THE ASPASIA INQUIRY.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2588, 24 July 1882, Page 3

THE ASPASIA INQUIRY.

An icquiry took place this Bfternoon at the Custom House into the stranding of the schooner Aspasia. The following is the evidence given up to the time of our going to press : Michael Moora, being sworn, deposed —1 am master and sole owner of tho schooner Aspasia, offioial number 52410, registered in Wellington; registered tonnage, 44 67 100 tons. I hold no certificate of any class. We were at anohor at Motonau anchorage in Pegasus Bay on tho 14;h July, having arrived at 8 a.m. from Foxtoa, and commenced discharging limber at twelve o'olock, tho winds being light northerly and medium eea, at night shifting my acohorage further out, in case of ■ having to ran, so as to ba dear of the bight. I On Saturday morning (15lh inst.) tho w;nd

ooming in S.W., I put to sea, and returned at night to the outer anchorage, as the sea was moderate, and the wind had hauled round off shore, i.e., westerly. On Sunday | morning (16:b) I hovß my anohor and put to ■ea, aa the wind veered round to the B.W. again, bub it kept light, and I only got about two miles off. About twelve at noon the wind having voered round and ooming off the land, I went bank to the inner fttiohorajro. The wind was oS the land all th« might N.8.W., blowing hard. The vessel with this wind would bo in safety at the ou;er auchorage. The wind baokod rounl to the B.W. en Monday morning (17th ir,»t.). I hcTJ anchor and went to sea, the being moderate, and taoked about till 1 p.m. The wind dropping

light, I went to ;the inner auohorage, and brought up. The wind being very light, abouc W.H.W., and then falling calm, I con'inned disoho'g'ng till about 4 p.m., after which I had to wait for wind to take me to the outer anchorage. The first wind that came so as to command the vessel was W.S.W , and I beat out and got to sea. I remiined out till about 1 am. on Tuesday, the 18th instant, when I returned to the anchorage, somewhat closer than the outer anchorage before mentioned, yet not inside the bight, aa the wind had veered round wjsterly and the water was very smooth. I kept the watch till daylight, when I roused the men to work, the weather being favorable for discharging, but -wo did no work, as I fancied I saw a soa coming in from the 3.8, About J a.m. I got the yesjel under

weigh to beat out, and standing in shore I put the helm down, for the vessel to come round, She missed flay*, and finding I could do no better, I let go the anohor, in 1 the hope of checking her head round on the other tack, so as to get another board out. She came head to wind, but fell off again, dragging her anohor very freely. When she payed off the second time I gavo her about fifty fathoms of ohain whioh brought her up. Btsveen 3 and 4 p.m. finding no hope of weathering the island or escaping ineny way, I let go the second anohor. She hold for a time but not lone, and W3snowin tiebreaker coming to stril« the rockr. She shipped one heavy sea on the port bow, whioh split the rudder with the bumping and stovo in the hatohes. Finding it was hopeless tut us I slipjtl the pott anohor chain and let !:» go on the beach.