ENQUIRY INTO THE LOSS OF THE CITY OF CASHMERE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume III, Issue 540, 21 January 1882, Page 2

ENQUIRY INTO THE LOSS OF THE CITY OF CASHMERE.

[by telegraph.] | Timaru, To-day. A magisterial enquiry into the wreck of the City of Cashmere is proceeding to-day. The evidence of Captain Ross and chief mate Malcolm was taken this morning. The evidence of tljie latter was the mo|e important of tpe two, as the captain was not on boajrd when the ship firsi drifted. The msjte has no idea how the ship got adrilft, and requires to see the end of the chain attached to the anchor in order to form a a opinion, and this is not yet recovered. The ship took in a boat* load of wool pn the afternoon of the accident, aijid later the surf line was found to be taut. The second mate! was going to bend a piece on, but was too busy and cut it. It was found then that the ship was adrift, and another anchor was cast. Malcolm thinks if he had put down two anchors they would have held where the]! - were till a good steamer arrived. |The captain believed the launch Lillie! Denham could tug the ship out, as she is said to be very powerful for her size, and when tried she brought the ship over her anchor, but her engines were out of order, and she could not keep up steam, otherwise the captain :;aid she was powerful enough. The anchor was weighed and the ship towed i little way, then the steamer ran down! and the anchor was cast till she got i}: up again. This occurred a second jtime, and then the master of the tug gave in, the ship being close in-snore striking. Two anchors were theiji put down. There was a discrepancy in the evidence as to when the ship first struck. The captain says befoje the steamer started to tow her; the mate says not till she anchored after the first attempt to tc-w. The mate states that the cables were thoroughly overhauled in June last, before entering , Calcutta, and had not been overhauled since to his knowledge. |