INQUIRY INTO THE WRECK OF THE CITY OF CASHMERE.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2771, 9 February 1882, Page 2

INQUIRY INTO THE WRECK OF THE CITY OF CASHMERE.

The Magisterial inquiry into the i wreck of the ship City of Cashmere was concluded this morning, by Mr Beswick, | R.M., giving the decision of the Court. ; He reviewed the evidence at length as 1 it bore upon the conduct of,, the officers of the ship and the Harbor Master respectively. Referring to the discovery by those on board that the vessel was adrift, it appeared that the second officer was in charge of the deck at the time, but there was nothing to indicate that there was any danger, and the work of the ship was proceeding in the ordinary way, until attention was drawn to the tightening of the surf line, This, however, had frequently happened before, and it was riot until another length of rope' had run out that a suspicion was aroused that anything was wrong. Ae soon as the suspicion was aroused, prompt measures were taken, and the'ship brought up as quickly Hi possible. He could not see from the evidence that there was any ground for censuring the second mate for negligence. On the position of the ship when so anchored the Court were of opinion that the balance of the nautical evidence showed that she did riot strike the bottom before they begun to lift the anchor. They were of opinion that an attempt should have been made to warp the vessel out while waiting for the tug, seeing that the vessel had a suitable kedge on board, and the evidence was given that it was possible to use it. They also thought that the ship ought to have been placed in a better position after coming in from the ballast ground. A kedge was run out for the purpose, but ten or twelve days were allowed to elapse without the work being done. The finding of the Court was, the vessel was lost through the falling oat of the bolt of the 60fathom ■ shackle, and the Conrt conld not see that there was anything in the evidence to justyfy them in recommending the suspension or cancellation of the certificates, of any of the officers. Mr Woollcombe, the Nautical Assessor, dissented from the decision on one point, he considering that a certain amount of negligence, but not amountinpto culpable negligence,was displayed by the second mate in not discovering earlier that the vessel was adrift. Under the circumstances the certificates would be returned.