INQUIRY INTO THE STRANDING OF THE SHIP HYDERABAD.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5394, 11 July 1878, Page 3

INQUIRY INTO THE STRANDING OF THE SHIP HYDERABAD.

A preliminary inquiry into the stranding of the ship Hyderabad, near the mouth of the Horowenua River, on the 21th ultimo, was held before Mr. McKellar, Collector of Customs, yesterday. The only evidence taken was that of the master of the ship and the snilmaker. The first witness was Charles Holmwood, who deposed as follows :—I am master of the ship 'Hy derabad, and hold a master’s certificate of competency, numbered 2870, of the Board of Trade. I left Lyttelton in the ship on Saturday, June 22, with moderate S.E. and S. winds ;• the barometer standing 29"20. During the night the breeze freshened to a gale, and .hauled round more from the S.E. At about half-past 8 o’clock the following morning I stood in for the entrance of* Cook Strait. When we arrived • off Wellington Head the wind died quite away to dearly a calm. The barometer - then commenced to rise, and it, stood at 29 - 40, with the weather, fine. We then had light variable winds until we arrived off The Brothers during the night. It then came on to blow from the west, and X close hauled the ship on the port tack and headed her N.W. The breeze, gradually freshened during the night, and by 6 o'clock-next morning it came on to blow very hard. The ship was then going under her three lower topsails, foretopmast staysail, and mizzen staysail. At 11 the next morning the wind blew furiously, and I took in the lower fore and mizzen topsails. At noon the ship would be about twelve miles to the northward of the Manawatu River, and 35 miles off the shore. I then wore the ship, and beaded her to S.S.W. or S. by W. At about 2 p.m. a new lower maiutopiail was blown away by a heavy squall. I had the weather side of the sail furled up, and let the lee remain set. The foretopmast staysail also blew away. It coutinued to blow so heavy that it was impossible to keep sail on the ship without its. being blown , away. I then commenced to take soundings, and found that the ship was drifting in shore very fast. I next ordered that 100 fathoms of chain should be got ready to each anchor, and got everything prepared to let go. At about half-past seven o’clock we sighted the Manawatu light. At halt-past nine'o’clock the ship was in 18 fathoms of water, and I ordered the two anchors to be immediately let go. They were let go accordingly, but parted at once, and I saw the breakers close under our lee. I ordered the helm to be put hard up, and headed the ship stem on to the beach, for the safety of those on board. The ship was beached about a mile and a half to the N. of the Horowenua River, where she now lies. I consider that there must have been a very strong current setting in from the W., and I fully expected to have got under Kapiti. Even after the sails were blown away I thought WO should get there. "We were taking soundings all day, and found bottom marked on the charts 46 fathoms. From the soundings I took I was under the impression that we were further off the land, as the soundings are much the same further’off the land as they are close in. At noon I thought we were ten mileo farther off the land than what we really were. The weather was very hazy, and the sea was so foil of foam that it was impossible to see anything. I never saw any land from the time I left The Brothers until I sighted the Manawatu light. From the directions of the New Zealand pilot I was of opinion that the wind would haul to N.W. when it freshened, and this induced me to stand so far to the north so as to allow me to get clear of everything. I saw a ship, which I supposed to be the Pleione, about ten miles to windward of ns, at 9 o’clock in the morning. The anchors and chains were all in good order. They had lately been ( inspected by the Government Surveyors in London. This would be in November. The sails were also examined. The. ship was well found in everything, as I had recently taken emigrants to Adelaide from London. Everything was done that could be rendered to save the ship. She is owned by Messrs. Thomas Stephens and Co., London, and is valued at £18.900. She is insured in Lloyd’s for £25,000. The weight of the cargo would be about 1050 tons. There were about 20 tons of cargo on deck, which was approved of by the surveyors in London. Henry Warnken, sailmaker of the ship, deposed : The ship was provided with'good sails. The ones aft were brand new. The wind was blowing so bard that any sails, no' matter how good they were, would be blown to pieces. Everything, in my opinion, was done to save the ship. I have been 34 years at sea, and have had considerable experience. I have been shipwrecked on more than one occasion ; once at Port Chalmers. At the time the Hyderabad was drifting on shore I did not know-'where we were. It migh have been on a rock for all I knew. The captain was quite right to run the ship ashore. This was all the evidence that was taken. The open inquiry will be held shortly.