AN UNFORTUNATE BARQUE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2202, 14 May 1896, Page 12

AN UNFORTUNATE BARQUE.

WKSTroRT, April 30.— 1 he barque O *romandel, which was stranded here on the 15th intt. and floated off on Sunday last, was towed out this morning without the slightest hitch. She was drawing 2ia more water than on the day she stranded with the same depth of water in the river. She proceeds to Wellington under Bail, and will probably be met halfway by the Wellington tug. Mayl. The inquiry into the stranding of the barque Coromandel concluded to-day, after a hearing lasting nearly seven days. The court found that Captain Nolan, of the tug, was to blame for not getting proper way on the vessel after leaving the wharf and for slacking the towline at a critical moment ; that Captain Leech, harbourmaster, was to blame for the immediate stranding of the vessel by giving, a wrong order to port the helm instead of starboard ; that the harbour board were to blame for providing the tug with an inefficient crew, and for taking Captain Leech off the stranded vessel to attend a meeting at a time when his.< services were most required, thus preventing the tug from going to the assistance of the vessel at the appointed time. The costs of the inquiry, amounting to £90 17s, were apportioned as follows : — Captain Leech, £45 8s 6d ; Captain Nolan, £22 14s 3d ; the harbour board, £22 14s 3d All certificates were returned. In consequence of the findings of the court, Captain Leech, this afternoon, tendered his resignation as harbourmaster, after 30 years' service. The court expressly stated that the harbour was ia no way to blame for the stranding of the Ooromandel, which was solely due to bungling.

Wellington, May 3. Despite the mishap which the barque Ooromandel met with in Westport and her subsequent floating off, ill-fate still pursues her. The vessel arrived here last night, and was taken alongside the railway whatf, preparatory to her going on the slip. She was moored as close inshore as possible, and displayed, a strong list to starboard. Strong warps were placed to prevent her moviDg, but nothing wat arranged from aloft, however, and this afternoon she canted seawards and went over clean on her beam-ends, seme of bee yardarnaa auaoDinx «w they struck

the bottom. The vessel is now lying with he' I port aide fully exposed and the starboard side submerged, and some difficulty will be experienced in righting her. Id seems when she canted she was watched by many, who say the soene was a brilliant spectacle. Fortunately, none of those aboard were injured.

The capsized barque Ooromandel (says the correspondent of the Lrtttelton Times) presents a curious and melancholy spectacle off the railway wharf a 8 she lies with half her side out of the water and her masts and yards, tilted up, tho water halfway up to the tops, a desolate mass of spars and cordage. Hundreds of people come and go through the day to gaze at her, to talk of the desperately hazardous voyage from West port, and to watch the diver's boat with its air piubp sending air to the man brio* as he sends up odd* and ends. The i revv during the capsize behaved with the greatest coolness. Am the ship went gradually over they let go the braces, ru..de euergetic attempts, for the most part ineffectually, to get out their .effects, and occupied the upper part of the deck, retreating from the advancing water. When she got over they quietly eat down on her side, nodded to the spectators on the whar', and one of them calmly took out his pipe and struck a li K ht. The Ooromandel had a perilous voyage from Westport, and, owing to one of the pumps becoming jammed, she was in serious danger of foundering. Captain Russell, surveyor to the Underwriters' A-sociation, never left the ship's deck from the time she left Westport till her arrival at Wellington. Captain Bendali, secretary to the underwriters, anticipates righting the barque Coromandel without discharging her cargo or removing the tip hamper, but awaits instructions from the Liverpool underwriters before taking action. '