MARINE INQUIRY.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIV, Issue 9341, 9 January 1909, Page 2

MARINE INQUIRY.

jPer Press AssociationWanganui, January 8. A wagi.torial iufluiry was heM this morning lofcnS Mr S 3I ,w* o*hn** ' iate th: stranding C I Charles Edward at the e “ d^™ e lirflakwater on loco jjeeemuex. Captain Graham said the vcssel was Of 145 tons, built in 1864 It was overhauled at Nelson two W66Ka "before the accident. It Reloaded with 200 tons coal and uj n forward and 9ft. aft. mere was a moderate southerly gale and a fairly heavy sea when the vessel took the bar at high tide at 3.20. She struck on the outer part of the bar, and continued strimng. About half an hour after the engineer reported that wate*- was making in the after hold where she struck. He had previously crossed ; the bar when making more water and a£fcer tide. The vessel was never properly olear of the bottom from the time she first struck. A tug was Bl gnalled for. but the pilot replied none was available. Efforts were made to keep the stern in the channel and back her off, bat were of no avail. Her head was then 60ft. out to sea from the piles of the breakwater, the vessel lying straight across the channel. The efforts were continued till 7.80 when water bad risen in her aad put the fires out, and by next morning the seas had drifted her under the pile work of the breakwater, Lines were run out, but were of little use and uo attempt al'terwacds was made to move her. He bad often struck harder on the ■" bvr without serious effect, and was of that on this occasion something harder than sand was struck and had he not struck on it the vessel would have come in safely. Ha had never had any casualties before and knew the bar Captain Irvine, harbourmaster, said the sea was bumpy but nothing out of the ordinary, and he could not see anything to render the bar unsafe when the vessel crossed, ihe vessel bad pome in before under ' similar .conditions. There was lift 4in on the bar when she came in. The bar was sounded two days later when no variation was ahowp from the depth that had existed for two months past. The set of the sea and wind prevented the vessel obeying the “ direction given by the semaphore. He did not think the captain could have done anything more to bring |the vessel into port. This concluded the evidence, Mr Graham said the Court was of opinion that no blame was attachable to the Charles Edward’s officers, whose certificates weuld be returned. The Court, however, would not give its full decision till next morning.