THE LATE NAUTICAL ENQUIRY.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1303, 23 May 1878, Page 3

THE LATE NAUTICAL ENQUIRY.

THE DECISION. The following ia the decision arrived at by the Collector of Customs regarding the enquiry into the damages sustained by the W. C. Wentworth, Omaha, and Enterprise during the B.W. gale of May 16th : That the los* or damage appears by the evidence to hare been caused by the fury of the gale carrying away the chock in the bow of tlie W. 0. Wentworth, thereby causing the parting of the breast-moorings of that vessel, causing her to drive down on the Omaha, causing the Omaha to drag her anchor, and fall on top of the Enterprise, by which that vessel was driven against the breastwork; the W. C. Wentworth aiid the Omaha also coming in contact with the breastwork —the heavy sea on at the time doing the damage sustained by each vessel. And I, the said principal officer of Customs, further state my opinion on the matters aforesaid to be as follows : That no carelessness is attributable to any one of the masters of the vessels aforesaid, and that whether the fouling of the Enterprise's anchor was with the Omaha's chain or vice versa, and when such took place, from the evidence obtainable it i 3 impossible to decide, but that everything was done that could be done under the circumstances to save the vessels from damage, and that what damage did occur was solely attributable to the fury of the gale, and am further of opinion that the moorings appear to have been reasonably sufficient. Alexander Rose, Principal (jfficer of Customs, I, William Wprster, nautical assessor at said enquiry, do fully concnr in the above report.