SHIPPING.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5521, 6 December 1878, Page 4

SHIPPING.

PORT OF WELLINGTON. ARRIVED.

TiirriraEß 0.— Murray, s.s., 73 tons, Conway, from '■Tolsoa Passengers: Cabin—Messrs. Hill, Bentley, 4triko?’Munro, O'Do.moll, McCormick, Gregory, Benthand: anil two steerage. Deacon, agent. SAILED December 5.— Wellington, s.s., 270 tons, McGee, 'or the Mannian. Passengers; Saloon—Mr. Walrasicy : and four steerage. Levin and Co., agents. Tnl aS. 74 tons. Wills, forJFoxton. Passengers: Cabin—Miss Carroll, Mr. Smart. Bishop, agent. Kanler. a.s., 43 tons, Fisk, for Blenheim. Passeu- ■ sets: Mr. and Mrs. Carey, Mr. Gurllng. W. and G. Tmnball. agents. IMPORTS, Murray, from Nelson; 23 bales, Turnbull and Co.: .5 bales tow. 'Williams: 60 boxes soap. Nathan: 1 pci, Wilson and Co ; 10 cs fruit. Price ; 37 bales wool, 4 :>kgs, Deacon ; 1 pci, Goldrlck; 6cs, 7 pkgs, Williams; 4cl fruit. Lock; 30 do, Innos ; 10 do. Barlow; 8 do. Boss; 24 do, Order. , , , . ~ Napier, from Blenheim: 130 bales wool, transhipment to Itakaia. , T Lyttelton, from Blenheim: 210 bales wool, Deacon. BY TELE ORA PH . MELBOURNE, Thursday. Arrived: Eingarooma. on Wednesday. Sailed ; Arawata, on Thursday morning, for the Binir. GREYMOUTH, Thursday. Arrived ; St. KUda, from Melbourne. BLUFF, Thnrsdny. Arrived : Waitara, from London, with Immigrants. POET CHALMERS, Thursday. Sailed : Rotorua, for Lyttelton. LYTTELTON, Thursday, Arrived: Easby,s.s. from Port Chalmers; she sails North at 630 p.m. Passengers : Mrs. Robinson, Mr. and Miss Haliiday. Mr. Frederic: and 3 steerage. Sailed: Shepherdess, for Wellington. HOKITIKA, Thursday. The Claud Hamilton left Melbourne on November *’3th Experienced moderate and rough weather during the trip. Passengers for Wellington : six steerage. The Waipanv will finish tendering her in the morning at six o'clock. ENGLISH SHIPPING. The Merchant Shipping and Underwriters’ Association report. LONDON, December 3. Arrived : Otago, ship, from Port Chalmers. The Clio, schooner, for Waltapu, and ketch Thames, for Pelorus Sound, cleared at the Customs yesterday. The steamer Murray loft Nelson late on Wednesday night, and arrived hero at 2 p.m. yesterday. She leaves again to-night. . The steamer Tui left yesterday afternoon for Foxton. , _ ~ . The Wellington, for Picton, Nelson, Taranaki, and Manukau, left yesterday afternoon. » The Manawatu is due hero this morning from Wanganui. ~ ~ t The Napier, for Blenheim, sailed at midnight. The Taupo is due hero tills morning from the North, She sails South again during the afternoon. The Jane Douglas is advertised to leave for Foxton and Rangitlkel this evening. The New Zealand Steam Shipping Company have advertised that from the 15th to the 31st instant, return tickets will be issued at single fares to all ports at which the company's steamers call, and will be available for return until the end of February. The Lyttelton leaves this evening for Blenheim, The Tul is advertised to sail for Kaikoura and Lyttelton, calling at Waipapa, to-morrow. The Kiwi leaves to-morrow evening for the East Coast. ENQUIRY INTO THE LOSS OP THE SHIP SOUTHMINSTER, A prelimina-y enquiry was held yesterday, before the Collector of Customs, relative to the wreck of the Soulhminster. The first witness examined was Charles McFee, who deposed as follows lam master of the Southminster, and hold a Board of Trade certificate of competency. I left Lyttelton at 4 p.m. on the 2Sth November, with the wind about W.S.W.; this carried us about two miles clear of Godley Head, it then fell off light from E. toN.; the wind was flying about S.E, to N. W„ and kept us hauling the yards constantly; after 11 the wind got more settled to the south-east, and I set the course for north-cast, as well as I can remember, to keep herloff the land, and ran with that till day light at 4 am. Then I think I changed the course to N.E. by E., it was thick and foggy with light rain all the morning up to noon, when I steered N"., as It appeared about to clear up. I sighted the land about 3 p.m. on the 29th; about 5 p.m. I was off Flaxbonrne; could just see the woolshed at the station; the hills being well covered in, I could see underneath the fog for a long distance. The ship was then steering N.N.E., nothing to the northward of her course. The wind got quite light and variable, general direction easterly. At 6 p.m. I ordered the second mate to brace the yards up and let the ship go by the wind, which was done at once. The wind shortly afterwards hauling to the north-east, she began to head ia on the land, and as she would not come in stays, wore the ship to the south-east; about 20 minutes to 3 p.m. she broke off with her head to the S.; she was then wore on the other tack. Off Flaxbonrne I took a cast of the lead, and found 45 fathoms; and again, just after eight, 05 fathoms. At this time she was beading N.E. by N., and could see the loom of the light through the fog from Cape Campbell. The chief officer took his watch on deck at 8 p.m., and took a cast of the lead at 8.30 or 8.45, and found 25 fathoms. 1 said to the chief officer. *• It appears that we have got close to the land, and if it shon'd shoal to 20 fathoms, would bring the ship to an anchor.” As however she was going two knots, and heading N.E. by N., and wind inclining to be free, I thought she would haul off the land. Ha agreed with me, and said he thought she was going out. This was about 9 o’clock. The ship struck a rock which appeared to be close to the bottom on her keel, under the port fore rigging. The yards were as soon as possible hauled aback, to try and back her off. and the carpenter stationed at the pumps to see if she began to make water. The crew were engaged getting the boats ready for use. There was a pretty heavy easterly «well rolling at the time. She backed astern for a shvrt distance, and struck'with her rudder. At the time she struck there were fifteen fathoms alongside. The carpenter reported three feet of water in the bold in the space of five minutes. At this time the boats had been launched. The crew, being all frightened as well as myself that she would sink In deep water, wanted to get into the boats. On being asked by me if they thought I could do anything more than I had done to save the ship, they said they thought it was Impossible, and said they did not care to stop any longer. I ordered them to get into the boats. The ship had then (about a quarter to ten o'clock) abont four or five feet of water in the hold. Up»n which they all took to the boats, "While the boats were getting clear of the ship she forged ahead with her head in shore, in the position that she now lies. "We k-'pfc pulling about the ship all night, waiting for daylight, to see if it would be safe to land. When we got close in shore there was such a noise from the surf that we deemed it advisable to wait a bit. At daylight we effected a landing, and got all the effects of the seamen safeiy landed; also some stores. At 7 a.ra. I left the camp with my carpenter to inform ray owners and people concerned of the loss of the ship. 1 gave the mate orders to get the sails of the ship furled if he could. I have been away most of the time since then at Kekerangu, telegraphing and such like. I returned to the wreck on Tuesday, the 3rd instant, at 1 o’clock, and came into Wellington last night. By the Collector: The land sighted at 3 p.m. on the 29th I judged to be distant about 18 miles; the second mate thought it was about 20. I did not recognise the land. The Kaikouras were covered. At 5 p.m. I thought I was about ten or twelve miles off Flaxbourne, which was abeam, and the ship going about three or four knots- The wind was about E.S.E. '{'hero was very little broken water. It had been blowing harder from the eastward In the morning, which left an easterly swell. At 5 p.m. it was nearly high water. I was making allowance for the tide in my courses. Always steering a course that would take her off the land. I only saw the lights once or twice. Before the fog set in I saw the low land about Cape Campbell, and got the bearings N. by W. J- W.; the point off Flaxbonrne bearing 3.W., a little southerly. Thls was about 8 p.m. I kept a course near shore in order to avoid being blown off in case the wind came fresh from the ease. I did not intend at any time to come under 20 fathoms If X could possibly help it. I have never been on the coast before, and never bad a casualty before of any kind in my life. I have the Admiralty sheet chart of the coast, and was navigat- . lug by it. The distance of the rock off shore on which i wo first struck is about two or three miles. The ship ] was quite clear of the kelp a long time after she 1 struck. The rocks are detached and do not form part < of the reef. There was no attempt to pump the ship, ( it wonld have been useless. The Government steamer Stella came to the wreck when we were on board, t The captain came on board, and asked if he could i render any assistance. He said he thought it was im- j possible to get the ship off or do anything with her, as he knew she would sink immediately. The South- I minster Is registered in London, and is ten years old. i She is c’assed in French Lloyd’s, and is ship rigged, built of wood; registered tonnage 1243 70-lOOths tons, i There were twenty-four In the crew, including myself. J All hands were available at the time of the casualty. 1 She has general cargo on board, about 050 tons, includ- t ing ballast. She sailed originally from New York, I and last from Lyttelton to Wellington. It was nearly low water when she struck. The wind was variable r and light, with a swell from tho eastward. The rocks on which wc struck are about 5 miles or 4 J miles S. of g Cape Campbell. Tho current appears to have set the r ship to tho north of tho place whore she struck. The t value of the ship was about £12,000. 1 don’t know c for certain what insurances are on the vessel. I think % the freight is insured, but am not certain. lam part r owner of tho ship, to tho extent of a sixteenth share. The ship was well found in everything* There were four compasses ; the standard one being on the fore part of the poop. I bad never found the compasses 1 out in the least. There was nothing in the cargo that t wou’d affect them. She was drawing about 12ft din p on an even keel. The weight of cargo was about c four hundred and fifty tons. 1 was in charge at the time of stranding. I bad never left the decks ex- b cept for my meals and the like since wc left Lyttelton, a The lead was hove four or five times after she com- b menced to come in upon the land. Tho last casting was about a quarter of an hour before striking, Wc si were stearing by the wind at tho time of striking. She h was heading N.E. by N. when she struck. Tho registered owner’s name is Edwin William Berryman, of p London, shipbroker, I had tho usual log and reel on li board. It was hove every two hours regularly. ti