SIR DOGOFBA RQUFPERU AT 'OWNRVILLE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 5671, 18 January 1890, Page 2

SIR DOGOFBA RQUFPERU AT 'OWNRVILLE

OFFICIAL ENQUIRY. An official investigation was held this morning before Mr J. Booth, R.M., and Captain Chrisp (Nautical Assessor) into the circumstances attending the strandin» of the barque Peru, bound from Townsville to the port of Poverty Bay, on a reef off tlie Barrier reef. The application for the inquiry was made by Mr Hill, Commissioner of Customs, who was represented by Mr Nolan. Mr DeLautour appeared for the master, Captain Orr, and mate (deceased), Alexander Tytler. Mr Nolan detailed the circumstance which would be proved by the evidence. The Peru left Townsville on November 14th, and on the 21st she grounded on a reef off the Barrier reef off the Sillotfc Islands. She was in charge of the chief mate, Tytler, who has since been drowned. Mr DeLautour made a formal objection that the case was one not within the statute as regards the investigation, the casualty being one which occurred not within New Zealand waters but in Queensland waters. It was competent to hold a preliminary enquiry for the purpose of forwarding evidence to the colony in whose waters the casualty occurred. William Beeton Orr deposed : He was master of the barque Peru, of Dundee, 75,188 official number, 683 tons, AI at London, 13 years old. The barque carried 15 hands all told, witness held a certificate of competency as master issued by the Board of Trade. The barque left; Townsville, Queensland, for Gisborne on November 14th. Alexander Tytler was first mate and Alexander W. Stoker second mate. The first mate, who had since been drowned, held a master's certificate. The weather was fine, with the exception of two days, when they lay at anchor through thickness of weather. On Nov. 21st at 8 p.m. he was in a position off Cape Hillsboro'. steering N.E. by E. and he remained on that course till she struck at 9.30 p.m. At 9 o'clock he handed charge of her to the mate with instructions to call him if the vessel got near the land or if she broke off anyway. The land at that time was a mile and a half to two miles distant on the port beam, with a 5 knot breeze, Defendant went below after giving charge to the mate, and in 25 minutes was called by the mate, who said, " She's getting pretty close to the land, Sir." Immediately came on deck and put the helm hard down, and sang out " let go head sheets and fore sheets." The vessel came to to E. by N. and there grounded. The tide was about high water. The vessel grounded about a ship's length on the reef off Silloth's island. Witness hove all aback, got the boat and an anchor out. The ship was afloat aft and aground forward, bu* when the tide went out she was completely dry. When the tide made he ran another anchor out and kept a heavy strain on both anchors. The vessel came off at 8 a.m. on the 22nd. When he went below he left no instructions as to heaving the lead, because it was a clear night, and they could see the vessel's position plain enough. The damage was something considerable ; he estimated at about L 750. The mate had the power to tack ship, and had done so many a time. By Mr DeLautour : Carefully took the vessel's position when she struck. Had no cause : o think there was the slightest danger. The land he saw when he went below was Cockermouth Island. After getting the vessel off he sounded the pumps, and lay to for a day to see if she was making water, and found she was not. Therefore decided to proceed to Auckland, the first port at which there was a dock, about 1400 or 1500 miles. The tide on . that coast varied very much both as to force and direction. He knew that the tide might take the vessel to land, and he would have to watch to prevent this ; told the mate to do so.

By Mr Nolan : There was a rise and full in the tide of 15ft at the place. Produced the log with account by the mate of the accident.

By the Bench : The weather was -clear and the water smooth. The Avatch were on deck immediately he put the helm, down. Could account for the vessel getting in there in two or three ways. The man at the helm might have done a little careless steering ; it would not have required slacking oft* to get in there ; she might have fallen off a bit. The flood tide set towards the north and the ebb to the south. The vessel was drawing 10ft. 6in. Mr Nolan said the man who was at the wheel met with an accident at Auckland, and was in the hospital. A. W. Stoker, second mate, (by Mr Nolan) : Did not think mention had been made of the tides in the Captain's log watch. By the Court there was no break on the rocks on which th« vessel struck. Gustav Ulbrech f , sailmakeron the Peru, deposed on Nov. 21st he was on the look out. The mate said "Keep a good look out for breakers on the rocks ; "there are some islands right ahead." Witness reported islands right ahead, but the mate waited, and it was about 25 minutes before the ship went round. The time seemed to witness very long. He had pointed the islands out to the mate and said " We'll sit on top of them ; hadn't we better go round." Mr Nolan read Alex. . Tytler's depositions taken at the preliminary enquiry, in which he attributed the accident to the set of the side and said all hands were sober at the time. Mr DeLautour called Daniel Boyle, A.8., who was ou the mate's watch, and corroborated the evidence of the other witnesses. Mr DeLautour said the facts were very simple, and there was no direct charge against the officers. It was repugnant to the captain to repute blame to the mate, who was nob there to speak for himself. They must not blame him on this point. The place where the casualty occurred seemed a dangerous place to navigate, biifc every care was taken to keep the position of the vessel. There was no certainty in the evidence as to the tide, bub the captain warned the mate as to the tide. He could see no evidence which would justify the Court in blaming the captain, and very little in blaming the mate. Mr Nolan asked the Courb to consider whether there was not any want of care in running the vessel close hauled on a lee shore. There was only a short time between the time the captain went below and the time she struck, and as the, vessel was only going 5 knots she could not have gone over 1^ miles. The Court reserved judgment till Tuesday next.