THE BEEFS AT RODERIGUES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume IX, Issue 585, 12 June 1858, Page 4

THE BEEFS AT RODERIGUES.

Although we formerly published a notice of the loss of the James Gibson, we were not then in possession of details. As these are important to ship masters, owing to the difference of extent and description of the Rodrigues reefs given by Captain Mennie and others, from those officially furnished by charts and sailing directions, we quote the following particiflars Itom the ' Mauritius Commercial Gazette:'—

In the declaration of Captain Mennie, which we publish below, we find the assertion which is repeated by the master of every vessel lost off Eodrigues, viz., that the reef extends some miles beyond the indications given in the usual charts and nautical directions. In 1843 the Queen Victoria and Oxford were lost very near where the James Gibson struck, and the Government requested Sir John Marshall, of H. M. S. Isis, to proceed there to survey the coast of Rodrigues, to ascertain the actual position of the reefs. His own words on his return are:—"l carefully examined the reefs extending from Flat Island, on the south side of Rodrigues, round the west end to Booby Island, on the north side, and m no part does the reef extend beyond five and six miles." He adds—vessels are recommended to pass to leeward of the island, giving the northeast part of ,the reef a good berth." The captains of the Queen Victoria and Oxford both reported that the reefs on which they struck were 15 to 18 miles from the main land. The other vessels that have been lost since report the same, and finally Captain Mennie reports from 12 to 15 miles; but he supports his assertion with the opinion of Capfciin Daviot, who is well acquainted with Rodrigues, and with other persons present. Captain Mennie knew nothing of the opinions given by other captains as to the extent of the reefs, and that he should have estimated the distance about the same as the captains of vessels previously wrecked off Rodrigues staggers our faith in Sir John Marshall's report. The wreck of the James Gibson is still to be seen, and if competent surveyors could be' sent to measure the distance the question would be set at rest. In such matters the mere estimation of a distance is not enough to establish it, but as the general .opinion is in favor of the distance fixed by the captains, we are led to suspect that there might be a second bank of reefs which escaped the officers of the Isis. At any rate it is of importance, in presence of the repeated declarations of captains of vessels wrecked there, that there should be a further investigation of the reefs and coast of Rodrigues.

The Loss of the James Gibson at Rodbigttes.—We have been favoured by Captain H. H. Mennie, late master of the schooner James Gibson, with a copy of his declaration of the loss of the said vessel, made bef*e a Notarypublic of this town, of which the following is the substance: —The James Gibson left Adelaide on the 11th December, bound to Port Louis, and was proceeding on her voyage when, on the 20th January, 1858, being off Rodrigues, at a distance of at least 15 miles from the main land, at about 6.10 p.m., the vessel struck. She was going at the rate of five miles per hour, and was steered W. £N. Just before the vessel struck the Captain says:—"l saw smooth water, which I thought was the wind coming in the opposite direction. I then.gave orders to see the steering sail and likewise the running gear all clear. The orders were hardly out of my mouth when the vessel struck. We tried everjp means to get her off. There was apparently deep water about the vessel's length a-head and about half her length astern. After remaining there for some time thumping very heavily, we percieved the flukes of two anchors on the port beam, which told me the tide was ebbing. - She was by this time fast fore and aft. I then set all my after sail and cleared up everything forward, and hauled down all head sails, thinking when the tide rose she would come round, but about 11 o'clock she began to strike very heavily and came up head to sea. She was then much easier. There was a great quantity of water in the hold. During the remainder of the night I flashed signals of distress every half-hour. At day-light saw several boats approaching us. At 10.30 on the 31st a boat came alongside, in which was Captain W. C. .Davoit, of the schooner Antoinette, also Mr. E. S. Messiter, chief officer of Government on the island. They toI4 me to get my crew, myself, and everything valuable out of the vessel; which was done, and the j vessel left, I handed the specie, &c, over to [ Mr. Messiter. According to the observations, i 1 second S., and long 64 degrees 19 seconds E. My chart of fhe island of Roderigues, which is on a large scale, likewise Horsburg's Directions, informed that there was no danger outside from 3to 5 miles. Now the distance of the vessel where she now lies on the reef of the S. E. coast of the island is in the opinion of most of the people of the island, as well as that of Captain Daviot and myself over 12 and under 15 miles from the land." Captain Mennie concludes by declaring that the accident took place without any negligence on his part, or that of any officers under his command. The document is signed, in presence of the Police Magistrate, by IL H. Mennie, master, John Kendall, Ist officer, John Ross, 2nd officer, John Lang worthy, cook and steward, Thomas Greaves, Charles Nice Anderson and William Insker, seamen.