STRANDING OF THE KETCH ALERT.

Patea Mail, Volume 1, Issue 46, 18 September 1875, Page 2

STRANDING OF THE KETCH ALERT.

THK INQUIRY. An inquiry into the circumstances hi connect inn Avith tlie slmmling of the ketch Alert 'was held at the Court House, Carlyle, on Wednesday last, before Major Turner and Captain Odgers, acting as nautical assessors.

Mr WWiam Dale watched the inquiry on behalf, of Tuo National Insurance Company, in -which office it was believed the vessel was insured. The following evidence was taken ;

Cl and Sir.st.il deposed—l am a master mariner, holding certificate, ,vo. 2,4u2. I was Ivins in the river for two or Ihroo days awaiting an opportunity to get out. On Saturday,' t 1 o lltli in-A., 1 received the signals “b/tako the bar,” and at once set alTsnil and got under way, sailing down (lie river at the rate of three or four miles an hour, until arriving off the end of the boulder bank, when the wind completely failed. Two or three rollers set the vessel on (be beach, and she “took the ground." 1 ordered a!! sail to be lowered, immediately and made fast. I then went on shore," saw the pilot, and arranged with him to get warps and anchors out with the view of getting the vessel off. I then returned on board, threw out the ballast, and ran out 130 fathoms of line to the North Spit, and 300 fathoms of line to a pile under the cliff inside the river. As the tide flowed, commenced haulingon those lines, with the hope of taking her off the beach into the river. Made progress until Monday morning, when she commenced to break up. I then telegraphed for instructions to her owner, and a reply directed mo to abandon the vessel. The Alert is a ketch of 43 tons register, built in 1856, the properly of Arthur Beauchamp, of Wanganui, and insured m the National office. Cross-examined l>y A.. V, oocl—l consider t the time I received the signals that the wind was sufficient to take me to sea.

Consider there was every convenience available to get the vessel off in the way of warps, lines, Ac. Cross-examined by the Bench—lf the warp had been made- last to the North B]tit. it would have favoured her chance ££ of getting off next tide. All hands wore working on Banrday night, Sunday, and Monday. Cross examined by A. Wood—anchors had been available, they would have materially assisted in getting the vessel off. A. Bens*on, mate of the Alert, corroborated the evidence of last witness. The assessors returned the following Bench arc of the opinion that the kclcl|gslort was wrecked at the month of the River, owing to the wind having died away when she was on the bar. That everyfning that could have been done was done tfe get her-off, hut failed ; and that there is no blame attached to either the Captain or the Pilot.