THE PENGUIN ENQUIRY.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11515, 22 February 1909, Page 5

THE PENGUIN ENQUIRY.

CAPTAIN NAYLOR'S EVIDENCE

THE STRONG CURRENT*

(Per Press Association.)

WELLINGTON, this day. , The enquiry into the wreck of the Penguin was resumed to-day. ... Captain Naylor, m his evidence, stated; that before leaving Picton at 6:20 p.m. m the 12th he could not tell what- the weather was likely to be outside. The. average speed of the Penguin was 12^ knots. On coming out of Tory Channel lhere was very little sea, amfc the I -.veat-her was ovtercast, 'the wind being from the south-east. The currents at the head of Tory Channel ran rapidly, as fast as, from one to three knots. When the boat emerged from Tory Channel fitness set a sOuth/east a quarter east by east course. From 8 o'clock he went south-east by east again, and stood on thai course till 20'hiirtutes to 10. The ship hy. that time bad Steam:cd '22 miles. 'He reckoned she had done eighteen. It was 17| miles fitom '"; the Heads to Tom's Rock. '•■'.'. Witness m. his calculation had made allowances foi* currents. According to his reckoning he .would have . been past, Tom's .Rock at two minutes to ten. At nine o'clock it .was raining heavily, ; and the squalls "continued between; 9.15 and 9.30. It becanie very dark. He did not alter 'Jthe Course till 26 minutes to J.O, nbr did Jie take any sounding. He noticed that the tides m Tory Channel -were according to the book. The tide was running in '. on" the south and out on the iiorth. Witness had expected slack -Avater. To meet this difficulty, he had Steered a south-east by east course. This would keep; the beacons ip" a line, and so- citable him to'* -clear Toih's'Rdck. He considered he was , m. a safe course at, 20 minutes ;tb; 10. reckon--ted'he had passed Tom's Hock, and. was «. good three miles Cjff! it at that hour. He alteredoUie course to east by south, ,and ran hef ;for 20 minutes. . This should ijiave put birti^ past, Sinclair Head.. -. ; .'He yould see practically nothing on' shore. % Counsel : I p^ut it^ to^yoii that soundjngs should have : been taken. y Witness: To take soundings with the ,lead I should have been courting danger, .because ' l would have had to stop. the ship, and that would have been dangerbus. For the same .reason witrieSs said ilie, did not. slow down. ' :•! Counsel : •I . put it to , you, after you came out of Tory Channel and lost The Brothers you did ■ riot know where you were?'' - "' -' •'■''" y- '-'" ■ • "■ • Witness : : I set a course that would •have made me absolutely safe under normal conditions. „ rContiniiing, witness said the ship struck, at 2 minutes past 10, at the : momfent lie was putting the ship's head out to sea. He did so because if 'he ran on much further he. would be at Baring Head. He had never experienced such ft: "set m" m the current as he had that night. .y;o'Yo : - '" YY'-Y-- ■<"■'■ X, Captain Naylor said that the boats iitpd gear were m good order, and four been ample if no damage had occurred. Last .time boat drill was held on the ship was at Picton' on the 13th of January.. 7 ...