Friday, Jan. 9th.

Otago Witness, Issue 1155, 17 January 1874, Page 5

Friday, Jan. 9th.

Captain Johnson : To the best of my belief the ship struck on Chasland's Mistake. After she struck, I squared the yards, and ran her off the land for about three-quarters of an hour. The direction she was going in was south-east from south, straight off the land. I had a fair wind on the starboard, and ran, I suppose, four to five miles in the three1 quarters of an hour. I had only the lower canvas on. Supposing I had struck on Chasland's Mistake and ran the distance I have said, I would have reached almost four or five miles in a straight line off the Point. I hove the vessel to on the starboard tack. I cannot tell you the state of the tide at the time. It was probably part of my duty to ascertain the state of the tide, but at the time I did not do so. My chart does not indicate any current or tide off that coast, except where it shows a current running through Foveaux Strait. I did not observe a current, though there must have been one. After I hove-to I did not notice any current. I did not endeavour to do so, as there was no particular point of land to take bearings from. After I hove-to I also was busy with the pumps, but I kept an eye that she was not going nearer land. I did not ascertain after the vessel was hove-to the direction in which she was drifting, but she would have been drifting about S.S.E. I concluded that she would have so drifted, but, as I said, I took no step 3to ascertain. I did not ascertain the rate at which she was drifting, but I usually calculate a mile and a-half per hour, without taking into calculation any current. I did not know then, and do not know now, of any current setting in along the coast. I did not wish to post myself up by making any enquiries since, and have made none. What made me conclude the vessel went ashore on Chasland's Mistake was the distance the vessel had gone. That calculation would be affectedjif therewas a current. The statement that I made yesterday that the vessel remained hove-to about 24 hours is, to the best of my knowledge, correct. When, after remaining hoveto, there was sufficient daylight to enable me to make out land, I saw the break in the land, and had no doubt it was Waikava Harbour. I was then about seven miles distant. Supposing the vessel ran on Chasland's Mistake, the distance she must have gone between the position where 1 hove-to and where I saw Waikava Harbour was about six and a half miles.

Mr Haggitt : I understand you to say now that the distance between the point your vessel was at when you hove her to, and the point you found her to be at in the morning Witness : The point I supposed I found her at in the morning. I have only to go by the fact of Waikava Harbour and the land.

Mr Stout : The learned counsel is again misunderstanding the witness. Witness says he has no doubt it was Waikava Harbour he saw. His doubt is as to the exact spot where the ship was, and not as to Waikava Harbour.

Examination by Mr Haggitt continued : The mate went to heave the lead, but by some means it got fouled, and he had to cut it and let it go in about 30 fathoms. There was another lead on board, but it was down below, and it would have been inconvenient to get it. If lam correct, the vessel must have drifted six and a half miles in two_ and a half hours. She must have drifted with a lee current towards Waikava Harbour. I have told you I did not know there was a current, but there has been a mistake of mine either in regard to the position the 3hip was off Waikava Harbour, or there has been a current which set in under her lee side, and fetched her up. Th<)re is a current indicated on the chart produced, but the opposite tide would go the other way ; the current shown is that of flood time ; the ebb tide would go the opposite way. If the tide had been flowing, the ship would have had a one- knot current against her ; if ebb, she would have had a one-knot current carrying her towards Waikava Harbour. The current would have affected the vessel to the extent of about one knot an hou,r in the drifting. I still adhere to what I have said, that my vessel went ashore at Chasland's Mistake. As to going ashore off Chasland's, and being seven miles off Waikava in the morning, 1 cannot be right in both ; I must be mistaken in either one or the other of my suppositions. The probability is that I was a little wrong in regard to Waikava Harbour. 1 still believe tbat the vessel went a3hore on the rocks off Chaeland's Mistake. The distance at which I can see Dog laland right off my ship's quarter-deck is 23 miles at the least. The state of the weather would not materially affect the distance at which I would see the light. I pasaedthelight at abouteight o'clock, and when I took the bearings the light was about a point or two on our fore quarter. I did not heave the lead when the vessel atruek — tho thing to be done then was to get

her off. I looked at the chart, and saw there was nothing outside of me. I did not attempt to heave the lead until I had the vessel off the rock, and the passengers' feelings allayed. That was about an hour after she struck. With soundings such, as those on this chart it would have afforded a clue to my position to heave the lead. I thought of doing it, but was too busy to do it, or to send aDy one else to do it, till the ship was hove-to. When it was dropped it fouled, so the fourth officer told me, and also that it had to be cut adrift. I have never enquired of him how it fouled. It is not unusual under certain circumstances for a lead to be fouled. There was a man at the wheel all the time from the time the vessel struck till she was anchored in Jack's Bay. The men stay at the wheel two hours. I cannot give the names of the men in the order in which they were there. A man named Picton was at the wheel when the vessel struck. I cannot say who was at it after he was. I did not know the names of all the seamen, and do not know their names even now. Ido not know them all even by a nick-name. I cannot describe them from appearance. There is a seaman named Morris. I believe he was at the wheel part of the time, but I will not swear he was. I cannot swear who was at the wheel before Morris took it. I cannot swear there was no one at the wheel before he took it. The wheel was not neglected that I am aware of before Morris took it.

Mr Haggitt : Now, Captain Johnson, lam instructed that the time Morris took charge of the wheel was when the steamer was passing. You have told us already that you were in charge of the deck at that time. Witness : I was in charge of the deck at the time. I will not swear that there was some one at the wheel before Morris took it. It was a thing I have never known aboard a vessel for a man to be two minutes away from the wheel at a time. The vessel was sailing at the time, and when I was not down below, I was on the poop deck. Mr Stout here rose and said that Mr Haggitt had just now stated that he had been instructed so and so. He (Mr Stout) thought it would be only fair to Captain Johnson that the officers of the Customs should give him a statement of the case. It was clearly contemplated by section 9 that this should be done. That was his (Mr Stout's) contention, and he should argue on that point hereafter. Mr Haggitt said that a statement of the case did not mean that a statement of all the evidence should be furnished.

Witness (continued) : After the vessel bore away, I steered a direct course, keeping the vessel far enough away to be clear of the shore. The vessel was going steadily on her course. She was not heading sometimes on to and sometimes off the 'shore. 1 have no fault to find with the behaviour of the crew at all. The orders I gave were promptly executed. The chief officer launched the boats under instructions from me, with the exception of the port life boat, which was launched by the second mate. The chief officer launched the long boat. The steward at that time was Kelly. He had been cook. 1 do not know whether or not he was an able seaman. He never took a turn at the wheel, and had nothing to do with the working of the Bhip. At the time the vessel struck he was in bed with a sprained foot, and had been in bed for days. He came out of bed to serve gin to a man working at the pumps. The steward got drunk. Ido not remember that the steward took a turn at the wheel at any time after the vessel struck, and before she was anchored in Jack's Bay. I said yesterday that no one of the passengers a3ked me for ammunition. T know a man named Izett — the first man who rushed the boats and left all the women behind. When the steamer was passing I do not remember Izett or anyone asking where the ammuuition was. It was unnecessary for Izett to ask such a question, because he knew where the magazine was. I had no conversation with Morris or anybody else before going into Jack's Bay. Ido not remember the name of the man at the wheel when we went into Jack's Bay. I almost think Morris was at the wheel when the vessel was beached. I think that either Morris or Hume — another seaman — was at the wheel. I had a sailmaker named Fox on board the vessel. Pox did not take charge of the vessel some time after she struck. I had no high words with the sailmaker — or with anyone on board the vessel — on account of his (Fox's) taking charge of the vessel. It was not the sailmaker who took the vessel into Jack's Bay. I don't believe he was capable of doing so. No such thing occurred as the doctor or Mr Izett asking me to attend to my duty myself or to appoint some one else to do so. The doctor asked me to put the boats out. To the best of Hiy knowledge the doctor did not ask me to fire a gun. 1 know a man named Eobertson ; he did not ask me to fire a gun. Hargraves did not, to the best of my knowledge, ask me to fire a gun. With the exception of what was said to me by Mr Daniel Booth, nothing was said to me about running the ship ashore. Kobertson did not ask me to do ' so. The doctor asked me to put the boats out and land the passengers, aud I sai<i I would not do so until the vessel got closer to the land, because the vessel would go much faster than the boats. Hargraves, to the best of my knowledge, did not ask me to do so. The five good boats at my disposal were used on this occasion. The starboard lifeboat had two small holes driven into her in get;ing her off the skids ; but it was used after the vessel was beached. The holes had been mended with canvas by Hume. The first officer did not interfere with the working of tho pumps. I did not hear any complaints from the pumps at all. I heard from the first officer afterwards that he had a little difficulty with a man named

Phillips, because he would not leave the pumps to pull the braces. I heard nothing about the first officer taking the ropes off the pumps. Cross-examined by Mr Stout : I have been at sea 25 years. I have been a master eleven or twelve years ; I have been over ten years in my present employment, and eight years as chief officer and master. I had not been in bed since four o'clock on the morning of the casualty. The next time I went to sleep was on New Year's night on a bench at the saw-mills, Catlin's River. When the vessel struck the rocks I was perfectly sober, and between that time and when I beached the vessel I Avas perfectly competent to take charge of the vessel. I knew as well what I was doing as Ido now. I did not see the Harbour- Master at Catlin's until some hours after I landed. I did drink between the striking and beaching of the vessel. I swear I did not drink more than six glasses of whisky— or any other liquor — during the 14 hours after the vessel struck. _ I cannot drink raw spirits ; my practice is to take half water and half whisky. One of _my glasses is a wine glassful, half of whisky and half water. I did not eat anything during that time. I had nothing to ent from between 7 and S o'clock on the night the vessel struck until about 3 o'clock next day at Catlin's Bay. As soon as the vessel struck, Izett ran out of the cabin, and jumped into the port lifeboat. By Capt. Thomson : It is the duty of the surveyors to s^e the vessel is in a seaworthy condition when leaving the port of departure. It is the master's duty to see that the proper charts are on board. In this instance, I had ordered Emery's charts, when I was informed by Capt. Ashby, the ship's husband of the New Zealand Shipping Company, that I would not be allowed to sail the vessel with these charts on board, but only by the Admiralty charts. This took place at the last moment, in all the hurryscurry of getting the vessel away. I sent Emery's charts back to the optician's from whom I procured them with instructions to send me Admiralty charts for the same ground as Emery's, and after the Admiralty charts came on board I had no opportunity of opening them out to look at them until I found myself out at sea. The first and second sheets I wanted of the Admiralty charts were for the English Channel ; after which, I used Emery's charts up to Kcrguelen's Land. These charts were old ones of my own — their dates were 1869 and 1870. Then I used Admiralty charts from Kerguelen's Land on to New Zealand. When I reached New Zealand and looked for the coastal sheets of the East Coast of New Zealand, I<only found the general chart of New Zealand, which I used and have produced, andwhichwas theonly available one on board. Before leaving I examined the sails, &c, and saw that the sails and gear were in good order. We had a full suit of new sails, new masts, and spars. The vessel was in first-class order. I think it is the duty of a master to see that those things are all right. I took it for granted that the necessary Admiralty charts had been sent on board. The pumps were examined by the surveyors in the Docks before T left, and were found to be in good order. I had a copy of the " New Zealand Pilot " on board. The vessel was sounded every morning, but there was never enough water to pump. I examined the running and steering gear from time to time during tbe voyage to see they were in good order. On the day we made the land I took a meridional altitude of the sun, and had sights for the chronometer in the forenoon. I did not see the land at noon. Ido not remember what distance I was from the land at noon. At 1.30 the water was seen breaking on the South Traps. At three o'clock I sighted the land, after steering N.E. from the Traps. The bearings taken between half-past seven and eight o'clock were correct, but I must have beeu mistaken in the distance I stated when we first saw D g Island light. I only guessed the distance. It was very clear where the light was, although it was dark and cloudy over the land. The deviation of the compasses was in favour of the vessel being off the land. The course actually made was a point and a half to the North of the course I expected the vessel was going. I could see the Dog Island light as clearly and distinctly before dark as I did after dark. I saw that the course I g.ivo was steered by the man at the wheel. The only way by ■which I can account for the course being made a point and a half northerly of what I gave, is that the needle of the compass must have Btuck during the squalls. This had frequently occurred during the voyage after we rounded the Cape of Good Hope. When I was not present on deck, the second mate always paid strict attention to the steering. The second mate was not at the bridge compass during the squalls. I did not think ib necessary to take any extra precaution on the night the vessel struck. I did not consult the New Zealand Pilot regarding that part of the coast, but merely as to Nugget Point and Otago Heads. The first duty of a master, when ho discovers his ship has sprung a leak, is to make for the nearest port. That ia where I Inst myself in lyingto so long. I sent an officer down to each compartment to see if the ship was making any water. In calmer moments I might have put a sail underneath the vessel to cover the leak, but there were so many people about me that great excitement was ccuisod. 1 had no thought of laying on one tack and then another, bocause I was too close to the shore. It did not occur to me to throw any cargo overboard to lighten the yessel. The vessel was already very light, and I could not easily get at heavy cargo, as tho passengers' lupgaeo was at top. Supposing the hold had filled, tbo two watertight com-

partments would not have floated the ship. They were very small. The object I had in anchoring in Jack's Bay was to land the passengers there. I thought that the crew and myself would have been able to carry the vessel on to Port Chalmers if we could get the starboard pump to work. If the starboard pump had worked from the first, we would have been able to carry the vessel to port, as the pumps were very powerful ones. By Mr Strode : I think it was dark about a quarter past 8 o'clock on the night of the disaster.

Edward Haselton, sworn, said : I was second mate of the ship Srtrat. I have produced my certificate of competency. I hold no other certificate. I was mate of the Surat a little over two years. It wa < between one and two o'clock on the 31st December that we first sighted land. I was not on deck at the time when it was first sighted, but I afterwards came on deck and saw the land about 16 or 17 miles away. It appeared to be mountainous ; the weather was fine, but it was hazy over the land. We were carrying plainsails, and everything but royals. We were steering either N.E. by N., or N.E. — I cannot say exactly. I did not remain on deck. I went on deck again at 4 ©'clock — on duty. The vessel was then from 7 to 9 miles from the land. Ido not know Avhat land it was. I did not look at the chart. 1 got directions as to the course from the chief officer. N.E. by E. was the course at that time. I was left on the deck one hour, when the chief officer relieved me and I went to dinner. We were then about the same distance from the land, running along the edge. I do not know what land it was. It was a large island. I could not say whether or not it was Stewart's Island. I remained below until about 20 minutes to six. When I went on deck both captain and chief officer were on the poop. They then cleared the decks and saw all tidy and clean, as is the usual thing in the dog-watch. I left the deck at 6 o'clock, when my watch expired. I did not then ascertain where the vessel was. I remained below until 8 o'clock. My watch was from 8 o'clock to 12 o'clock. I relieved the chief officer, who left the deck, and I did not see him again until after the vessel struck. I noticed the position of the vessel at S o'clock. She was then about the same distance from the land, but she appeared to be crossing the mouth of a passage between two island?, about 14 miles across. I did not hear the name of the islands, nor did I enquire. About a quarter after 8 o'clock the captain came on deck, and told me to take correct bearings of the light now in view. At 8 o'clock the course given to me by the chief officer was N.E. by E. h E. I saw the captain shortly after I came on deck, and he told me to keep a good lookout, according to his usual practice. He said nothing more. That was before he told me to take bearings of the light. I saw the light a few minutes after I had been on deck. The light was bearing W. \ N. by the standard compass, the distance being, I should say, from 17 to 20 miles. I guessed the distance. I had no information to guide me in guessing tlie distance. I knew how far the light could be seen from the ship's deck by means of a small book of directions. I knew the distance the light was visible was 24 miles. I reported the bearings only to | the captain. Is >w the light up to about half-pasb 8 or a quarter to 9, when it came on to rain very heavily, in consequence of which we lost the light. It was not daylight at half-past S. There was a very good moon before the rain, but it became obscured by clouds. It was dark between half-past 8 and 9 o'clock. In the middle of the rain Mr John Booth, a cabin passenger, came on to the poop and asked me if I could see the li^ht, and I told him " No." He then asked me at what distance the light was visible. <m I told him 24 miles, but he siid he did not think it was visible at that distance. We lost sight of the light before 9 o'clock. I had no other land mark in sight then. I should say we were from 14 to 16 miles away from the nearest land we had seen previously when we lost sight of the light. We were steering N.E. by E. £ E. We were still carrying the same canvas as when we sighted the land. Between a quarter and ten minutesjto ten, I saw land on tho port bow. I could not judge the distance. The rain cleared away very suddenly, and the land came up all at once, as it were. AVhcn I saw the laud, I wont to see how the ship's head was. It was N.E. by E. JE, at that moment, but the course was steering N.E. by E. \E. The nearest land was from two to three points on the port bow, but what distance I could not say. There was no moon at this time, and the night was very dark for a night with a moon. As 1 was leaving the compass, the man on the look-out called out " Land on the port bow." I had seen the land first. I saw it first when standing on top of a hen-coop on the poop. I did not seß the land many seconds before the look-out man called out. Ho should have first seen the land from the position in which it was. I remained five minutes, at the very outside, without doing anything, after tho man called out. During that time the weather cleared up, and I saw we were nearer the land than I anticipated. I then ordered the man at the wheel to put the helm a-port, and I just had tho words out of my mouth when tho vessel grated as if she was going over a gravel bank I was in the act of rushing down the ladder to the captain, who was in (ho saloon, when 1 saw him coming up the ladder leading to tho main deck. The first words the captain used were, " What the mischief are you doing?" or something to that effect. I could not say exactly. Then the captain ordered "port the helm," and thosteersmanreplied, "hardnpitiß." Healso ordered the main yards to be squared, The

crossjack yard had already been nearly squared, in accordance with a previous order from me. The effect of porting the helm and squaring the yards was to take the ship' off the land, and she headed off to the E.S.E. The first sensation when she struck was a slight grating, and she afterwards struck lightly twice. The next bump was heavier, and the last one was the worst. Before the last bump all the sails had been squared, and the wind on the starboard quarter. The wind was formerly on the port quarter. The ship was run off the land E.S.E. for about half or three-quarters of an hour. Then she was hove-to. I should say we ran from four to six miles from the time she struck until she was hove-to. After the vessel bumped for the last time^ the captain sent for the carpenter, and gave him instructions to attend to the pumps, and not to leave them on any consideration. On first sdunding the pumps the carpenter found there \tas no water in the s n ip, but the next time he sounded— a minute or two afterwards — he found two or three inches. This was more than half an hour after the vessel struck and after the vessel was hove-to. The captain, finding she made no water in the pumps, sent me to the two water-tight compartments to see if there was any water in them. I found tbere was none, and reported to the captain, when a cheer was given all over the ship. I was working about the decks after that, and I heard the ship had made two or three inches. After the carpenter had reported that, I saw 74 on the rod, and the captain told me to time the watch, and see ■what water the ship was making per hour. I did so, and kept the time myself. I began to keep the time at 11 minutes to 11 by my watch. There was 7£in. in her at that time. At seven minutes to 11 there were B£in., the pumps seeding to be in good order and all ready to commence work. At 5 minutes to II my next report was 9iin. The pumps had not commenced to work. When the ship was in motion the pumps would not fetch with only 7Mn. of water. She was hove-to at this time. After that I did not hear how much water was in her until there were two feet of water in the ship. I could not say what time it was then, on account of the excitement prevailing. I was at work at the pumps trying to put them in order. The carpenter and engineer only were assisting me. The carpenter was also attending to the state of the water in the hold. The port pump was now at work, but the sbarboard one would not work. I remained at the pumps, and was trying to pacify the people, until between one and two o'clock. I then asked the carpenter for the sounding-rod, which I placed alongside the pump in fie manhole, where the engineer had previously been, and I found six feet of water, as nearly as possible. I remained there for a considerable time, a passenger named Hargraves holding the lamp. Finding the passengers crowding ai'ound. I took the light from Hargraves, so that the passengers could not see the quantity of water. My object in remaining there was to ascertain at what part of the vessel the water was coming in. I did not succeed in ascertaining, but I could see the water was coming from the port side. I went on deck, aud remained half an hour, during which time it was raining very heavily. I looked at the pump 3, and cheered up the passengers. The ship's head was between S.E. and E.S.E. She was still hoveto. After the ship had been kept before the wind for a considerable time — j'ist at daybreak— l heard from a passenger who was passing the report to the captain, that there were eight feet of water in the hold. All possible sail had been made on the ship previous to this. The vessel was squared away between one and two o'clock. The vessel was squared away just at daybreak. The next time I heard what quantity of water was in the hold was just when the ship came to an anchor. I remember seeing a steamer between two and three o'clock. The first I saw of her was the smoke above the horizon. It was then— between two and three o'clock— broad daylight. When the steamer got abreast of us, it was between four and five. Seeing there would be a great crush, I was afraid there would be no chance of getting off to the steamer, so I got four men into one of the boats, which I launched at once, and kept close to the ship. While in the boat, I saw an ensign hoisted, with the Union down. Tne steamer was nearly abreast of the ship. I did not see who hoisted the ensign. Ib w-as hoisted twice. I'Yoin ten to twenty minutes elapsed between the first and second hoisting of the ensign. When the ensign was first hauled down, the steamer was not abeam with the ship. I could not say what distance she was away. She was in shore of us about three points before the beam. I was on my way from the vessel to the steamer when the ensign was hoisted a second time, and I got within one mile and a half or two miles of the steamer. At this time the steamer was from four to five points abaft the ship's beam. I should think it was over an hour after I heard it reported that there was eight feet of water in the hold that the sfceamer passed us. Not being able to catch the steamer, I proceeded towards the ship again. I did not get up to the ship again until she got to Jack's Bay. I was in the boat about two hours and a half altogether. The ship was at anchor between five and six o'clock. I could not keep up with the vessel with five men pulling, There was a moderate breeze. I lost sight of the ship at one time in a shower of rain. When I next saw her, she was just going round the point into Jack's Bay. I caught up to her in twenty minutes or half an hour after she rounded the point into Jack's Bay. I went on board and I found her anchored with 10 fathoms chain in 7 fathoms of water. The captain told mo

she was in 7 fathoms water. He then told me to get the passengers etsiiore in the boateu the single women and married women before the men. I took two boat loads ashore, ami when I came back the second time I found the cftain was slipped and the vessel squared away. She appeared to be settling down in the' water more than before. Before going ashore the third time, I asked the carpenter if he could tell me what water there Waie in the ship. He told me since the anchor went tire water had gained more on the pumps. I asked him if he could tell me as near as possible, anti he told me there was from 11 to 12 feet. After the captain gave me the orders to get the passengers ashore he told me he would endeavour, as soon as they were all out, to get the vessel to Port Chalmers. There was much excitement amongst them, he said, i that people could not work so well as if i they were all out of the ship. I took out another load of passengers after the cable had been slipped and tbe vessel squared away. I found I had got too far to take them to Jack's Bay, so I took the boat round the bluff into Catlin's Bay. It was nearly low water, and I saw a man on the beach pointing out to me how to take in the boat. I took in two boats — the long boa* as well. This would be about from half-pact seven tec eight o'clock. After landing the third boat I went back again, and found the vessel on the beach. I than took another load, of single men principally. Having landed them, I went off again and went on board the ship. There was no one in the ship then but the captain and some of the officers and seamen. The sea was breaking over the poop at this time. I took another boat-load ashore, but in leaving the vessel I had my foot injured, and I was unable to return. I was never on the coast of New Zealand before. The look-out man at the time of the striking was Dunn. He was on the forecastle. A man named Picton was at the helm. No one came up and reported to me that land was in sight before I saw it myself. After I had seen the land, a man named Moore — a seaman — said from the main deck that he saw land. Thi9 was after the look-out had reported. Moore told me that he could see the land. This was before 1 altered the vessel's course. The land did not appear to be close then. I will swear that Donovan had not reported land to me a quarter of an hour before I altered the ship's course. I gave two orders to port ; the interval that elapsed between them was not a minute. There wasaman named Dumauresque — a seaman — on board. He did not come to me and report land. The time that elapsed between my seeing land and the last time the captain was on deck before the vessel struck was not, I think, half an hour at the outside. The last time I saw the captain he was standing by the standard compass. It was th?n raining very hard. I was then on the poop, and had been on the poop about an hour and three quarters. I did not leave the poop except once, when I went to examine the standard compass, and see that it was working. I found that it was working. Picton had been at the wheel the whole of the watch (from 8 o'clock) up to the time of the vessel striking. The captain could come on the poop without Picton seeing him. At that time it was so dark one could not see the ship's length. The captain had been up during my watch twice before the ship struck. He remained on deck a long time the first time, and then returned again. On leaving; the first time as he went down the ladder he said to me, " keep a good look out." These were his words. I don't knowwhere the captain was when the ship struck, or who was with him. After tbe ship struck the first time I saw him coming up the ladder ; he was close enough to touch me. I observed no difference between his manner then and as he is ordinarily. I saw him frequently during the night before I left the ship, and at no time did 1 see any difference in him from his ordinary manner. There was a glass of grog given to the men, I believe ; I could not say who served it out. I had none. I saw the steward. I noticed a little the matter with him. I saw Mr Booth, the passenger, taking a bottle of gin from him. The steward had been taking a glass of gin, and anyone who has not been taking can see another has been taking better than if he had. The steward was able to do his duty. The first mate was sober when I left the ship, and had been so all the evening. When I came on board again he was in his bed. I don't know what state he was in then. When I left the ship the captain was quite sensible. He was quite capable of managing a ship under any difficulties. He had had a glass of grog. He was sober during the whole time until the passengers were landed, as far as I saw. Mr Heyward, the Harbour Master at Catlin's, passed the remark to me after the landing that it was said the captain had been taking liquor, and that he did not look like a mftn who had been drinking. I have not seen the chart since the vessel was wrecked. I don't think it is my duty to look at the chart. I had seen it previously. I have not tried to find out on this or any other chart the spot where the yessel was wrecked. Mr Haggitt here asked witnesß to try and point out on the chart where the vessel was wrecked, and he replied that the Board of Trade at his examination hid never asked him about' a chart. Subsequently, he said he knew how to use a chart, and that he could lay down thereon the position of the Rhip when he took her bearings of the Dog Island light. He then proceeded to point out on the I chart the position of the vessel at the time i of taking the bearings referred to. Mr Stout said this wus a waste of time when the Bench had the aid of an export. The first officer should be called on ttia

point ; the second mate was not supposed to know the chart.

Mr Strode thought he was, by the Board of Trade Regulations, required to know it. Mr Stout remarked that, at least formerly, the second mate was not supposed to know. He (Mr Stout) had studied navigation. Witness, who had said he could show from the chart the ship's position, began to do so. After taking the chart for a while, Mr Strode remarked that he thought the witness could not do it.

Witness said his business was only to give trie distances and bearings. Finally he declined to lav down the ship's position on the chart. Witness said if in was his duty to lay down the ship's position, he would do so, but would otherwise decline. Mr Strode told him it was his duty to give all the information he could ; it was the only reparation he could make. Witness said he believed the ship's position was on the chart as Mr Booth had told him it was.

The examination of witness by Mr Haggitt then proceeded : The captain, first mate, and myself, were sober that night. I had had a glass of gin. It was not a usual thing on board that vessel for the officers to drink Bpirits every night. I had not had spirits up to that time on the voyage, though I had had a glass of beer teveral times. I think it was from the steward that I got the gin, in the dark. I got a wineglassful. In regard to whose duty it is to prepare the anchor, the cap bain generally gives the order to the officer of the watch to do. 1 have known vessels in which no anchor was got ready till they came into port. I know no reason why the cable was not bent unless that it would be an inconvenience to the passengers. On leaving England the passengers made many complaints about it being in their way. The captain gave me no order to prepare the cable. 1 was away from, the ship when the cable was bent.

Mr Stout had no questions to i«ut to the witness.

By Oapt. Thomson : The captain requested me to take a bearing of the Dog Island light at 8 o'clock. Tho distance of the light I guessed to be IS miles. It might have been 16 miles, and even if it was the lesser distance, steering by the same course would have taken us clear of the land. In my examination by the Board of Trade I was required to do " day's work," two logarithms, altitude, and other things, but I was not required to lay a vessel's position off on the chart. The captain discovered a little easterly variation in the binnacle compass in running down the easting. When the ensign was hoisted Union down, the spanker was not set, and the steamer could have seen t'e ensign. The ship could have been, so hauled up that the steamer would have passed her with ; n hail. When I took charge of the deck at S, I went forward and saw that the look-out was at his post, and there wereseveral others on the forecastle also. I looked at the standard compass twice between 8 and the time the ship struck, and found the man steering correctly. I was at the other compass several times. There was gear to connect the donkey engine to the pumps, but pipes had to be cut. The engine could not be speedily applied, and the work of getting it ready had to be done after daylight. By Mr Sbrode : 1 went after the steamer. The* authority on which I want was an order from t he poop. Mr Strode : The poop cannot speak ; who gave the order ? Witness : Mr John Booth, a cabin passenger. Mr Booth and the captain were on friendly terms, and I thought that he had been instructed by the captain, and that the captain was at another part of the ship and had sent him to give the order. I was then in the boat to get it ready to leave the ship for the steamer. I had no authority to get into the boat. The passengers were in confusion, and 1 thought it my duty to lower it to keep it from getting sbove. 1 saw the men rushing to the boat, and I thought that if J did not lowor her she would be swamped or stove, or otherwise injured. Five men were in the boat with me.