THE WRECK OF THE ESMERALDA.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXII, Issue 2630, 1 February 1868, Page 6

THE WRECK OF THE ESMERALDA.

OFFICIAL ENQUIRY.

An enquiry under the Wrecks' Act into the circumstances attending the wreck of the Esmeralda was held yesterday morning at the Resident Magistrate's Court House, before J. C. Crawford, Esq., R.M., W. Seed, Esq., Commissioner of Customs', and Captain Johnston, Nautical Assessor. Mr Pharazyn watched the enquiry for tho master of the vessel.

John Kerr, master of the ship Esmeralda, was Bworn, and his evidence at the private enquiry was read over to him, and he testified to its correctness. His deposition was to this efiect :— is master of the ship Esmeralda, a British ship, of Gtoenock, official number 33,206. Has .been in command since November 1866 Left Scotland on February 14, 1867, for Melbourne, heavily laden. During the passage pumped m fine weather every twelve hours, and in bad weather every two hours Left Melbourne in ballust on 26th July, 1867, and reached lalnti on 24th August. Arrived at Maiden Island in ballast on September 6, 1867. Took in there about 1500 tons guano. The water seemed to be decreasing. Left there on Oct. 30, and reached Tahiti on 16th November. On the first day out the main pumps got choked with guano; but csuld work the fore pumps ; they occasionally got choked. In consequence of this choking had a purvey held by Lloyd's agent and Capl. Kellv. Acted on recommendations which they made to keep the pumps clear. Took in twenty-four tons cargo at Tahiti. Left on 14th December for Queenstown, Cork. After leaving the vessel tepan to make water- badly, and had bad weather. Every effort was made from Ist January till the 9th, when the vessel foundered, to keep the water down. Set sail for Opara, and when there sent the mate ashore, who reported that the roast was rough, and ho could see nobody. At 4.30 p.m. on the Bth, Mr Lusher came alongside and offered to take the vessel into the harbor, stating at the same time that nothing could be done there for ship, but she could either bo run on Bhore or sink in thirty fathoms. Replied that he would wait till morning and see what he would do then. The ship was five miles to leeward of the harbor, and waa getting unmanageable. Sot the ship in the evening so as to run ashore or in the harbor in the morning. On the 9th a boat camo alongside with Captain McKellar and Mr Lusher and another person, and he told them that nobody could do anything with the vessel, as she was unmanageable. The water was up to the 'tween deck beamson the leeside. Lefttheshipat9 30p.m. She was not visible next morning. The cause of the loss was the giving way of the platform on which the guano was stowed. Had never loaded a ship with guano before, but his mate had. Edward Lusher, chief officer in the Panama aervice, deposed that he had been residing at Opara. On the 9th January, (Wednesday, true time), he left the hulk Midas, as it wag reported there was a ship in the offing. The weather was fine and the wind light S.E. He went out in a small boat, and got alongside about four o'clock in the afternoon, and found everything on deck in confusion. There was loose guano on deck, and the men were preparing to get into the longboat astern. The mate reported that the vessel was sinking, and witness asked the captain if ho wished to get into the harbor, and ho said " no." The ship was nine miles from port and was manageable, and was not waterlogged ; she wus under topsails, forecourse, and jib, and was dodging about. The vessel was sinking, and the captain said he was not in distress. Witness said he could come in and sink in thirty futhoms, so he need not be afraid of blocking the channel. The captain said she should sink in deep woter and nobody would get hold of her, and that going into the harbor would only increase the expense. Witness told him he would take her in free of all charge. He could keep her afloat when she got. in by means of a donkey engine. The captain refused all offers of assistance, and witness left him. The vessel was then going towards the land pretty well off the wind. Witness went forward and found that the water was not up to the lower deck beams by seven or eight feet, as near as he could judge. The pumps had been lifted about a foot and a half; the main hatch was open. The mate said they had not pumped for two days, as they found they could not keep the water under. The captain said that seven men had gone ashore with his permission, as theship was sinking. Witness saw her the next morning in the same position. Witness reported the circumstances to Captain McKellar, and got a whale boat with him and Captain Rods of barqnp Chance, and found the ship off Katamara. They boarded her about five o'clock in the afternoon ; she had settled down about two feet since the previous day, and was under the same sail, except the clew lashing nnd the maintopsail. She •was going about five knots, clcse hauled. They wefefc on board and the captain Bnid he was not in distress, and did not want any assistance Captain McKellar said he had better try to get into port, and Captain Kerr said he was trying. The water was then four or five feet below the lower deck beams aft. After they left at 7 o'clock in the evening, the ship was on the same tßck, heading well along the land. On the 12th (Saturday), the boats came ashore, and on Monday the captain enquired about a passage for his crew to New Zealand. The Captain and men saved their traps and a few effects. Witness pilots vessels into the harbor of Opara. The vessels in port were the Midas and the Chance. The Chance was discharged ; and if the Esmeralda had come in, her cargo could have been saved by lashing her to the Midas and putting it on board the Midas and Chance. The captain asked if there were any facilities for getting her repaired. By Mr Pharazyn : Is perfectly certain it was Wednesday when he went on board first. The wind was S.E. off the point. The wind varies there. It is not in the trudes. Told- the captain he piloted vessels in. The Esmeralda was making very little leeway. She would have taken about throe hours to get in. Told the captain there were two ships in the harbor, and the Panama steamer was expected in three days. Peter Campbell, chief officer, said that he superintended the loading of the vessel at Maiden Island (witness here described the mode of dunnage), and had loaded it on a previous occasion with guano. The vessel did not leak much then. On leaving Maiden Island they had bad weather, and the main pumps got choked on one occasion. At Tahiti a pump well was made that they could clear the pumps, and other precautions were taken. After leaving Tahiti the main pump got choked, and they had heavy weather, and the fore pump also got choked and could not be worked. They had in consequence to resort to bailing, but it waa of little use, as the water came in so fast. They then tried to make for land, and on the Bth sighted Opara Island, having been bailing night and day. They rounded to, and witness went ashore to see if they could get hands to bail, so that the ship might, get to Tahiti, but he found no one. The hands were called aft, and the Captain said he was bound for Tahiti, as nothing could be done for the ship at Opara ; some refused to go, and the Captain said that those who did not wish to go, might get ashore. Seven of the men then went off. When witness went on board the wind was fresh, and the ship did not answer her helm as she used to do, but run on and off. At about five o'clock the last witness came on board and conversed with the Captain. Mr Lusher said he could get no work done at the island, but he could take him into harbor and let the vessel sink in from two to thirty fathoms of water ; and the Captain replied that he would sooner hang on for the night and see about running her ashore in the morning. They kept on the same way, and found that the Bhip did not corae round readily. They bailed all night and in the merning they tried to stand in to the island ; but the vessel drifted to leeward, and made but little headway. This was the 9th, and in the afternoon a boat came alongside, and the peopl<j» in it came aboard, and witness showed

them tho hold. One of the men shook his head, but said nothing, and they all hurried off quickly and got away. They abandoned the ship at halfjast nine o'clock at night,-and she went down at about ten o'clock. By Mr Pharazyn : The guano from Maiden Island will not dissolve in water as some does ; and hence it choked up the pumps. The men were much knocked up with work, when Opara was sighted. When Mr Luoher came on board, the boat was being towed astern. It would have taken about ten hours to reach tho harbor then, six hours on one tack and four oi tho other. A note was made in the log that the vessel was strained before they reached Opara. In the harbor the entrance is extremely narrow, and the ship certainly could not have got in at night, if at all ; the passage seemed dangerous. This was his first voyage with Captain Kerr; he had known him to be in trying circumstances, and considered him a good seaman. By Captain Johnston : Had not put down the courses in the log after Mr Lusher came on board, because he had so much to do ; but he had noted them roughly in a book and could giro them. Robert Gi'lmore, A.8., on the late ship, deposed that on the Bth, he steered the ship by the wind, as close as she would lay on the starboard tack. The vessel was unmanageable, and he had to keep her bofore the wind as much as possible. My Mr Pharazyn : The captain did not toll the seven men to leave, but said that if they were afraid of going to Tahiti, they were at liberty to go away. Ernest Maltravors, ordinary seaman, deposed that he had gone ashore in the boat, as he was laid up from hard work. The captain said that any who wished to leave might do so. By Mr Pharazyn : The captain did not use tho word "afraid." Witness and some others not only thought that the Bhip was unsafe, but were knocked up. Hugh Coll, steward, said that on the Bth he relieved Gilraore at the whe"el at about 8 o'clock in the evening for half an hour. The vessel was on the starboard tack, and ho steered by tho wind ; he had to keep the helm down nearly the whole time. The enquiry was then adjourned.