THE BRIG MAGGIE.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 8, Issue 392, 9 July 1866, Page 3

THE BRIG MAGGIE.

[To the Editor of the Hawke’s Bay Times.l Sie, —Having carefully watched the issues of your paper from the 28th June to the present date, fully expecting to see the questions of “ A Lover of Justice” answered ; but as none of the admirals of the Spit have undertaken the task, in order to elicit the other questions respecting the suitability of the brig ‘ Maggie,’ I, your humble servant, will try my hand, and give “ A Lover of Justice” satisfactory answers, being myself an eye- witness of the proceedings. Question I.—What did Capt Cellem do in the management of the brig he should not have done ? Answer.—He camo to the bar at too late a period of the tide. Without stating the time of high water, or or the time the brig took the ground, the fads themselves are sufficient. When the anchor was let go the brig would not drop, and after a line had been run away to the buoy it was still fruitless, as the ebb was strong away, and the brig in spite of effort drifted out until the bank brought her up. Question 2.—What did he leave undone that he should have done in coming in ? Answer.—This seems to be a repetition of Question 1. Question 3.—ln coming in could Capt. Cellem let go the second anchor when it was lying in the Bay with forty-live fathoms of cable attached ? Answer.—“ A Lover of Justice” has displayed a wonderful amount of nautical acumen in askin'* such a question. Captain Cellem could not let go the anchor, but from the knowledge of only having one heavy anchor available in entering, ought to have chosen a proper time of tide, and used every other precaution, knowing that his supply of ground tackle was limited. Question 4.—Has Captain Cellem during the stay of the brig done anything directly or indirectly to impede her despatch, or showed dislike to Mr Vautier ? Answer.—Ho did not render any facilities that were observable, and the fact of insisting on having a portion of the cargo discharged (thirty tons being the quantity lightered) previous to his undertaking to bring her in, is no evidence of any facility, and does not prove any particular liking for him. Question s.—Daring the time the Maggie has been in port has Captain Cellem granted the use of the Government warps to moor tier ? Answer,—The warps, to the best of my belief, were used to moor the brig, and very justly so, as by being moored by her cable, chains would have pulled all the posts up as well as the ouoshe did pull up from the point, and likewise carry away the ring from the chain near the Custom House. Question 6.—ls Captain Cellem on behalf of the Government, going to claim for the use of warps ? Answer. I would rather think not; the boot is on tne other leg. Mr Vautier ought to claim for detention, loss of time, arising in consequence of not having sufficient moorings in the harbor of iNapicr for vessels of any large tonnage. You will oblige by inserting this, so that it may induce “A Lover of Justice” to put the other questions respecting the suitability of the brig.—Yours, &c., A VOICE FROM THE FORECASTLE. Napier, 7th July, 1866.