WRECK OF THE HEVERSHAM.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 241, 1 July 1876, Page 10

WRECK OF THE HEVERSHAM.

An inquiry was held at the Customs on Friday into the cause of the wreck of the barque Heversham, before J. C. Crawford, Esq., R.M., and Captain Johnston, Nautical Assessor. Mr. McKellar conducted the case for the Customs ; Mr. Moorhouse appeared on behalf of Captain Croll. Captain Croll having been duly sworn, stated: I am captain of the barque Heversham. I held a certificate of competency which was lost with the wreck. I left Newcastle for Wellington on the 7tli instant. The first part of New Zealand I sighted was Separation Point. I there took bearings. I was steering to open up Pencarrow lighthouse, and could see the .spot where the old lighthouse stood when the vessel struck on some hard substance. This was on the 17th inst., a little after noon. When the vessel struck all plain sail was set. She struck forward with considerable force, and grazed along the rock until she seemed to stick on it abaft the mainmast. I was on deck all the morning. I did not take any cross-bearings. I judged my distance from the land to be over three miles, that is, measuring in a straight line. After first striking on the rock she was caught aft by the tide and slewed round bow inshore. She then drifted off the rock, but the sails had only time to fill when she commenced to bump very heavily. After bumping for some time she seemed to become imbedded in the rocks. The wind during this time was blowing a very strong gale along shore from the westward. I have never seen it blow so hard at Wellington. When first she struck the port pump was tried, and was found to be broken. It must have been broken by the sudden jerk caused by her striking. The pump was only used an hour or so before, and was found to be in good order. The rock on which she struck lies between Mrs. Macmanaman’s houses and Sinclair Head. After becoming imbedded in the rocks, the boats were got out, and were held alongside in the shackles for about twenty minutes. I intended to stay on board the vessel as long as I could, in hopes that assistance would be sene from Wellington, but the vessel commenced slewing round, and was rapidly' settling down. I then ran aft, and called my wife, who was below, on deck. The men then got into the boats ; the second mate and four of the crew, myself, wife, and child, got into the large boat, and the rest of the crew, numbering seven, took to the whaleboat. We had great difficulty in getting clear of the rocks. There was not much sea on, but there was a nasty chop. I then saw the Falcon bearing down on us, which vessel picked us up. The Falcon picked us up about two miles from the wreck. On coming back in the Falcon I saw the wreck had gone down ; she appeared to be down further aft then forward ; the ensign which was flying at the peak seemed, as near as I could judge, to he about four feet above water. I know the Karori rock ; it is not the rock on which I struck. I had passed it. Considering my estimate of the distance from the shore to be correct, I do not think that I struck on a rock marked on the chart. When the vessel struck I was fully convinced that she was not insured. I have since learned that she was insured for £3OOO. She was well found in every respect. I had charts of nearly all parts of the world on board ; they were my own property. I had on board 40 cases of oranges, which I valued at £25, besides other property amounting in value to about £l5O. The evidence of the first and second mates and a seaman named Austin was then taken. Captain Williams deposed : I was owner of the Heversham. I have known Captain Croll fourteen or fifteen years. I was shipmate with him for eleven months. I was first mate and he was second mate, and if I had not congjfloj*od him a competent man I should not have trusted him with the vessel. He is a steady man, so far as my knowledge goes. I have often gone round Terawiti. Captain Williams showed it would have been impossible for the Heversham to have struck on the rock unless a more than usually heavy current were running at the time. Mr. Moorhouse said he would not occupy the Court any length of time in addressing it on behalf of his client. In the first place, as to the computation of the distance which the vessel was from the land at the time, it was a singular fact that all the witnesses pretty nearly agreed upon that point. In fact, it appeared that steps should be taken to ascertain the condition of the ground where the Heversham was wrecked. He submitted that there was, from the evidence, ample ground for the Court to acquit Captain Croll from blame, besause it was quite evident that he was, in his own opinion, at such a safe distance from the shore as to make it almost impossible that the ship could come to grief. After referring to the loss which the captain had sustained by the wreck of the vessel he had commanded, the learned counsel concluded by submitting his opinion that there was no reason why the certificate should not be returned. Mr. Crawford said if the evidence in this case were to be entirely trusted, it was quite clear that there was a rock lying some three miles from the shore which nobody knew anything about; and this probably showed the necessity that existed for masters of vessels not trusting to guesswork in judging distances, but that, wherever practicable, they should take cross-bearings, so as to ascertain their positions correctly. The Court found that the captain had committed an error of judgment; but taking into consideration all the circumstances of the case, and also the high-class character given him by Captain Williams, the Court would suspend his certificate for nine months only. The certificates of the mates were returned. The Court then adjourned.