THE SURAT ENQUIRY.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IX, Issue 18, 21 January 1874, Page 2

THE SURAT ENQUIRY.

The following is the evidence given at the enquiry by Captain Johnson the master of the Surat:— My name is Edward Joseph Johnson, that of my ship Surat. She was registered at Liverpool, and her official number is 45879. The ship's age was nearly eleven years, and she was classed at Liverpool, Lloyd's at twelve years. She was ship-rigged, built of iroD; her registered tonnage was 999 84.100 tons. The number of the crew on the articles were thirtyseven the doctor and myself included. The number at the time of the casualty was thirty-five, two being sick. I have a master's certificate of competency; the first mate has the same, and the second mate a second mate's certificate of competency. The original number of passengers was 271 souls, but only 270 when the vessel was lost; an infant having died on the passage. We left Gravesend— -speaking from memory — at 9 o'clock on the morning of September 28. The date and hour of the casualty was the 31st December, between a quarter and five minutes to ten at night. Tho weather was showery, dark, and cloudy, and the land covered with haze. The direction of the wind was about N.W., with a fresh breeze. The exact spot of the casualty was Chasland's Mistake. The ship touched on Chaslands's Mistake, came off, and was a total loss at Catlin's River. The ship's value was between £14,000 and £15,000*. Was in the saloon when the vessel struck. Left the deck for the last time before the shock about 9.20. Was sitting at the cabin table when I felt the vessel bump slightly, and I ran on deck. I ran on to the poop. She struck three times afterwards, the last of which was heavy. She struck amidships. I immediately ordered the helm hard up to turn the vessel's head from the shore. The second officer had got the helm hard up before giving the order. The man at the helm gave tbe usual answer, " hard up it is." The vessel had paid round to southward and eastward ; sail was taken off her, and the yards were trimmed. The vessel never stopped, but went over the rock, She did strike again. The bumping of the vessel caused me to give the order " hard up," as the vessel could only strike on the port side, as there was no land on the other. I could see the land close to when I went on to the poop; about half to a quarter of a mile away. The night was dark at the time the vessel touched. It was immediately after a rain shower. Ido not think the moon had risen. When the vessel struck the second mate had charge of the deck. His watch comprised twelve men besides himself. I do not of my own knowledge know that a look-out was kept. I had no report from my offibers on that occasion, although general instructions were given to them to give reports of proceedings. I gave a special order to the second officer to keep a good look-out that night. The first thing done after the ship's striking was to send the carpenter to sound the pumps, and the third mate was directed to stand by with a watch in, his hand to note the water madp in a given time. The vessel made no watpr at all within an hour and ten minutes after she struck. At the end of that time four inches of water were reported. Iron vessels generally contain about two inches. The pumps were got ready, but would not draw with so little water as that. During the time stated the yards had been trimmed and the canvas reduced. That was done in twenty minutes. The vessel's head was put to the southward and eastward, wi?h the wind at N.W. The vessel was put upder three lgwer topsails, and stood on that course for three-quarters of an hour. Finding she was making no water, in order to allay the irritation of the passengers, the ship was hove-to. The passengers were frightened, rushed into the saloon, apd filled it immediately after the ship struck. When the carpenter reported that no water was coming in, I got them calmed down, and, order being restored, they returned to their quarter*. The ship was hoveto before that. Another object pf my heaving-to was to w^it for daybreak. I did not exactly know the vessel's position at the time,. Had never been on the coast before. Believe the chief officer had ; at least J think I have heard hjni say so, but I did not rely upon my knowledge, He was in bed when the ship struck. J relied on • d§riyed from examinamy ijnv, B

tion of the chart. The soundings are shown for about twenty-five miles off the coast. I hauled the vessel into the northward, expecting to get N. and N.E. winds; that was my only object. Those winds would have been head winds for me, whereas by keeping alone: the coast I expected to carry the N.N.W. wind with me and make a quicker passage. The vessel made more water than the pumps could heave. From the pumps being started it gradually increased, till it got to over a foot an hour over the pumps. It was reported to me from time to time — about every half-hour — what water she was making, but I do not recollect to what extent it increased every halfhour. At 5 a.m. it was gaining on the pumps at over a foot per hour, and at the time we beached her she was increasing 15 inches an hour more than .the pumps. There waß nearly 10 feet of water in the hold when we beached her. — Your vessel was an iron one, and for 10 minutes after striking on the rock she did not leak any; I want you to Bay whether you can account in any wßy for the vessel only making four inches in that hour and ten minutes ? — I cannot, except that the ship shaking loosened the rivets, and that they dropped out afterwards, that is the only thing. There was no more motion of the vessel than is usual with ships at sea, but very little would cause the rivets to drop out. Another thing is that there were four inches of cement on her bottop, which would keep her from making water for some time. Between four and five o'clock in the morning I became satisfied that the pumps would not be able to keep tbe vessel afloat; we were then heading for the Nuggets; were about four miles off, well towards the land, with the wind N.W. As the day advanced the wind was more to the W., which was fairer for me, but not better, as the ship would sail better with the wind abeam. As the wind got lighter I made wore sail. At four a.m. made all the available sail that would do good. Did you see any vessel or passing steamer ?— Yes. I cannot positively speak as to the time, but as far as my judgment allows me, between three and four in tbe morning I saw a steamer passing between the vessel and the land. She was two miles distant at the least. It was then broad daylight. Could you, had you been so disposed, signal the steamer ? — I did signal her. Whatsignal did you make? — I hoisted an ensign union down. I sent the fourth mate — the purser (Vincke) — to attend to it. Had you a gun on board ? — Two, and ammunition. I did not fire a gun. At the time I did not think the case so bad as it ultimately turned out to be, and I thought I could get on without the assistance of the steamer. Why adopt half measures? — I would not have hoisted the ensign on my own account. The constable of the young women — a passenger — was hoisting the ensign. I was a little annoyed at that being done, and ordered it to be hauled d*wn. On coming back I met Vincke, and told him to attend to it. Not two minutes afterwards I ordered the fourth mate to attend to it. I had only 40ft. to walk, and met Vincke on the poop. Why wbb it after ordering the ensign down you ordered it up again? — The reason was I did not wish the passengers to take charge of the vessel. Is that a reason fer hoisting it up again? — it seems to be an approval of the act of the passengers. — If I had kept the ensign up, as hoisted by the passengers, without taking it down and running it up by one of my own crew, it would have caused some disturbance on board which was likely — not that I thought the steamer was then necessary. I had a fine strong breeze at the time the steamer passed, and I don't think if she had turned round she could have caught us without my heaving to. What information did you gain between the steamer passing and four or five o'clock to induce yoji to come to, the conclusion that you were at the latter hour in greater danger than you were previously ? — The carpenter's report that the water was gaining faster and faster upon the pumps. Between four and five the water was gaining on the pumps at tbe rate of about seven inches an hour: an hour before it gained at the rate of six inches. It was as I drew towards Jack's Island that the wtiter gained upon me very fast, and as it rose the vessel beqame' much more unhandy and unwieldy. Did that difference of an inch of an inch of water in an hour cause you to alter your opinion of your ultimate chance of arriving at your port? — It did not, but the next hour, when the water gained ten or eleven inches, did, and then I ran into Jack's Bay and anchored. Were you asked by anyone to fire a gun to attract the attention of the steamer? rr-No | not by anyone. By no one? No.t by any of the passengers? — not by any to my knowledge. Did not tbe doctor ask you? — Not to the best of my knowledge. What sized gun was it? — A six-pounder. But you afterwards sent a boat o$ tq the atea.mer ?- — I did not; my second officer went off in a boat. Did he go by your orders ? — The boats were hanging to the ship by a painter, and had been let go astern. There were three boats, and the second mate went off in one of them against my orders. Did it occur to you to run the vessel in Bloody Jack's Bay, or was f bat suggested or forced upon you? — I decided for myself. Mr Daniel Booth, a passenger, came to me and said, " Captain, dear captain, do put us on land some where , 5? J. replied, " That is the only thing I can see tp be done now; I have decided on going into this

bay." We anchored in Jack's Bay in seven fathoms. In Jack's Bay 100 passengers were landed in the ship's boats, under the second, third, and fourth officers. The first mate was drunk in bed; the others were sober. I remained in full charge of the vessel from the striking until the beaching. The first mate was just turning into bed when the vessel struck. I last saw him previous to the vessel striking, at about a quarter past eight. He was then perfectly sober. I again saw him about ten minutes after the vessel struck. He attended to my orders at the fore end of the vessel. The second mate attended to them aft. He was sober when I first saw him after the vessel striking. It was about four in the morning that I first noticed anything wrong with him. He came to me and said that the passengers had taken the longboat out of his hands. He was then a little the worse for drink. He had a bottle of gin which I gave him the day before, and he must have got drunk on that. I drank some more that evening after the vessel struck, but I decline to state what I drank-. I had my own pistol (a small revolver) in my pocket, but it was not loaded. I put it there immediately after I hove the vessel to. I put the pistol in my pocket in order to prevent the single men getting into the boats before the women and children. I never found it necessary to use it. I took it out of my pocket and presented it at some men generally who were in the boats. This was when the vessel was on the beach. The men were crowding down, to the exclusion of the women and children. I did not snap the pistol, but merely presented it. I recollect when the ensign was being hoisted. I told George Manser, one of the immigrants on that occasion, that I would shoot anyone who would attempt to hoist the ensign without my orders. The women were waving their shawls, but I did not stop them nor interefere with them; I did not see the first mate use his revolver, nor see it taken away from him by one of the seamen, nor hear of it until some time afterwards.

THE NELSON EVENING MAIL, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21,