HARBOR BOARD.

Evening Star, Issue 4106, 25 April 1876, Page 3

HARBOR BOARD.

The Harbor Board met at 2.30 to-day; {►resent —Messrs Reid (in the chair), Tewsey, Ritchie, Reeves, and M'Kinnon. Messrs Strode, P. Logan, and Rattray forwarded the following report as to' the detention of the Colima outside the Heads on April 3:

On the 20th instant we received notification from the Provincial Secretary’s office that your Honor had appointed ns a commission to inquire into and report upon the causes which led to the steamer Colima not entering the Otago Harbor on the 3rd of April, 1876. Accordingly, since receiving tli&t notification, we have met several times with Capt. Shaokford of the s.s. Colima, who aided our inqdkfV with all frankness and courtesy; also with Caps. Thomson, the Chief Harbor-Master, Mr Pilot Kelly, and Mr Simpson, the Harbor Beard's Engineer, all of whom gave us freely the info motion in their power. We beg to enclose with this letter the minutes of evidence taken by us. And we now have the honor to eport the conclusions we have airived at thereupon. It would appear that on the 3rd day of April the wn-il steamer Colima arrived off Otago Heads at 7 a.m., and was at once boarded by Pilot Kelly. Captain Shaokford placed the ship in his bonds and under his responsibility to take in telling him, she was drawing 21ft lOin of water. Unfortunately, there was that day, an unusually low neap tide, having only 4ft of rise and fall, so that no more than 22ft could bo expected at high water on the outer bar in the usual channel, and there was, in addition, a veiy heavy and dangerous sea breaking on the bar. Pilot Kelly therefore with Hie concurrence of Captain Shaokford, determined not to attempt’to take the ship in on that day —which conclusion was fully bom out by Captain Thomson, the Chief Harbor Master, who boarded theColimalater. It was then suggested that by trimming the cargo the ship's draught could be lessened one foot, and that by waiting till the following morning a more favorable bar and tide might exist and the ship might then easily enter; but os there could be no certainty of the) sea falling by tbe next morning, and as Captain Shaokford required the Colima to he the next two days in harbor in order to prepare for the outward voyage, he deemed it advisable to leave Otago at once for Fort Lyttelton, and he did so leave. From the evidence of Mr Simpson it would appear that the soundings lately taken by that gentleman confirmed the opinion of Pilot Kelly on the 3rd inst as to the depth of water on the bar. We find, therefore, that the causes which prevented the Colima entering tbe harbor on the day in question were the unusually low tide, an extremely heavy sea, and the great draught of the ship, and we consider that sound judgment was exercised by all concerned in tbe course adopted. We are satisfied also, that it was the device of Captain Shaokford that his ship should hove entered Otago Harbor had it been possible. Itmayrnotbeout of place for us to remark that on this occasion the s.s. Colima, having a full supply of coal on board for the voyage to San Francisco, besides other dead weight, was drawing within 6in of her greatest draught, which is within 22ft 4in, and that a few days later, after discharging at Lyttelton 200 or 800 tons of coal, and emptying the water from her boilers, sbe drew only 18ft 6in. The evidence discloses that in ordinary weather there is 28(t of water on the bar in the usual channel at high water, and that in fine weather an entrance is available by the north channel for vessels drawing 24ft. Yet it might be better if mail steamers requiring immediate entrance to tbe harbor were to regulate their lading so os to have a draught to some extent less than the water which be calculated on at tbe Heads at present in average weather and tides. Tour Honor will observe a suggestion made both by Ca I 'Jtaln Thomson and Mr Simpson, in their evidence, that by the use of heavy iron harrows applied occasionally to the outer bar the depth of water av.aOablc in that channel could be increased from 22ft to perhaps 24ft. Should it be necessary, la view of the steamers belonging to tbe Californian Mail Sendee and other vessels of great draught of water constantly visiting this port In future, to deepen the bar, we think this suggestion well worthy the attention of tbe Harbor Board.

It was resolved that the report be received and a vote of thanks be given to the Commissioners.

A letter was received from the Engineer, stating that he saw nothing in Mr M‘Gregor’s calculations to comment upon. The Board resolved that the Engineer’s reply to the Secretary’s memo, of the 19th, asking him to report re Mr M ‘Gregor’s letter and other matters, is unsatisfactory, and that he be again requested to furnish the Board with the information required. Some correspondence was read and an account passed for payment.