COLLISION AT SEA.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 2630, 29 August 1876, Page 2

COLLISION AT SEA.

The following Ib the dooision of the Court on the collision between tbe barques Australian Sovereign •and Ann i— - " That the loss or damage appears, by the evitdemfe, to have been caused, or occurred under the, following oircumstances s- -A collision ooourred; between the vessels Australian Sovereign and Ann in consequence of a sudden shift of wind, aa it appears that when and while tho former; Vessel, which was overtaking tho latter, waa Manoeuvring to keep dear of her, and which .manoeuvre was at the instance, and hy, and under. thodirootioE of Thomas Henderson, chief officer \of the Australian Sovereign, who was in oharge of the deok at the time. That the Ann, whioh vessel iS;Said to have been built of soft wood, and to bo of considerable age, does, not appear to have sustained any vfeiy material damage Tho exclamation of one 'individual on board of tho Ann •We are sinking,' being probably more tho effeot of panic rather than uttered from any actual knowledge of , imminent danger. That the Ann was afterwards (lost upon a spit while endeavouring to reaoh tho harbour, 'off Port Stephens, but no ovidenoe is obtainable as to hor condition at that timo. That Isaac Benjamin Burch. the Master of the Australian was justified in proooeding on his Voyage when thoso in charge of tho Ann made no endeavour to oommunioate to him the oondition of that vessel; when, had that oondition boon a critical one, they might have boen expected to mako i 'came effort. We are also of opinion that tbe con^ ; duct of Thomas ; Henderson, Chief Officer of tho Australian Sovereign, in not calling tho attention ' or the Captain, who was bolow, to the relative position of the two vosbols, while ata safo distance, was injudioious, as he thus excluded himsolf from having the benefit of his master's judgment and . experience, whioh it is but reasonable to supposo, might have been serviceable in endeavouring to guard against a contingency, viz., the shift of wind and, consequent oollision which subsequently happened.' Signed, W. Donald, Resident Magistrate," •111 concur in the ab6ve deoision.— John F. 'Fisher, Master ship Woosung, as Nautioal Assessor.