H.—l3

24

Return of Wrecks and Casualties to Shipping reported to the Marine Department from the 1st July, 1879, to the 31st March, 1880.

Date of Casualty. Name of Vessel; also, Age and Class. Rig. S3 Number of Nature of Nature of Cargo. Casualty. Number of] Lives Lost. Wind. Finding of Court of Inquiry. Name of Master. ~ PassenCrew- gers. happened. 'Direction. Force. 1879. July 3 Jane Anderson, 11 years Schooner OG 6 Guano Stranded ; partial loss North Spit, New River, N.Z. East Strong breeze Vessel stood too long on Northern tack Simon Saunders. Simon Saunders. >, 11 Day Dawn, 12 years Schooner 24 3 Ballast Stranded Ward's Island, in Wellington Harbour S.E. Fresh gale Vessel anchored too near the Island Henry Hansen. Henry Hansen. „ 13 Richard and Mary, 5 years Schooner 44 Coals total loss Stranded ; partial loss North Spit of Rangitikei River S.S.E. Strong breeze Master mistook Rangitikei River for the William Miller. Manawatu, and there v, 7aa insufficient water in the former river for the vessel Sarah did not show her light in time John Kingdom. William LovenWilliam Miller. .. 14 ( Lake Michigan, ) < S years } ( Sarah ) Schooner ( 6 4 <=*• Ballast Collision ; partial loss About one mile North of Tiri Tiri, N.Z. S.S.B. Light John Kingdom. Cutter 2 William Lovendale William Andrews. „ 19 Arthur Wakefield, 6 years Fore-and-Aft Schooner 4-Masted Barque 45 4 Wheat Foundered total loss Three miles Southwest of Opunake SoutherWimam j-.oven-dale Heavy weather caused vessel to spring a William Anleak drews. „ 21 Benares, 2 years; 100Al. 1646 31 General Stranded ; partial loss On the bar of Otago harbour N.E. Light. There was a series of mistakes and errors David Bruce of judgment. Inglis. It was a mistake to send a vessel of the Benares' draught of water to this harbour in the present state of the bar. Being there, it was a mistake to full load her, as vessels drawing more than 19 feet are subject to more than ordinary risks in entering and departing from the harbour. The Harbourmaster should not have assumed command. when the ship began to bump, the pilot at the time being in charge, and the master did wrong in allowing it, and repeating his orders. After the ship stranded, the tug should not have left her helpless for so many hours. The pilot was in error in starting an hour after the appointed time, and after the tide at the bar was ebbing. The stopping of the tug when the master thought the tow-line had parted, was the immediate cause of the subsequent confusion, which was intensified by the divided command. The master of the tug should not have stopped but have gone dead slow, until he had distinct orders from the pilot what to do. Note.— One of the nautical assessors did not agree with the decision that it was wrong for the Harbourmaster to assume command after the vessel bumped, and for the pilot to start at the time he did. David Bruce Inglis.