttelton struck on her own anchor or on some unknown substance under the water. Considering the loss of the Lyttelton, mainly due to a want of skill on the part of the master of the Grafton, the Court adjudged that he should pay the costs of the inquiry, but it did not deal with his certificate, as there was no evidence to show inefficiency in ordering navigation, but only when acting as as tug master. The Court expressed the opinion that all masters of steamers should make themselves acquainted with the depth of water and set of tides of every harbour they entered, Captain Hall having admitted he had not this knowledge with respect to Timaru. The captain and officers of the Lyttelton were entirely exonerated from blame, and their certificates returned.