THE PORT STEPHENS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1909, 19 October 1906, Page 4

THE PORT STEPHENS.

TIIE CAPTAIN 11LAMEJ.). I'IIKSS ASSOCIATION Htuudin Inst night. At tho nautical enquiry held yesterday into the circumstances conncclcit with the abandonment of the steamer i’ort Stephens, the evidence did not disclose anything new, save that when the steamer was abandoned the hutches were oil. Arthur Edwin Jolly, the master, said he supposed it was in's duty to sec to tho provisions. There was enough on board for a fortnight, or double the time of the voyage to Newcastle He was inclined to think oven if there had been more provisions on board he would have abandoned, the steamer. He acted to tho best of his skill and judgment, when ho saw there was no possibility of repair or assistance, knew lie was drifting southwards, and had only a fortnight’s provisions on board. The Marine Court found Captain Jolly, of the Port Stevens, guilty of a great error of judgment in abandoning the ship. Had ho made himself previously acquainted with local conditions, ho must have known the chances were against drifting further south. Ho \vas_ also guilty of great negligence in navigating in strange waters without furnishing himsolf with the host authorities oil navigation in the said waters. He did not sufficiently encourage liis officers and men to stand by the ship after tho visit of the llavonscourt, and his reason for this, viz , shortness of provisions, was due in a great measure to his own neglect in not acquainting himself with the quantity on board before sailing. He should have let part of bis crow only leave by tiro Kavenscourt. The engineers did all that was possible to repair tiie broken shaft. In every ease a vessel propelled by a singlo screw should carry a shaft coupling. It was to bo regretted that tiie other officers except the chief did not show any desire to back up the captain by sticking to the ship. Taking into consideration all the circumstances the Court did not consider it necessary to witli-hold any of the certificates, but as the captain must be held responsible for what tho Court considered a- great error of judgment it ordered him to pay fifteen guineas towards the expenses of the enquiry.