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Wellington Independent, Volume XXIX, Issue 4051, 12 March 1874, Page 2

It will not be the fault of the two masters of the ill-fated vessels wrecked on Sunday morning if the public do not comprehend, with a perspicuity somewhat rare in these cases, the whole of the circumstances that terminated in the disastrous event we all deplore. They, in their evidence that we yesterday printed, threw no uncertain and glimmering light on the sad story of their own misadventure. Very rarely it happens that the veil of obscurity shrouding the fate of many a gallant vessel can be so lifted that those interested are able to see as in a glass the course that eventuated in the calamity they have cause to regret. In the case of the Cyrus and the Wellington the very reverse has occurred ; and to suoh a story there must be a moral. What that is concerns not only merchants and nautical men, but also all who take an interest in this land of their adoption. The story it is our intention briefly to narrate. The two vessels left Wellington with a north wind, which took them well out of harbor and then across the Strait for Cloudy Bay. This, we should remark, is not an unusual course for a vessel, the water being comparatively smooth on that side iv consequence of the shelter afforded from a north wind by the high land terminating at Wellington Head on the north-west corner of the Middle Island. Perhaps we shall render the narrative rather more lucid if we adhere first to the course of the Cyrus, as really the history of the fate of one vessel is that of the other, with a few exceptions that we shall point out subsequently. When the barque wa3 in Cloudy Bay the wind increased, and sails were accordingly taken in. During Saturday — the day after leaving port — the barque drifted southerly until in the evening she made the White Bluff, and was believed to be not far from Cape Campbell. Then the wind veered to south-east, and a N.N.W. course was shaped. So far, all may have been said to have been tolerably favorable. The wind had been foul, but it became fair in a not unreasonable time. Certainly, it was a gale both ways, but the master would be warranted in hoping that with a good tight vessel under him he would run through the Strait, The circumstance that seems to have been more against him than the gale, was his inability, as was subsequently proved, to obtain his exact position. The light on Cape Campbell is a revolving one, said on the charts to be visible nineteen miles. The White Bluff, let it be understood, is a high sandy cliff, of which there are many others below Cape Campbell. Were we inclined to speculate, we might very fairly take into consideration the possibility of both of the ships in question having been driven by the northerly gale even below Cape Campbell, in which case there would be little matter for surprise at them taking the reef they were stranded upon, or any of the other two, more prominent, between Lyall Bay and Reef Islet. But we pass on. After running N.N.W. for about fourteen miles, as he supposed, the tide being flood and running with him, the master allowed some miles for this by steering north, Then he saw a light, apparently about fifteen miles in a northeasterly direction. He consulted with the mate, and both agreed it must be the Mana light — several miles north of Terawiti, He then steered N.N.E., to avoid the rocks on the other coast, called the Brothers, near to which he thought himself. Then he saw a land loom to the west of him, which he and the mate thought to be Wellington Head. The course was again made more easterly, and a few minutes afterwards the discovery was arrived at that the light was Pencarrow, on the southerly entrance to Port Nicholson. The attempt made to get the barque away was futile, and the result we know. The experience of the master of the Wellington differs from the above, inasmuch aa though he was very near to the j Cyrus during the gale, and subsequently, he lost so much sail that his vessel was, before the change of wind, almost un- ! manageable. From this the conclusion may be drawn that, as the Cyrus kept her sails, she was very well found in this j respect. The master of the Welling- I ton was positive about seeing the white Bluff W. by N. of him. and also of seeingr-ape Campbell S.W. byS.j but he gave it in evidence that he could not see the light. When the wind veered he described it as fresh ; but the sea was heavy. This, however, soon began to decrease. At 10 p.m. the master saw and recognised Pencarrow light, bearing N.E., and then he had a smooth sea. Feeling certain of his position, and with the vessel well under command, he went below, only to be called up again in half an hour by the second mate to see the loom of the land. Then he altered his course, but the man ahead saw rocks at once, A glance at the chart will show that the two vessels had made the coast in such a place that there was an impossibility for them to be any other than stranded. The public will naturally reflect, after so far perusing the story of the two master mariners, upon what are the precautions which, if in existence, would have prevented the sad catastrophe i

that occurred. The first part of the story that will strike as being singular is the fact that neither master saw Cape Campbell light. Both ought, according to their positions. Had they done so, they might have steered in a more northerly direction ; but this is, of course, pure speculation. The idea has been many times insisted upon thaf the Mana and Pencarrow lights should not be similar, as they are. This conclusion it seems impossible to escape. Had they been of different color, or constm'ction, in all human probability the Cyrus would have escaped. This, however, has no application to the case of the Wellington. Her master did not mistake the light, and therefore the question of lighting the Strait can have no relevance to his case. Speaking generally, we may remark that it has long been the opinion that a light on the Brothers' Rocks would be a boon to mariners, and there is reason to believe it would specially prove so in the case of ships entering the Strait from the north and west. But there is no certainty such a light would have been useful to the two vessels on Saturday night — no more than a bare possibility. The master of the Cyrus might have seen it, and have been induced thereby to change bis course. At any rate, he would have known that if he sighted the Mana light on one side, he ought to have seen that on the Brothers' to the N.W. of him. And whilst on this subject, we should direct attention to Cook Rock — a sunken one at the entrance to the Strait, that it is believed could be blown up at no great cost. Vessels coming into the Strait in thick weather, often hug the south-west coast of the northern island, much more closely than they need, but for the necessity of avoiding this dangerous foe to navigation ; and sometimes they lose a favorable breeze in consequence. The sviud is quite peculiar enough in Cook Strait, without there being other hindrances for the masters of vessels to contend with.