THE WRECK OF THE QUEEN OF THE THAMES.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VI, Issue 142, 22 June 1871, Page 2

THE WRECK OF THE QUEEN OF THE THAMES.

From the Cape Argus and Standard we extract the following details respecting the wreck of the steamer Queen of the Thames : — Before the magistrate of Bredasdorp a court of inquiry was held. For remainder of news see fourth page.

At this inquiry Captain Macdonald's evidence was as follows : — I sailed from Melbourne ou the 18th February Inst, at 1 p.m. I had a prosperous voyage up to the time of the acci* dent. I first saw land on the 17th March at half-past 3 p.m., making the lan_ within a mile of my calculation. I am acquainted with the coast, and considered myself acquainted with the danger of the current and made due allowance for the same. According to the best of my judgment, it was about thirty-five miles when I first sighted laud. Immediately I made Cape Recif I took observations, which proved my former calculations were correct. I was steering west by south. Such is the correct course for the coast. On that day I did not approach nearer to the coast, but gradually drew off. About sunset I lost sight of the coast entirely. It was a moderately clear night, and I could have distinguished tbe coast had we been near enough — I mean at sunset. The above are all nautical time 3. When we next saw land was noon on Friday. Could I have seen it distinctly I believe I should have known it; but there was a haze over the land. It was owiug to the formation of the coast that we came near land again, having kept the same course. On that day at noon I took observations by six different chronometers, aud the greatest difference between the six one and threequarter miles, the mean of the six being only a quarter of a mile from standard chronometer. It is an unusual thing for a ship to have six chronometers. From thence I shaped my course for Cape L'Agulhus, bearing from fifteen to eighteen miles. She did not get further to the westward than the spot where we struck. About 9, o'clock p.m. I sighted the land, aud a light which I took to be Cape L'Agulhus. I kept on my course for about an hour' or more, and then shaped a course for the Cape of Good Hope, steering west and by north, northerly, being fully persuaded that the light I saw was L'Agulhus, being a fixed bright light, and considered that' I had overrun my distance. I did not simply rely on my own judgment, but consulted all my officers as to the nature of the light; and even sent an officer aloft, Mr. Murray, the secoud officer, with the night-glasses, who confirmed me in my opinion. All the officers saw the lig^t;- I believe I was keeping my proper distance from the coast. I took soundings, and found no bottom at the depth of about sixty fathoms ; four hours afterwards I took another cast, with the same result. Then I did not see land after that time until the time of the accident, which occurred about 1 a.m. or 1.15 a.m. on the morning of Saturday, the 18th March. At the time I felt the ship strike I was taking my usual rounti in the saloon, to see that all lights w^es out. Two nights before one of the state rooms was found in a blaze. At the time of-The accident the chief officer, Mr. Rows, was hs" charge. Since I left London my standing orders were that I should be calited- every two hours, and I believe no longer time elapsed between my visits -on deck.. Immediately I felt the vessel strike I went on deck aud took charge of the ship out of the officer's command. The first order was for the engines to go astern full speed, and I sent for the carpenter to sound the several compartments. I also sent for the chief engineer, and begged of him to use every means at his disposal and give h,er an extra pressure of steam to back h^r off. It was very dark when the ship struck ; breakers were observed about a cable's length ahead of the ship. Shortly after the ship struck the land was discovered, which loomed a long way off. As soon as practicable every preparation was made for landing passengers and crew. I landed every soul safe with the exception of the purser, who was capsized in the afternoon in attempting to laad iv a boat put off from the shore. I may state that the purser bad all the ship's papers and accounts with him, and I believe they were all lost, including my certificate. It was high water at the time of the accident. Owing, to the great impetus of the ship it was some time before her way could be stayed, and she was by that time on the beach inside the reef. When she first struck the reef it was about a mile and a-half from the shore. I form this opinion from subsequent observation. I consider she is about one mile from high water mark now, The tide rises and falls inside, and at high water there is about lßft of water in the hold. I attribute the loss of my ship to the great disarrangement of my compass, and the very strong and uncertain current. I also consider the stroDg bright fixed light observed by myself and officers was sufficient to deceive any shipmaster, more especially from myself Having run my distance. The light was observed close to shore, and was then distant ten or twelve mileß. I have an interest in the vessel, 8-64, registered in name of John Napier, which is only par tially insured. I estimate my share at about _510,000. I am not certain,; but

consider not more than half is covered by insurance. In addition to the interest in the ship, I had among lhe passengers my wife on board. In conf'lusion,.l attribute the loss of the ship to the ihree facts previously mentioned : 1, — the fi_6il bright light on shore, whicli was mistaken by myself and officers for the L'Agulhas light, thereby causing me to take aud shape a course for Cape Point sooner than I should otherwise have done; 2, tbe current setting in an opposite direction, and stronger in shore than laid down in the directions, which I had subsequently ascertained to be six knots; 3, to the total disarrangement of the compasses, notwithstanding the vessel having been swung at the last port at Melbourne, aud furnished with a card of deviation, which my daily observations proved to be unreliable aud totally at variance with the course made good. The evidence of the officers was much to the same effect. The magistrate of Bredasdorp acquitted all concerned of blame, but the examination was so unsatisfactory that a fresh inquiry was held, as follows: — A court was afterwards held by the acting resident magistrate of Cape Town iuto the circumstances connected with the wreck of the steamer Queen of the Thames; Sir Thomas Maclear and Lieutenant Archdeacon, of H.M.S. Sirius, as assessors. Mr. Fairbridge appeared on behalf of Captain M 'Donald. His Worship, in opening the proceedings, said the court was held for the purpose of taking further evidence with respect to the circumstances under which the steamer Queen of the Thames was wrecked, on the 18th of March, near L'Agulhas. Mr. Fairbridge said that on behalf of Captain M'Donald he objected to the competency of the Court in proceeding to inquire into a matter which had been already inquired iuto, aud upon which a sentence of a duly constituted Court had been pronounced. The magistrate then proceeded to read the evidence given by Captain M'Donald before the resident Magistrate of Bredasdorp, and, at its conclusion, asked whether he had anything further to add. Captain M'Donald : I merely appear here out of respect to your Worship and the court, and most respectfully decline to say an thing. Sir Thomas Maclear : I appear hero as one of the assessors, and I wish to put one or two questions, which no gentleman shWd refuse to answer. Was your ship put round when you were in .Australia ? Captain M'Donald : With 5 the greatest respect for the court, and yourself as my senior, I must still state most firmly that I will not answer any questions whatever. The magistrate : You refuse tofeanswer any questions ? 'jl Captain M'Donald : I do.' -^ Sir Thomas Maclear then left the court, and the magistrate read the evidence given at Bredasdorp by Mr. Gr. T. Rowe, the first officer. The evidence of some of the other passengers was then taken and among others that of John Bales Burkitt who said : I was a passenger on board the steamer Queen of the Thames. I took notes of the positions of the ship each day since leaving Melbourne. I can produce the notes. During the afternoon of the 17th I repeatedly looked at the binuicle compass, and found the course to be about north-w.est, that is within a point or two. About* 8.„-"0 s clock p.m. I saw a light, and could < see "the outline of the shore, but it was evidently a long way off ; the' light was rather indistinct by the haze. After that I went down in the saloon, and -remained there until about half-passed 10 o'clock, when the lights were put out, and I went on deck. I could then see land about half-a-mile on the starboard beam. I called the attention of a midshipman named Tyler to the fact. He at first denied the fact, but afterwards admitted that it was the land. The captain's wife, occupying a deck cabin, bearing the words, sent for the captain. I suppose she was alarmed. I went forward to the forecastle to see whether I could see laud, but could not, and I returned to the saloon deck, and heard the captain order Mr. Murray, the second officer, in charge of the watch, to give her oue point to port. I went below at about 11 o'clock p.m. The land was still on the starboard beam, and it eased my mind a good deal to know that we were bearing off it. I went to bed with great anxiety, and when the ship struck, ll was up directly. She struck 1 once, v and I immediately got up, but before I got on my trowsers she struck again. I felt that she was in smooth water. I went on deck and saw that the engines were reversed. She seemed to grate about half her length. She appeared to bump upon thereof from the time of her second striking until she became stationary. This concluded the proceeding-!.