WRECK OF THE TATANAKI.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 2055, 5 September 1868, Page 3

WRECK OF THE TATANAKI.

~.. THE OFFICIAL INQUIRY. (Before J. C. Crawford, 8.M., and Capt. Johnson, Nautical Assessor.) Mr Hart appeared for the Crown ; Mr Borlase for the New Zealand Steam Navigation Company; and Mi Allan for Capt. 1 Francis. -. Mr J. Allen deposed : I am Collector of Customs at Picton. On the 20th of August I made a preliminary inquiry into the cause of the wreck of the s. s. Taranaki. I reported the particulars of that inquiry to thee Commissioner of Customs at Wellington, by whom I was instructed to come over, and apply to the Resident Magistrate here to have an official inquiry r-maie into the cause of the wreck. w

Captain Francis deposed : I was'lately master of the s. s. Taranaki. I have held a master's certificate for 15 years. I have been trading on the coast of New Zealand for five years. I know Tory Channel, in Cook's Strait. I have navigated a vessel through that Channel monthly for four years. I have in all cases entered the Sound by that Channel. There is no particular time of tide better than another. The chart produced is an enlarged one of Tory Channel. On the 19fch of August last, I was in command of the s.s. Taranaki entering Tory Channel. I know of no rocks in that neighborhood not marked in the chart. I was standing in one of the life-boats or*, the bridge, at half-past four on the afternoon in question. The tide was about one-third flood. At a certain point the head of the vessel turned inwards" The vessel is l^Oft. long. The vessel was about one-third of the distance from the rock, at the North Head, at the ?ime she swerved. She was going steadily, ;»nd turned round suddenly toward the Boat Harbor Rock. I had an officer at the helm. Immediately I saw her swerve, I motioned to, and called out to, the man the wheel, to put the helm " Hard a port." The vessel still held %c same •course. She must have been steaming ten knots, and the tide running five or six knots. From the time she first swerved she struck, about two minutes elapsed, tar V^sis soon as I found the helm had no effect, vm~ I stopped the engines, and gave the order ■^ to go full speed astern, which had the effect of putting her head off the rock. Turning astern puts a vessel's head from port to starboard. She struck broadside on to the rock. She hung for nearly a minute. I gave no orders about the helm after I ordered the engines to go astern. When I ordered the engine 3to go astern, I saw nothing could save the vessel, she was going in so rapidly. When she hung on the rock, I ordered the engines to go ahead, which had the effect of moving her off. She then dragged along the rocks,-striking heavily. When she cleared the-Boat Harbor Rock, tlie tide floated her into mid-channel. I ordered out the boats for the puq-'ose of landing passengers-and towing the vessel into Bowden's Bay, which' was done. She lost her screw immediately after the engines-went ahead. She sank fa Bowden'3 Bay, The course I took

on that occasion was the usual one. I attribute the swerving of the vessel to an eddy tide on the inside of the South Head. I never noticed such a tide before, neither have I ever been told there was one. I attribute her swerving to the eddy running out from the rock acting upon her starboard bow, and the ordinary tide upon her port quarter. I was on the bridge. Mr Alien and two other passengers were also there, both of whom gave evidence at Picton. The second officer was on the port side and a seaman on the starboard side of the wheel. I have been in the habit of going this route for five years. I have sometimes been in at night. I have always steered the same course. I did so because I believed there were sunken rocks on the north side. Have always found that I have been able to go through without risk. 1 have been through about 100 times. I believe the course I took to be the usual course. I did not observe on this occasion anything unusual in the state of the weather. The helm being hard-a-port, the vessel must have gone off had there not been some very strong impediment. From the time -I ordered the helm to be put hard-a=-port and her striking, two minutes elapsed. At the time, the tidal disturbances were going on in New Zealand. I never knew the vessel to refuse her helm before. The engines were answered immediately. Had nothing unusual occurred, I had plenty of room. The width of the entrance is less than half-a-mile.

By Mr Borlase: Had the man at the wheel put the helm to starboard instead of port, the accident would be accounted for. ■

Re-examined by Mr Hart: The vessel was 400 yards from the rocks on which she first struck at the time the engines were reversed. Mr Kennedy, who gave evidence at Picton, was on the bridge at the time of the accident.

JohnCoutts deposed: I was chief engineer of the s.s. Taranaki. At half*past four on the afternoon of the 20th, I was under the bridge. I heard the telegraph sound. I was going down the ladder when the signal bell struck the second time. The first order was to stop, and the second to go full speed astern. The orders were immediately obeyed. From the time of the order to go full speed astern till her striking, about two minutes elapsed. Her propeller was not loose. After she struck, an order waß given to stop the engines. Immediately after stopping the engines, the vessel listed to port. The next order given was to go astern full speed; but on the second lurch the propeller was smashed. The engines then ran away. When we saw the water rising in the engine room, we started the engines on to the bilge injections. But there not being sufficient resistance, they worked too fast. She was making water at the rate of an inch a minute. The vessel is in three corhpartments. The sluice doors were closed. I went aft to the cabin after I was driven out of the engine-room, and found the water rising at the same rate, from which I inferred that she was damaged in the cabin and engine compartments. The carpenter took soundings forward ; he reported to me that the water was not rising so fast there. I did not sound the cabin compartment till after the pumps were stopped. The donkey engine was rendered useless ; it was moved out of its seat by the striking of the vessel. GeOrge Edmunds, deposed: I was chief officer of the s.s. Taranaki. I have been a chief officer for 14 years. I was on deck at the time of the accident. This witness corroborated the evidence of Capt. Francis in every important particular. He had been through the channel 80 or 100 times, and all the captains he had been with steered the same course as on thia occasion. The two orders to stop and full speed astern, had the effect of deadening her way, and she drifted broadside on to the rocks. I have heard there were sunken rocks on the north side, and that it was dangerous to go too close. The eddy seemed to strike her on the port bow. Reversing the engines was the only way to save her. William Small, late second officer, deposed: I was at the wheel at the time of the accident; Captain Francis signalled with hkv hand to put the helm "hard-a-port," which was done: lam certain it was hard over; I lifted the flap to look. We are indebted to a gentleinanwho left Dunedin in the Taranaki on her last trip for the following narrative of the wreck:— Nelson, August 21,1868. The s.s. Taranaki left Wellington on Wednesday, August 19, at 1.25 p. m. She had been announced to sail on the following Friday, but the mail steamer Kaikqura having arrived unexpectedly, the Taranaki was enabled to start earlier with the, Panama mails and passengers,, amongst whom were the Bishop of New Zealand and Lichfield, his family, and Lord "Burghley. Several of the passengers who had sailed with the Taranaki from Dunedin haa gone to Auckland on the previous day by the s.s.-Rangatira. About 4.30 p.m. we were entering Tory Channel, and while the passengers were- at dinner, the steamer suddenly stopped. Immediately afterwards, there was a violent concussion from her striking on the Boat Harbour Rock, which forms one of a reef at the entrance to Tory Channel, and for several minutes she continued to pass over and strike the reef. The passengers immediately came on deck, and Captain Francis ordered the boats to be lowered. The women—who behaved with remarkable coolness throughout the calamity— and the children were all put into the first boat and landed on the nearest shore. The male passengers remained on the ship, and succeeded in rescuing from \ * the hold tbe mails and a portion of the passengers'luggage. This was done in complete order; and when it became apparent that the ship was fast sinking, Captain Francis advised, such of those who wished to leave the ship to take the boats which had come from the shore. . Most of the steerage passengers did so ; ! but many of the saloon passengers re- ; mained on board for some time, after : rendering the best assistance in their. . power. For about two hours the spare boats, manned by crew and passengers, ,'■' were used in endeavoring to tow tlie ship, • then fast drifting up the channel* into the ■ nearest beach. But the exertion was in s vain. It was seen that her salvation . was hopeless, as she was going down • fast.

Meantime, the- maiLi, which appeared to be in no official custody, . were taken ashore in Bowden's Bay, and thrown on the beach ; as the tide was rapidly increasing, and the boxes . were in peril, a few passengers on shore set heartily to work to carry them to the only place of shelter—some distance off—and they were all safely housed.

Nothing could exceed the unwearying kindness of Captain Francis to the passengers.

Volunteer crews were sent in boats, With provisions, to relieve the numerous stragglirig parties who had been landed indifferent places round the Bay. Captain Francis, and some of the officers, remained with the ship till the teat. She

sank about 11 p.m., in 15 fathoms of water, near Bowden's Bay—having drifted more than two miles up the channel from where she first struck.

Cargo and nearly everything disappeared ; arid amongst the most deplorable cases of loss were those of some of the Panama passengers, whose worldly wealth had been brought in gold^and Btowed away in their luggage. The exertions of the passengers in rescuing the property and protecting the mails, were beyond all praise. Amongst those who were foremost in the work were Bishop Selwyn, his son, and Lord Burghley.

After a night of such anxiety and discomfort, as only those who have been castaway on a barren shore can realise, the morning brought the Airedale from Wellington.

This prompt relief was a source of pleasurable surprise, as it was known that the ship was ready for overhauling, and many doubts were felt as to the probability of any vessel reaching us for a couple of days. ; The Taranaki was uninsured, as also a part of the cargo; but the insurance loss is estimated at about LBOOO. ' On Thursday morning we mustered on board the Airedale, and contimied our journey. On Friday we landed at Nelson; and in 'the evening a special thanksgiving service was conducted by Bishop Suter, in Christchurch, when the Bishop of Lichfield delivered a farewell sermon. To-day we resume the trip, and hope to reach Auckland safe and sound on Monday morning. The Dunedin passengers were Messrs Eastgate, Harper, Jackson, DeightOri, Sholl, Holmes, Kennedy, and Coates. We ought not to omit to mention that very much sympathy is felt for Captain Francis, and that his passengers were prompt in presenting him with a written testimonial, expressing their appreciation of his attention during the fatal voyage. William Allen deposed : I am one of the directors of the N.Z.S.N. Company. I was on the bridge of the steamer at the time of the accident. The first intimation of danger I got was the Captain calling out stop her, turn her astern. I then looked over the bow and saw Boat Harbor rock. We then appeared quite close to it. I consider that no fault could be found with the captain, officers, or crew. Captain Francis was cool and collected. That was his character. He is a trusted servant of the Company. Donald Murray deposed : I am a seaman. I have been an able seaman for 27 years. The helm was put hard-a-port when ordered.

*" Mr Crawford said : Having duly weighed and considered the evidence brought before me, I am of opinion, that considering it proved that the vessel would not answer her helm, the cause of disaster mußt be attributed to an unusual eddy forcing the steamer towards the south heads. As it also appears from the evidence that the steamer was following the usual course through the channel, and the master and officers of the ship appear to have been alert at their posts, and that everything was done that could be done for the safety of the vessel—l am of opinion that the accident is one to which any vessel may be liable, when passing through such a narrow channel as the one in question, particularly at spring tides, and that the master and officers are exempt from blame After , the disaster occurred every exertion appears to have been made by the master, officers, and crew for the safety of the passengers, and for adopting the necessary measures for rescuing the ship.