THE THISTLE WRECK.

Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1641, 6 January 1906, Page 2

THE THISTLE WRECK.

THE CAPTAIN BLAMED. (Per Press As*ooiati'oe.) Auckland, lasi night. The nautical inquiry touching the circumstances Butrounding the wreck of the barque Thistle, near the north-east islets, off Palmerston reef, in the South Pacific Ocean, on November B,' 1905, was conclude! to-day. Captain Champion, of the Government schooner Counless of Radfurly, who has had 30 years’ experiences of Island navigation, said he considered that Coplain England took ample precautions. Witness wou'd hate taken tho same course himso'f in similar circumstances, The Sara-go-sa, wrecked in Cook's group, was put out of her course by the difference in the prevailing current. The currents were very unreliable, and wore affected by the wind.

Hr C. C. Keltic, in giviog judgment-, Said (be Court wero of opinion that the master was over-eonfi lent as to bis true position. Ac midnight on the 7th he suspected that the current might be running in a southerly direction, aDd in their opinion he was guilty of an errer of judgI rnent in altering the vessel's course at midnight so as to bring her nearer io the Islands. Looking at the conditions as they ex’s'ed, be should have oor.tioued on his course ot 6 p m. oa the 7th, at any raio until daylight. The Court were also of ! opinion that, knowing bis vessel was getting abrefist of the Islands and in a dangerous zone, he should have remained on deck from 1 a.m. until daylight. Having regard to the whole of the circumstances the Court did not think that the certificates of the mastor q-nd officers should be dealt vvilb, and they wero ac cordingly returned unendorsed. The ccsls of the Court, £6 6s, were ordered to be horns by the master. mu- _ • j t j iL„t

The evidence showed that the currents at and about those Islands are very treacherous and uncertain.