THE COLLISION OF THE STORMBIRD WITH THE BRIGANTINE ISABELLE.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5084, 10 July 1877, Page 3

THE COLLISION OF THE STORMBIRD WITH THE BRIGANTINE ISABELLE.

A preliminary enquiry was held in the Custom House, before Mr. H. S. Mclvellar, Collector of Customs, yesterday, re the above collision. Mr. Quick watched the proceedings on behalf of the captain of the Isabelle. The following evidence was taken ; Peter Doile, master of the s.s. Stormbird, s'nted that at twenty minutes past one o’clock on the morning of the Bth inst. he was coming up the harbor. It was blowing hard from the S.E., and was very dark, and on nearing the wharf he observed a vessel on his lee bow, with no light visible on board. The first of her seen was the bow in the radius of the Stormbird’s masthead light, the steamer at the time going half speed. Immediately he saw the vessel ahead he ordered the helm hard a-port, and stopped the engines; but his forerigging caught the end of the vessel’s jibbo»m, lying on the bowsprit, and carried away three of his foremast shrouds, and bent the foremost davit on the starboard side. There was a vessel lying about a cable’s length, with a light burning, inshore of the vessel with which he collided, and which 'he had seen before the collision took place ; but although his mate and another man were on the look-out forward, neither, of them saw a light on board of the vessel they struck. He stayed about ten minutes ahead of the vessel for the purpose of ascertaining if there were any lines over the steamer’s side that might foul the propeller, and all that time no light could be seen from the other vessel; but when he was coming up to the wharf he looked round, and saw she had got her lights burning, and one of his men who was aft called his attention to it, and said, “ She has got her light up now, sir.” He estimated the damage done to the Stormbird at £2O. He did not find out the name of the vessel he was in collision with till daylight, and then he ascertained it to be the Isabelle. He did not hail the Isabelle at the time of the collision, and the; drifted away to leeward afterwards, the steamer’s way not having been interfered with. Had she been going full speed at the time she would have answered her helm much quicker, and gone clear of the Isabelle. As it was another foot would have brought him clear. Cross-examined : There were the usual lamps on shore, which were not confusing to him. He was about 120 ft. from the vessel when he saw her,.and the sky was overcast at the time, and drizzling rain. The water was full of phosphorus at the time, and the Isabelle was the color of the water. When the vessels met the Stormbird was going at from sto 5i knots per hour. All hands were on the deck, and he-was on the deck. There was no possibility of the Stormbird knocking the Isabelle’s light over if it was hung in the proper place. Immediately they got clear of her he made the remark that the vessel had no light up. He heard no person hailing from her, and as far as he could see no one was on deck, but the light from the Stormbird only lit up the fore part of the other vessel. John Gibb, mate of the Stormbird, gave evidence similar to that of the captain, as regards the sighting of the Isabelle and the subsequent collision. He saw no light on board of her; but ho saw lights of other vessels inside her on both bows. He had made the remark that “ it was a bad job, the steamer had only just changed hands, and that it was her first trip,” but he never said he saw a light on board the Isabelle at and before the time of the collision. The portion of his evidence as to the movements of the Stormbird after the collision was similar to Captain Doile’s. ,Johann Donald, a seaman on board the Stormbird, corroborated the captain and mate’s evidence as to the collision, and as regards the light on the Isabelle stated that he saw it hanging from the forestay after the collision, and if it had been there previously he should have seen it. It was impossible for anyone to trim and light a lamp from the time the collision took place till he saw tho light. Peter Anderson, another seaman on board the Stormbird, gave similar evidence to the previous witnesses respecting the collision ; but stated that he saw a light on board the Isabelle about two minutes after the collision, on tho starboard side. It was burning very dull, and at times tho flame could not be seen. It was on tho forestay.

Captain Barnard, master of the Isabelle, deposed that he was in bed on the morning of the Bth iust., and at 1.20 a.m. was woke up by a shock. Ran on deck, and saw a steamer in collision with his vessels bow. The first thing he did was to enquire “ Is the riding light all right?” and someone forward replied “All right, sir, burning well." The watchman was on deck, and he was standing on the starboard side at the fore-rigging, and if he had been in his berth witness should have been on deck before him. The watchman was fully dressed. Witness always kept an anchor watch, consisting of one A.B. After the vessel had got clear witness went forward and found the anchor light burning brightly. It was hanging from the forestay near the windlass, and about fourteen feet above the rail. The night was thick and squally, but there was no squall at the time the steamer struck them. She carried away their bowsprit shroud, the bowsprit being struck well on the end. He should imagine, after the steamer cleared them, those on board of her could see his light distinctly. He hailed her for the purpose of ascertaining her name, but received no reply. He had never seen the light which was burning at the time blown out by the wind. He could swear that the light was burning before the collision. He knew Mr. Gibb, who came on board witness’s vessel at daylight same morning. Mr. Gibb said to him, “ The steamer had just changed hands, and that was her first trip.” Witness said, “You must have seen my light.” He said, “I saw a light, but it was so dull that it could not be distinguished from the lights about and on the other vessels.” Witness and Mr. Gibb then went into the cabin, and the latter repeated before the mate and steward that he had seen the light. Witness was unable to state yet what damage had been done to his vessel. She would have to be surveyed. The Stormbird took about two minutes to cross his bows. She was not clear of his vessel when he came on deck. The reason he asked was the light all right, was to make sure; he could see it himself from the companion. He did not see the watchman in the galley.

James Saunders, seaman on board the Isabelle, gave evidence to the effect that he was watchman on board that vessel on the morning of the collision. He saw the Stormbird just before she struck them, and could hear those on board her sing out. He was walking on the starboard side at the time, and the Stormbird was heading on to their bows. He sang out to them, “'Where are you coming to;” and then seeing that the steamer was coming right on top of his vessel, he bolted aft, as he was frightened that the topmast or something else would come down. He thought the steamer caught their cable first, and gave the vessel a sheer inshore. The lamp was burning brightly and clear the whole of the night. He was not on deck the whole of his watch, but was on deck at the time of the collision. He did not hear Captain Barnard sing out about the light. He could have seen it from the companion. The lamp was a good one, and carried plenty of oil. As the inquiry was merely preliminary of course no decision was come to. The evidence will be submitted to the Commissioner of Customs, who will decide whether further action is to be taken.