THE WRECK OF THE ALEXANDRA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11874, 28 January 1902, Page 5

THE WRECK OF THE ALEXANDRA.

PRELIMINARY INQUIRY. [BY TELEGRAPH. PRESS ASSOCIATION.] Westfort, Monday. A prkliaiinary inquiry into the stranding of the barque Alexandra was held before Mr. H. R. Spence, Collector of Customs, this evening. Peter Ankersen, master of the Alexandra, said that the vessel's position, fixed by observation at noon on Friday, January 17, was 41.4 south latitude 168.56 east longitude. About twenty minutes past three a.m. on Saturday, the ship's position by dead reckoning was 41.34 south latitude, and 171.9 east longtitude, and should have been within the circumference of Cape Foulwind Light, when all at once the captain saw a high bank rise ahead. He gave orders to brail in the spanker and put the helm hard up. The ship fell away willingly, but immediately afterwards ran in amongst the rocks and up on to the beach. In answer to further questions the captain said that he wore ship because the vessel would not stay when in ballast. On the run across he did not take the current into consideration. From the two courses pricked off on the chart he could only give it as his opinion that the current must have been the cause of putting the ship about one point out of her course -\ south —set by him. Evidence, mainly corroborative of that given by the master, was given by the first and 'second mates, the deck boy, and the sailmaker.