WRECK OF THE SURPRISE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 195, 16 August 1907, Page 4

WRECK OF THE SURPRISE.

THE RESULT OF THE JXqgiej. AN EKROE. OF JTJDGmej^ a • • '"' "' An inquiry was opened v«stffld*w»V noon before Mr. B. W. Captains Sellars and MaisdaTfikSjl assessor?), into the cireumstiaeel^S!? 1 ' ing the wreck of tie Scdw July 20 last, off Slipper Maud. wT£ wyn Mays appeared for the partment, Captains Fleming (assistant superintendent of I marine) being also present .'""»«», ; : Harry JacKson, the sdle "•s crt j |fc , member of the crew, gate tne events leading up to the wreci. *£ vessel left Gisborne on Jdy i£?jgp| for Tairua, After passing they were hove to for tteft jfcW£ were blown 150 miles oif laari tg days out land was sighted, and- torSl opinions were held on board as land it- was, the captain at first it was the East &£*,-; v.jg later expressing the Opinion tkt it was Cape Brett. The weitJierntffeLring. they arrived off Slipper Itit* « Friday. July 19. and aacoorei JU following day the -wind got Tip agtia,m a second anchor was cast. The £tt' ta.' ehors held the vessel for * ! *lali-2r ■ when she commenced to fir** *r*fttki was put down, and the tirtt WT2 • vessel until 9 p.m., at which-ti« t» mendous seas were coming TOMt'ik northern end of Slipper Island, «il 2 vessel began to drag towards the Mrtc* most rock. When within about 1* ml or so of the rock the staya»a m| jT but she struck almost ifflinediilfe^'i^J wards. After bumping >. bit OlfttrA i she rolled off and capsized. - = 1 Continning his evidence. that when the vessel rolled.Off fte fZ the captain and a feeainan ft»n*d feZ were swept overboard, inofttr:"!? Steuart. following them ■wards. That left Johansen lad htetf both clinging to the maun the vessel drifted towards ifclS «i ness expressed the intentionof tavtt &' reach the shore by stripping himself of toat U>d btft shaking hands with Joh»n»eß, wfce triii to dissuade him frtißL *l»»t; hopeless attempt, he dived «tet,«mfe. ally reached the shore, ITirl tntaiijiiwilli reached Mr Jas. McGregor , * he was looked after rerjimJOf; -'J .".'■-. Questioned as to tie liip'i aaitta" when anchored and fdfelCianM Vv the captain, witness 4gMM£fii/«fij. ion that the island gin a*.Adter-«ktt-ever, and that ; iil*lipt to toanchors the best plMr'iMglt Iμ Mα to have '"cleared out," or 'try \m Ttitm. So far as he knew tfce r, «i«i-i e : I ja, found and in good order. * - Captain Attwood, usieiut dent of Morcantile lixnM ttJo&uA, said that the vesstl^ *eJDL ; '*iia j» every respect, and OD« Of tfc* Wet seaworthy boats going tmt ft KwMm^ Robert, Eobb, of Gisbftrne, * pert ons of the vessel, stated tl»t CiptMi C* lienne had not previousljr MOcd A Mr, and he had also told witMM ttet hi had never sailed into Tairsa. WitSM considered that h« -was a gooi, master nuuiner. The Sar|rte;»M a- ~ sured for £650, bat w*s wrflE oiMflrrably more than that sum. '■-, S '-- 1 . Edward Wilson,aTnir.f 11 Mi'll.lilh : 30 years' experieaee of «•*! m tb» coast, expressed the Ofieim ttmtr'-mmm-iwg all was right, Oljttta ltd not anchored in at lh» southern end wag »W>Ky» CMt-. ers for nor'east wettiet, Wta*«.*»sel was found to be 'dxtgpaiWt'-iot plan would be to baoy or «Up thijadwri and make for Txiru*. or, peririp^tti sand Tmff 1 ffi'niiitfiiiiiiiTTiiiifjj^ft^ , ed more handling than a one. Witness considered that tke boiding ground, at the spot where tk» Sβprise anchored to be bad, as it hm » boulder bottom. "... , -J A brief retirement, aad the cided that Captain Gallienne mitted an error of judgment ia a&eSl|JJp||s his resjel in an unsheltered error beins due to lack of ledge. They also found thit tifmmS error of judgment had been, COWtflW ' by not putting on sail and atakiac Mr shelter elsewhere when the TeiMl tapi to drag her anchors. The vend «H well found and equipped in every n^Mt Thos? -α-bo lost their lives by the HWfc-ix-ere:—J. T. GaJlienne (captain), A 1 &t«uaxt. E. Johansen, .and W/"'BS|jl The Court made no order ai to eorto.