OFFICIAL INQUIRY INTO THE WRECK OF THE BRIG DANIEL WATSON.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 63, 27 July 1868, Page 2

OFFICIAL INQUIRY INTO THE WRECK OF THE BRIG DANIEL WATSON.

An ofllclal Inquiry Into tho cause of this wreck waM held on .Saturday, at tho Resident Maglhlrato'tt Court, Lyttolton, before Dr. Donald, R.M., W. Mills, fen.. Collector of Customs and Registrar of the Tort, and Ci'.pt. iJ, Hiiln, who acted as Nautical Armiflor, Tho following evidence was taken,; — * William Andoroon, Master, slated ; lam mantoi 1 of the brig Daniel Watson, tho «ul>jeofc of tbo present Inquiry. I produco my certificate j nho in Mil tons. I loft tho vessel on Wcdnotulay forenoon, alongside tho railway wharf:, I wont to Chrlstdmroh on business connected with tho ship ; hor cargo was discharged, and when T. loft fiho was taking In tho last of hor ballast ; tho weight of tho htarboard anchor Ih about JSJowfc,, tho port ono Is miich heavier ; In fact, heavier than tho vchho! required } (ho htarboard chain in 1)0 fathoms long, and tho wholo of. It Ih now ; tho iitiirbourd anchor ia ono of Trotman's patent, I Icffc tho chlof olllccr In charge, and told him I had given orders to tho pilot to move hoi 1 JYom tho wluu'tl Into tho stream, Tho Milfriiifl would bo In charge oil tho pilot. I lrn.i'o boon to tho wreok, but owing to the vetwJi bohvf undor wwor, I could not 101 l wholhor tho cable parted, or tho ychscl dragged, Tim port chain was .'JO fathoms now; tbo i'oinalndot 1 wan good, but not now ; it \va4 a good studded chain, Tbo starboard anchor was let go with 4/5 fathoms chain when I left, to H.W. t the port anchor was hung to the bow, with a range overall, and there wore <!B .fathoms of lis chain on deck, it was fluo weather in Chrihtehureh, with a Htrong N.lO. broezo. I. remained there all night i tho vessel parted hor anchors Home tlmo hliico i',t another j)ort, but I was not then Cnplaln of hoi\ I have always found the mate t\ iu'')orlor, trustworthy man— ono In whom I hiul ovcry conlldonco. 1 loft tho vohhol on Wednesday morning, July 111, at 11 o'clock ivnd saw her wrecked next morning, at 1 1 o'clock, I went lo Chrhlcliuroh to g'.'.t pornil«sJon from tho Customs (hero lo clear my vohhol Unit night, and also to got my exemption tlckot. 1 was told at tbo Cus-tom-house, Lytlolton, I could not get my oleivranco thoro without giving 'M hours' notice. I was told this by the ofllcor in charge, who Informed mo if I wanted my clearance sooner I must go to Chrlstchiirch and moo tho Collector, This was why I went to Ohrlfilclmreli, I nlgncd my clcanmco in Ly ltd ton. Thoiniw Uai'voy. nmto, Hl-alod ; I am cbloi 1 ofllcor or tlio brig Danlol Watson. A Her the captain loft at 12 o'clock, wo trimmed tho ballast ) tho capialn (old mo tho pilot was coining to move (ho vessel ; at half-past two the pilot oumo on board, and took us out, and wo anchored in four fathoms water, with fio falhomn clmln out on small board starboard ; tho pilot loft tho nhlp at .'WO i thcro was then a fresh N,K, breeze, I took in ncvon casks frosh v/ivtor, and got everything ready for sea. At 7 p.m. I sont tho boat on shoro for tho captain j tho boat returned, and I

was Informed that he nirst have been una« voldably detained In Chrhtoliiirch i wlilist tho boat wiw vn shore, T got 70 fadiomi of tbo starboard chain on dock ready for veering away, and 00 fathoms of tho port anchor chain with nnehor clear. I set tho anchor watch at 8 o'clock, giving orders if thoro was any vhango to call inc. I wu-i on (look al 0. 15, mid three oi* font' Uuu^u^to midnight ; at lI.CO I was called by tho watch, who informed mo the wind was increasing i immediately on coming up, finding tho vessel was dragging, I let go tbo port anchor, and called up tho hands to veer eablo ; wo veered out CO faiboms on tho starboard quarter, and 20 fathoms on (ho port, whoii she held on. On looking over tho side, I found hor heel about .six or seven fathoms off! tho roof, and I sont tho second mulo aft with tbo lead line, and bo gave her thrco fathoms water under her heel. 1 (lion got tho ked^je and warp ready for running out, and also got the boat unlashcd, At midnight she starlod to drug again, and tho wind Increasing she struck nft, carrying away rudder, and unshipping the wheel. 1 sont all hands to the windlass to keep her bead off, as she occincd inclined ((> cant in broadside ; I found (ho anchors coming homo. I still kopt heaving, hoping that tho anchors would ealoh something, but found them still coming homo ; the port anchor being under tho fore-ioot, I hove it up, and hung it lo (ho dog-claw to prevent it driving through (ho bows, The ship was broadside on to tho roof, and I (bought it udvisablo to send for assistance ; ihero was only 18 inches of water in tho hold then. I still kept on fionnding. After leaving tho vessel, thu men In tho boat found that who was making water, and that her gunwale was gono. I then got the long-boat out, and sent tbo xccond mate In hor to call on Cap! aln Woods, who would Inform Capt. fiibjpn, the I f:ub;)ur Master, After the boat left, 1 rigged both ]uiai[w and coiuiuonucd pumping. About ten minutes after, sho commenced bu.nping heavily, and I manned the windlass and hove In about 10 fathoms chain j thrco oi us were on the windlass. Sho was then making water fast, and the things were washing about in the forecastle. I got all chests and clothes on to the dock j hlio afterwards went down into deep water forward, and hung up aft, tho hcu carrying imay the galley, bulwarks and boat, We got all w« «<>uld out of tbo cabin and put it on deck aft ; tbo sea from tho hold knocked the cabin bulkhead in. I Hont tho two boys and steward into tho main rigging, and kept lights burning to show tho boats our position, "As the tide rose,) who kept settling down more, tho sea taking away the skylights and all that was on deck. I remained in the rigging until daylight, when orders camo oil* for all bands to leave her, All hands came on .shore in tho steamboat •, at 10 a.m. I mustered tbo crow and wont oft to tho wreck, it being low water, Intending to stay on board until a survey was called. We had great dllllcnUy In getting on bourd.iw tho .sea was high, At II v.m xho slipped Into deep water, canting over on hor Htarboard bllgo, and I came nwny thluk'ng It dangerous to remain. At ll.ai) n.in Captain Anderson mustered the crow, and went oIT with Captains Wood? and King to hold a survey; we were unable to get near tbo wreck, as tho sea was breaking over her, and hor lower yards almost touched tho roclcH. By tho Court ; We were anchored In four fathom; thonlghtwasverydtu'kj did not blow a whole galo until morning; there was a careful watch, and (he mo.ii woro all sober; could not account for tho dragging! sho had stern* way on her when the flr.it anchor to let gos I rtuperlnlondcd it i I do not think it could have fouled, By Captain Balm I sot tbo anchor watch at 20 minutes past 8; the pilot gave her CO fathoms ( 1 tried her myself at H, and gave bora fathom more; I turned in at a quarterpast nine, and told tho watch to call mo II thoi'o was any change; tho watch called mo at 10 o'clock} I tried tho chain then; I let tho (iccond anchor ro at 11. i'JOi when I enme on deck at 10 o'clock, tho vessel was not dragging; the vessel struck about IS o'clock; wlu-n I was first called, I did not think It necessary to lot go tho second anchor; other vohsclh (fragged i tho Hen Nevis did; tho yes* hclh drnggl'jg, nnd tho lights shifting, may havo deceived mcj the bottom I« very soft, Captain Anderson recalled : I know the vessel to inured, and I boliovo in Ilobart Town. Uelbin nnd Dowdoll aro tho owners. Archibald Mclntyre, A.U., said ho was on board; he went on the anchor watch at a quarter lo eleven, tbo wind blowing fresh -, there was only ono anchor down, and bo called the male at half-past cloven, wiw Hometbing astern which bo thought was a* boat ; could not my how far it was off ; the iniito turned out at once and ran forward ; lot go tho other anchor, and called out to thorn to pay out on tho other chain. lie corroborated all that had been stated by the chief officer respecting tho vessel going on tho reef ; he came on shore in tho boat ; it look them an hour-and-a-half to pull on Hhore ; tho crew remained on shore an hour; they llion went on board tho Gazollo, and aftorwardfl to the brig, but could not get on board, My the Court ; A seaman called me to my watch. K. .1. Norrin, Harbour Pilot, iiaid, on the 22nd ho went on board the brig and took her Into the Htrcani, He left her riding with -»fi fathoms chain lo tho wnler'n edge. Tho anchor was all clear, and the anchorage as pointed out on tbo chart tdicwed there was 2J fnthoniH water at low water. She was anchored half-a-inilo from where she struck. I told the mate the last time ho wan here not to (runt to one anchor, or too much chain. I consider her anchorage the best holding ground in harbour. During tho night it blew heavily and alt voxels dragged during tho night, The anchor must have broken, or the chain parlod, The Hen Nevis dragged half a cable's length. T. Harvey, re-examined : lie did not think at tho time tho anchor catne homo so easily

that anything liad given way, but ho had thought so since. Morris Kcllanl, scaman,stntcd that he went on watch at twenly-flve minutes past H>, and remained thlKy-flvo miuutos } tlio second mate gave him his orders. At 1 1 o'clock, ha called the mate, who camo on deck ami told him him if it blew harder to mil him i ho *Ud he would not turn In, but be ready at a minute's notice. The vessel did not dn»g (luring his watch. Captain Gibson, Harbour Master, stated that he was called on the morning of tho 23rd ; ho sent off tho harbour boat and crew, and followed in the Gazelle. It was with difficulty the men tonld bo taken oft tho wreck ; they were in tho main rigging. In reply to tho Court, ho .stated that the expenso of recovering tho anchors would be about £20 ; tho vessel had been sold. He considered tho vessel was auchorod in a safe position; tho ground was the best holding ground in tho harbour. Mr vi ills said diameter was involved in this case, and he was of opinion the wreck was in the hands of the Court, Mr K. A. llargreaves, on behalf of tho Captain, explained what had been done. Tho surveyors had been off, and they advised tho abandonment of the vessel ; as agent, he had telegraphed to Lloyd's agent ; he would oak tho Court who was to pay the expenses of tho witnesses. Captain Gibson said, in reply to the Court that ho had no power to raise the vessel's anchors; he could sweep tho harbour for any anchor supposed to bo lost ; there must be a lighter employed. • The decision of tho Court was deferred until it had been ascertained what part of tho vessel had given away, The Court had no reason to think there had been any negligence on the part of the Captain, and ther • t'oro restored him his certificate. In returning the mate his certificate they were of opinion that there was an error of judgment in not letting go tho second anchor earlier. The final decision of tho Court would bo given in a fortnight.