THE WRECK OF THE TARANAKI.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 826, 5 December 1878, Page 2

THE WRECK OF THE TARANAKI.

[PEB. PRESS AGENCY.] Tauranga, Dec. 5. Most of the wrecked passengers leave for the south per Hawea this morning. An official enquiry commenced at 11 o'clock to-day before Mr. Brabant, R.M., and Captains Clayton and Ellis, Nautical Assessors. Mr. M'Kellar, Collector of Customs, appeared for the Marine Department. Captain Malcolm examined, deposed : The Taranaki left Auckland on the 28th November, at 4.30 p. m., with a crew of 32 and passengers equal to 65 adults. At 10 p.m., the weather being thick, I eased the engines ; at 11 p.m. cast the lead, and at 11.45 anchored in 13 fathoms. The weather was very thick. At 3.30 a. m. heaved the anchor and proceeded on the passage ; at 4 a. m. passed the Needle, but could not see Castle Rock Shoe and Slipper Island. Shaped our course by bridge compass S.S.E. by S. JS. Cleared Slipper Island by a mile and a half. Gave the mate instructions to set the log, and he set it himself at 5.50, when he reported the weather thickening again. The north end of Slipper Island then bore S.W., and the Shoe W. and N. N. Gave instructions to keep the vessel S.E. by S. At S a. m., when the log was hove in a distance was reported of 20 miles. Pricked the position on the chart without making any allowance for Hood tide. This left 17 miles from Tauranga Heads. Thirteen miles north of Rarewa, and three miles outside of it, I gave the chart to the second mate and left it on the bridge with him. At 5.30, altered the course to S. E. by S. j S., fearing we were too far out. The weather was now very foggy. The vessel invariably made an easterly course. At 8.45 I saw a thin fringe of white water right ahead. I thought it was a sandy beach, and gave orders to put the helm starboard and reverse the engines full speed. As the vessel forged ahead we saw rocks close under the vessel, which ran on to the rocks at the rate of about 2 to 2h knots an hour. She began to roll on the rocks, so I stopped the engines, and immediately after the engineer reported water in the engine-room. So I turned the telegraph " Slow ahead " in case the vessel should slide off. In the meantime I gave orders to clear away the boats, The vessel filled very rapidly, and she began to list to port. As we launched the boats, I left one man in charge of each, and gave instructions for the women and children to be landed, and sent the chief officer to try and find a landing place at the lee side of the island, which he did. We landed the whole of the passengers there. About 10.30, I j despatched the chief officer and a boat's crew to Tauranga for assistance. The I other boats were engaged landing provisions and attempting to recover the luggage and mails. There was great difficulty in doing this, as the vessel leaned over at an angle of 45. knocked down the bulk head leading to the mail room, and passed the bags up through the forecabin skylight. About 4 p.m. two cutters came out and afterwards the Staffa, which took the passengers to Tauranga. Myself and the crew stayed on the cutters all night, and saved what we could at daylight. We proceeded to the wreck at 3.45 a. m., and found the ship broken in two. The after part had sunk and the forward part was hanging on the rocks. We could do nothing, so we proceeded to Tauranga. Cross-examined by Mr. M'Kellar : The vessel went through the Hole in the Wall at 4a. m. The log was not set then. The distance from there to Slipper Island is fourteen miles. Previous to the accident we were going at ordinary speed, and I saw no reason to alter it. The man on the look-out had orders to keep a good look-out. The second officer was on the bridge at the time of the accident. Soundings would have been of no use, as there was nothing on the chart to check them by. If a sounding had. been made, and a decrease of from 30 to 2S or 27 fathoms made, I should have stopped the vessel. The ofiicers and men were sober. The compasses were in good order. Was steering by the bridge compass. The vessel was last surveyed in November, 1876, and was to be surveyed at the first opportunity. S.E. by S. £ S. is the course which has usually taken me to three miles east of Karewa. I have never passed inside of Karewa. I use the Admiralty chart. The Union Company put the latest chart on all their boats. I always found the log correct before. The distance run by the log from 8 a.m. to the time of the accident could not be ascertained. We were unable to recover the log, as it got foul of the screw. When the vessel struck I saw the breakers first myself, and not the man on the look-out. I could not make out for a moment where we had struck. I had no idea that it was Karewa. The helm was hard a starboard. It would have shelved her off had I put tlie holm hard a port, She might have got off, but she might also have struck out-lying rocks and gone down in deep water. The Court here adjourned for dinner.