WRECK OF THE S.S. TITANIA.

West Coast Times, Issue 25, 26 July 1865, Page 2

WRECK OF THE S.S. TITANIA.

j, Tho inquiry into tho causes that led to Ih^ v"'°Jn of the s.s. Titania on tho Ilo^if iika bar, was held before G. S. Sale, Ksq., All. M.i and Captain Robertson, lato of the p.B. Favorite, on Monday. The inquiry ' held at tho instigation of E. Patten, "Esq., Collector of Custums, who called — ! Joseph Hughesj sworn) deposed that ho was lato masteivof. tho s.s, Titania, and ' held a ccrtifioato of competency from the • Marino Board of New Zealand. Loft Dunedin on the 12th inst., and arrived off tho Hokitika bar on tho 10th. Signalled ' lo tho . station .!• Can .you pilot mo in?" iTho answer was " What ship's that ?" I answered, •' Titauia.'' ,The signals 1 at tho ( s^ion thon showed "Tho bar is dan.'/gofous,". '/gofous," so I stopped tho cnginoa and v B'yit under canvass for tho night. On the l' 19th, a littlo boforo 6 a.m., I carno down >; to ,tho bar again and signalised " Can you jpilpt me in?" but received no reply. I 3 ) kopi ou my courso towni'da tho shore, then „' took a turn out to sea and back again. On. „ my return to the bur I saw tho Bu^jjj . /'■J'Jili) lide," and then steered out ij^^H .' , Whcu 1 had got out " nearly far cii^^H

saw the signal "hjgh watfcr" Hying- Tlio . signal denoting High water was not the visual tidal signal!' but tl>e signal for high water nccorfting'Jto/Marryjpitt's boclej 'which had previously fceoii used deflating " ebb tide." The tidal signals according to Captain Gibson-p regulations^ for the port of Hokitika wore nojAiscd while I was within view of the signal staff. ' I' am acquainted with tho tidal signals according to 'Japtain Gibson's regulations for this port. When I saw the signal for high water flying, I camo in towards tho harbor. Just as I got, into the breakers the high water signal l was hauled "down" arid Number 8 hoisted. By this timo'tUe vessel, was' aground. ' I iiavo been to this port before ; I was hero about two months ahd a half ago. The bar at that time was just about whero tho Titania struck. I had not a copy of tho tidal signals for tho port of Hokitika on board the Titania when I came io the 1 bar. I did not sco a blue flag hoisted at tho signal mast. I did not' see used on tho 19th met. the signal for high water in uso here-— via., a blackball and red. flag. At the time when J camp up,., to, the bar tho signal man was speaking' with another, vessel — tho . MontoKuiniLJlity ■ wt.u g.jfyg* Marryatt's code. , Tho reason •yvhy I had not tho published' tidal signals for this port was because T could not iUM, them. I I did not see any spit ahead of mo ,'whdn I was coming towards shore. . I saw- tho Tiger lying stranded and intended to pass by her stem, supposing her.to,l)G^ on .^hp, north, spit. I was Wrecked on a pomt north of where tho Tiger is lying. I camo in td look for tho channel, intending at tho timo to have tho arms at the signal staff worked for my direction.' I did not see tiny signal to the effect that tho harbor master would, como to mo in tho William; . By Captain . Robcrtson.-trl .should- ;not have attempted tho bar if I :had not seen tho signal denoting high water, according' to Marryatt's code. - : '- •' ' v By tho Cqurt.-^I do 1 nbt kn6w how such a message as "high Wator is B'ieet-" Would be conveyed according to Marrynljt'e code : J supposo it would require two, eignajs. I was surprised to sco V high^vTfter!~ByT|g after tho signal i denoting, obb tide. I thought the signal man had mado a mistake, and hadaltorfld i hiß..n\iud f after\Yar ( ds. i William Bentfall, sworn, said": I am mate of tho Titania steamer. I romember standing in .towards the b,ar on the morning of July 19. ' I saw "thY signal 1 ' a Eb'b tidfc running," according to Marryatt's codo. At the timo wo ,wOro coming we had the signal " What water pn the bar ?" I beliovo high water was about seven o'clock that morning, It was between seven nnd half -past .seven whon" w ntoort in for tho bar. When we f&w " 3j< v >b tide" signalised wo steered out to X^^im* I was sUincfingmulylo let £ & V^Mt* -.Cuptam oaw nhof^ r . ; 4- 2- •'.,-•■'. .'^v« ijifeo* s^w? (ftftJ^ -'",". ** "■*,'-*" .V" l^f.AVftt'er' according Yo Marryntr'n code, lie then otoeiod in U.wmla thu \ur. ) ;.v,a.;j jn A tmk iicannvUi UiSiy J [wwt**ti«.'.i:'jt>*<-5 > **>» "ftp I At that time the channel wutc^n 1 , >vluie wft'P*rtck «"tho .19^ "" • . - » litll >to t!(O in'j liiwuiU. i n:n fi"-U"j^? i^ilhat thu ,chan'ifl lisul allr-vud sine* ;.'/' • "^j Inm l -ipl acquJt^utfd with (ho J-/J >'' , s^aiiO'ivcl v tl\ft( I nm. m.tv'- 1 -«•■ \ iT^Tttgh water" was i ..ti. 1. <im ] c when wo wore on tho edge of its br(oK'(;V3 j tt After " High water" was hauled down, j "Number eight," according to Mairyuitfcodo, was hoisted. "Number emht is a blue ilag with yollow ccnti-o. < T^'emembor noticing a blaclc ball and wh.te tl;\g hoisted at tho signal mast. Ido nul know whether this was done before the signal denoting " High water" was hoisted. I was at tho wheel as we camo towards shore. I could not sco any spit. I saw tho Tiger lying ashore, tiho seemed to bo inside thespit on the north of the entrance into the river, We had no idea how thn channel lay. Wp ii^ % cr '~/, lik^, anna being used at tlib f*i;\!ial mast. A.s soon as we saw the spit iii fi\> »t of us the engines wove reversal, .but the. breakers kept bearing us infej'wards shore. 1 t^o'not remember jßfcg any tidal sij'.niu oxoopt a ball and Hlo ilag. Ido not know- what that meant. No tidal signals were used when the Titatiia entered tins port at- ■ tho end of April or beginning of May. Thcro was a' signal staff. . After the veosel struck everything was done that could bo done to got tho vessel off ; nothing ■ could do any good. Ido no}; know/whojher ,tho ye,sspl is insured. The ordinary way of signalling " High water is ten feet (or any other number of foot)," would bo to hoist " High water" first, mid afterwards a number. I vat; waiting the captain's orders to let go iho anchor .when tho signal " High water" yrtu noijjlva. T«. yi\* m com** quence of thai signal beiag hoisted that vo f.» 0!"! ii- for .shove again. > .TauK- Korlcy, sworn, said: lam Harbor Master and Tilot. ,Qn tho morning of tho 19th inst. I went dow\i to the .flagstaff tt abput half-past six. Tho Titania then )\'i\B about four miles away , from tho bar. I vi' n iho ball up to the masthead, with no ;od/llag. TUoj mqaning, pf that signal is ' ( 'No vessel is to attempt tho bar." As jioon as tho Titania 'had got', within two miles or a milo and a- half, I lowered ,,tlio Q)all on tho cap, and hoisted tho whitd flag Amder it. Tho. meaning of that • signal M l t Kb!) tide ; bar dangerous." ..This, signal lomalned flying all tho timo until' ! the 'l''itania wasi' wrecked. ■ I ' hoisted th 6 'iitania's number, at tho flagstaff. I then Moisted, according, to, Marryatt's. /slgftatt, " Ebb tide." ' I tlion signalled «• What m ator do you- draw ? " I got ibr anjw^i «' Seven ' feet,"*' and then hoisted •• Higb vjfater at," intending to tell him at whal Imv it would bo high water. I then ,caw io Titania apparently going off from tU xv. I was going to breakfast; I hiu] mo a i'cw ynx-ds away from tho signalman, hen I saw tho Titania making for tl\t

sli ova. I immediately ordered the signalinn n td haul down the signal " High water at." I am* not sure whether the signal was 'high water "; or "high water at."" I then ran' up" the blue flag with yellow centre. This ia the nearest flag wo have , to <ho Bluo Peter, meaning " Keep to sea." The m6aning of the blue flag with yellow centre, according to Marryatt's oodo, is number " eight. The Titania still kept in towards shore* All the people who j were ,on the beach did their best— .by waving their hats and shquting— ; tb;mako the T ilnniu keep away to the northward, but it Vns'of no' avail; High" Svater on tho " l#th instant was about seven o'clock. It was from an hour to an hour and a half after high water \vhen the Titania struck. The red flag was n,ever hoisted on thd morning of the 19th. The signal "Ebb tide : bjir dangprous "/was kept flying from , the time when I hoisted until the after- v . noon. Tho signal was hoisted an hour boforo tho Titania struck. ' I do" not know whether the arms were used by tho signalman. Tho danger signal, viz., tho black bal! and white flag on the cap, mis jfyrfeotly visible to any 1 vessel' whilo *flEth i yat f s rn co(le was being used. Tho signals were quito clear of one. another. Tho topmast at the Signal Stati.n is about twenty-fiyo long. • There, is plenty of room to' keep a signal on tho cap and tit the same tiino to signal by Marryatt's codo at the masthead. There are three eignnl eyes i and .three pairs ipf halyards qt tho signal staff* Gq&rgo LoWio sworn, said : I am signaln^n at the Signal Station, Hokitika, ' \ra,d yas at the Station on the morning of the ipth,inst. at ,ten^ minutes past, seven. * The signal wlient came overlo the Station /.. was tVe black ball at the, masthead, meaning " hig\ wator.' ? .\ The Titania was from two " and a! half to -thrbe "miles' from shore'attho tjmel^ ,At .toventy-fivo mjnutcq .pas.t seven the ba'UNviia lowered on to the cap, and tljo white flag'?, hoisted under tho ball, t meaning "ebb tiaetlbar dangerous." After this tho Titania's number was hoisted. I don't thinlc "any answer was made from tho Tifywtt* Wo then signalled " What water do you draw?'?,;.; Ho answered "Seven feot;" Wo' then signalled "Ebb tide iB rilmAing f '.by Marryatt'B codo. Tho ball aijd white flag still remainell up, Captain IQaley thoh told me •to give him the timo oiJiigh water. ..Jn,, order to do so I first. ' signqlled^-fi hlgn water" by Marryatt's code,.inj^nding to follow with " to-mori-ow morning*" nnicl after that "seven o'clock,^ ! As soon as I had' hoisted " high ,water," tho Ti4|||p,Btbod in. In order v/ to k^JS^gi'y^ay , ( wo ran up ■• 'tlio Wuq 'flag nnd'TOJpw centre, which is t!^o J&o nave to the bluo peter. 'JJrfr'ljl^&^. bau aud white flag wore stillJVMhjnlhg on tho cap. The bluo flag with ; .^Usow gc.'iilfo' means numbor "8" accord- , i ir.j to.S^rvyatt'e oodo»-, .At tho timo whcn<>> ■ > ' Av.;|i'an up pB bluo flagwjth yollow centre,' ' « \ #$Mt *ni»iir<lß» ftbpui thred-q[UaV(»rs of a -' : ifwffV^ay^trf 1 ;-^ ;&^eftr"Kh*6 still, ' ■ co^tihuou; % hfc^'coitffre!''';!' then hoistetj ! ,, ( : I tho' notin iVm' right up. 1 When I did so, 'si tho T^taSJft'tvaa from half a mile to three"i Markers from the breakers. I did not sep •' y 'alteration h\ Uor course,.; J'TUeuo svxC ■ /'4y_,>jt j^v^^sH^^^^ 0 kcs^.cleav { - 'ma had al(,(ivo«|. fyc£, 30 * n " >unc« with l\w ([\froW>i\Vtyvbrihy the arm. , — The ball denotes tho tUss«PHlfig denotes the Htuto of tho bar. CaptairrlCcrloy was going to tho boat at the line,whcn the signal " high Avatcr" according to Marryatt was. hauled down. I called to ask him whether I should (haul it down. .He said — " Yes ; down with it and up with tho blue peter.-' By Captain Hughes— lf I wished to express Number 8,1 should hoist a numeral yendant above the flag denoting 8. Tho f tpm arc not worked on tho south flagstaff. , - My instructions nro to signal at the north flagatalF, I saw the Titania make a circle when I signalled « Ijlbb tide running" by Marryatt's codo. , • •