G.—sTo. 30.

14

REPORT OP MARINE DEPARTMENT.

JtE< :cks on ty hie NQTT IKIES ave >een e.~continuei Date of Casualty. Ifame of Vessel; also, Age and Class when known. Eig. ■§J§ Number of Crevr. Number of Passengers. Nature of Cargo. Nature of Casualty. Number of Lives Lost. Wind. Finding of tlie Court of Inquiry. Name of Master of Vessel. Casualty took place. Direction. Force. Nov. 25 Apai'ima Ketch 30 3 Ballast Stranded ; total loss. Mataura River; 500 yards west of the entrance. Calm Loss result of circumstances altogether beyond the control of parties concerned. Edward Kerns. Deo. 14 Midge, 13 years. Schooner 9 General 3} mile S. of Ponto Point, Kaipara. s.w. Moderate tn*eeze h Error of judgment on part of pilot in charge. David Arthur Stuart. 92 „ 28 Golden Crown, p.s., 1 year, and Avon, 7 years. 3} 208 19 116 Ballast^ I Collision ; with but little damage. ■ r Between Pomii Island and the Sandspit, Tehmaki Strait. n George Baker, mate of the Golden Crown, did not properly comply with articles 15 and l<i of the Re- - gulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea. Joseph Ellis. 3 ■I „ ] Cutter 19 w.s.w. William Lombard. L Supposed S.E. L Not Rifleman, 9 years. Schooner (3-rnasted.) SI 6 j) Supposed foundered. Supposed; 6 Last seen off Cape Campbell. Supposed Heavy gale. Supposed to have foundered at sea during heavy S.E. gale. Peter Toomey. known. 1872. Feb. 20 Heathcote, 5 years. Ketch 3 General Stranded; total loss. South Head of West Wanganui Inlet, Middle Island. S.E. "Whole gale Heavy gale caused vessel to drag anchor; no blame attached to master. James Moore. 22 „ 24 Onehunga Schooner 6 !> Oamaru Bay N.E. Gale Casualty unavoidable ; master not to blame. R. P. Crouch. CI H Mar. 13 Pilot, 6 years. Cutter 10 3 1 Stranded ; partial loss. Scotia Rock, Bluff Harbour. N.B. Light breeze Not sufficient allowance made for strength of tide. Roger Owen. „ 15 Huntress Schooner 75 6 Ballast Stranded ; total loss. 21 miles south of Cape Brett. E.S.E. Strong Error of judgment in not having steered a more weatherly course. H. D. Bower. „ 16 Indiaman, 17 years. Ship o o o OS 18 Ballast, and 35 tons potatoes. H Easter Island "W. In absence of master and officers, no conclusion can be arrived at; but if men's account is to be relied on, vessel should not have been taken from Melbourne without docking and thorough repair. It seems a most extraordinary proceeding to strand a ship on the rocks —after being at anchor for several days — kedged ashore in order to " break her up to save what material they could." Assistance at the pumpwas obtained from the Island, and there is nothing to show that any inAlbert Miltopseus.