Correspondence.

Timaru Herald, Volume X, Issue 419, 2 June 1869, Page 3

Correspondence.

THE LATE WRECKS.

TO THE EDITOB OF THE TriIAHTT HEBALD. Sir, —Referring to the letter m your Saturday's issue, appearing m my name, written by yourself, and which I was induced to sigu hurriedly, without first knowing its true contents, I now would beg to take the earliest opportunity of stating through the medium of your columns that I cannot hold myself responsible for the language employed therein, neither am I answerable for the impression it would seem to convey. The closing paragraph of the letter by the words employed "turning up the mud" would seem to indicate that the vessel had " struck" at her anchor, which I must deny. We were anchored m five fathoms water and only drawing 13 feet, consequently, to have touched the ground the sea must have been 34 feet high, which I doubt very much. With regard to it being "blue water" 100 feet (or 50 fathoms as I should express it) to seaward of our position, at that distance the depth of water could only be increased 18 inches ; and, although I admit that the deeper the water, the less break must be experienced, still that distance further off cannot possibly make the difference that the letter would seem to imply. By inserting the above you would much oblige ; and at the same time allow me to express my gratitude for the kindness received by the inhabitants of Timaru, as also for the active measures taken m rescuing the lives from the wreck. I am, &c, John Green, Chief Officer, Barque Collingwood. [We must leave the public to judge of the statement coutaiued m the above letter by Mr Green, being m such contra-distinction to the one previously signed by him, and inserted m this journal. The above letter was evidently signed under pressure, (it is written by 8, person connected with shipping m Timaru) and the pressure brought to bear is evidently from some fear on the part of Mr Green that his first letter if uncoutradicted, would do him harm m Dunedin. That this opinion is right we are confident, for we fiad it from Mr Gieen himself that he had been told by certain interested persons m Timaru i that if his first letter was uncontradicted, it would do him injury. And moreover, Mr Green told us distinctly that he had been asked by certain persons m Timaru to sign a conttadiction to his former letter, but tluit he would not do so. We cannot understand how Mr Green could have conscientiously signed the above letter, containing as it does the words (speaking of his former letter) and which I was induced to sign hurriedly, without first knowing it* true contents. That first letter was simply the embodiment of Mr Green's opinions, carefully put into rendable language, and read over twice to Mr Green, who then signed it. Wo were very particular that Mr Green should know word for word what he was signing, as the matter m question was an important one. There arc one or two evident discrepancies m this second letter. Mr Green is made to say tlint the sea must have been thirty-four feel high if the Collingwood stirred up the mud, whilst m the same breath we arc iv formed that the total depth of water was only five , fathoms or thirty fee.l, and tho vessel itself drew thirteen feet, leaving but seventeen feet under her keel m smooth water. From this and other discrepancies, and the trifling departure from the truth we have pointed out, wo say again we leave the public to judge of the conduct of Mr Green and his interested advisers. — Ed. T.H.~\

TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMARU HERALD. Sin, — " Eye-witness" m your last issue mußt really have drawn vastly on his imagination m detailing apparently so circumstantially the reasons why the Harbour Master, Mr Mil's, put off the lifeboat on the occasion of the recent wrecks. I myself was also an eyewitness of what passed oa that occasion, and 1 aver I did not hear a single taunt or observation made by any of the crowd to induce Mr Mills or his crew to launch the lifeboat to the assistance of the Twilight schooner. lam not well acquainted with Mr Mills, but I can only say that if he, as Harbour Master, allowed himself to be overruled m his own judgment by threats of reporting, or taunts of the crowd, which was asserted by your corresponden, then Mr Mills is not fit to be m the situation of Harbour Master, where a man is required to be not only prompt m action, but to act solely on his own responsibility. I am, &c, Anotheb Eye-witness.