OFFICIAL INQUIRY INTO THE WRECK OF THE TRIUMPH.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), 22 December 1883, Page 3

OFFICIAL INQUIRY INTO THE WRECK OF THE TRIUMPH.

Auckland, This day

The official inquiry into the wreck of the Triumph was commcncerl yesterday before the R.M. ami Captains Fniter and James, assessors.

The Crown Prosecutor opened the proceedings by quoting authorities in support of the Court's right to withhold or cancel the certificates of the officers of the ship. He had received instructions to make the inquiry as searching as possible, in order that some light might be thrown upon what appeared a most extraordinary and unexplicable occurrence. Mr Kesketh, who appeared for Captain Brotherton, said his client did not seek to excuse himself on any nautical ground whatever. He would take all the blame on himself. He would not question as to the fineness of the night, nor the fact that ho had received the right course from the pilot. Captain Brotherton would explain simply that, owing to exhaustion from illness, work, and worry, he dozed off while standing on the bridge of the vessel, and was recalled to consciousness when it was too late to save the ship. If that explanation would shorten the enquiry he would bo glad to have offered it. Commenting on this the Crown Prosecutor said, if the captain had dozed off, he had witnesses to say that a few moments before the vessel struck they saw him moving about the bridge, and that they called to him. He also would like to know how tho captain could account for the fact of the officers engaged on deck not seeing the light, or being aware of danger. He would also call testimony to show that there had been a great deal of jollification before the ship left, in which the officers and saloon passengers took part, and that some of the crow were taken on before the Triumph left in. a state of helpless* intoxication.

The pilot deposed to taking the captain out of the harbor, and giving , him two alternative courses, one being si direct course, and the other to go by the east end of Tiritiri. Three friends of the captain left the ship in the pilot boat, one being the captain's cousin. One was rather the worse for liquor. He thought Captain Brotherton was sober enough to take charge of his ship. He might, for all he knew, have had a glass or two of grog Ho did not see him take a little brandy, but knew nothing beyond that. The Crown Prosecutor here commented on the hesitating way in which Pilot Burgess gave his evidence. The pilot: The night, though dark, was clear, and there was no danger in the way of the safe navigation of the ship. The lighthouse keeper deposed to seeing the ship run on the rocks. The light, was then burning brightly, and he could see land three miles away.

Captain Brotherton, in reply to questions by Mr Hesketh, said : I was suffering from neuralgia before and after my arrival in Auckland, and consulted the doctor of the ship, who prescribed for me. The neuralgia affected tho right side of my head and face, and I was affected the night before I went to sea, and part of the morning of that day. I had little sleep during the time I was in port from Monday till Thursday, and felt the want of it. I got up at -1.30 on the morning of the 29th to shift tho ship round under tho crane to get two large boilers out, and worked at that until 12 o'clock, up till which I was engaged running about to the 'shipping office and other offices till G o'clock. I had no drink when the pilot left. I was asked to take drink when the pilot was leaving, but refused. After the pilot left I went on the bridge, and relieved the second mate, and from that time until the ship struck I never left the bridge, and am able to tell no more than that. Some time after speaking to the mate and a passenger I fell asleep. There was no jollification with my friends on board, and, except when I went to look at the chart, and to write a certificate, I never left the bridge. The sole cause of my going to sleep was exhaustion. It never before happened to me, but I have known it occur to others. It cannot in any way directly or indirectly benefit me to lose this ship, and cannot in any way benefit my owners as far as lam able to tell. Tho ship was a very strong ship. She was built at a cheap rate, as iron was cheap when she was contracted for, and rose afterwards. There was a disturbance with the builders on this account, and they wanted more money. I believe she cost £40,000 but the owners had been offered £10,000 on their bargain before she was launched. I do not know what insurances are on the vessel, except £10,000 in Lloyd's. Ido not believe she is insured to her full value.