STRANDING OF THE SHIP RESULT (THE OLD POLAR STAR).

Auckland Star, Volume VI, Issue 1706, 6 August 1875, Page 2

STRANDING OF THE SHIP RESULT (THE OLD POLAR STAR).

An inquiry was held by the Marine Board of New South Wales into the circumstances connected with the stranding; of the ship Result, at Port Stephens, on Thursday, July 1. Mr. Want, instructed by Messrs. Slade and Smith, appeared on behalf of;; the' Insurance companies ; and Mr Stephen (Stephen and Stephen) appeared on behalf of Captain Jervis, the master of the vessel. The evidence taken was that of the captain, the chief mate, and the second mate. The Besulfc, it appeared, left Newcastle . for Wallaroo on Friday, June 25, with about 1100 tons coal onboard. On the following day the weather began to thicken, and by Sunday it had increased to a tremendous gale. The ship leaked a good deal, and it was resolved to bear up for Sydney. , There was a donkey engine on board, but; the boiler did not feed properly, and there was a difficulty in using it to pump the ship. Beingjunable to make Sydney, the? ship was kept to the northward, and an at-; tempt was made to get into Newcastle, but without success, and Port Stephens was. rounded on Tuesday, where the ship was ■ anchored, about a mile from the lighthouse. On the following Thursday, it was resolved^ to try and reach a more secure anchorage ground, and the Result made Bail for Port Stephens harbour. A very heavy sea came on board while entering the heads, and shortly afterwards, while standing on the starboard tack, just after having gone about, the ship went ashore, and soon began to bump so heavily that it was considered advisible, in order to save life, to get all hands on shore. This was done with some diffi- , culty, some of the men being injured in getting them to land. The captain found means to telegraph to the underwriters in Sydney, to inform them of the accident^ and at his suggestion the second mate^ Mri Fletcher, returned to the ship, and remained on board in charge. No attempts were made, however, to lighten the vessel, or get her off, until Mr Dalton arrived from Sydney with a , crew of ten men, who, by means of the donkey-engine, and a crab-winch which was on board, lightened the ship and pumped her. out; and they afterwards sailed her down to Sydney. It was contended on the part of the underwriters that the ship had been prematurely abandoned; whereas, on behalf of the captain, it was argued that he had not been guilty of any neglect or defaultl Captain Hixson, president of the Board, saidthat,- after hearing the evidence and addresses' of the counsel, the Board found that Captain. Jervis, whilst in command of the ship Result, was. subject to great vicissitudes of weather, and had the misfortune to have a leaky ship under him. They, therefore, did not wish to charge himwith any neglect or default in reference to getting the ship ashore—they admitted that' it was an accident. They did not take umbrage at his leaving the ship, and getting his crew safely ashore; but they stopped there. The captain afterwards visited hia ship, and allowed his crew to remain on£ board long enough to do some necessary things; and he afterwards permitted them . to land on the south side of Port Stephens^ where they camped for some days, without making any attempt to lighten the ship or get her off. The Board, therefore th °°K at i; '- he had committed a wrongful act; and: they j intended charging him with default in abandoning his ship and leaving hec asnoK? without making any reasonable attempt t\ / get her oft