REPORT ON THE LOSS OF THE "STAR OF VIVTORIA."

Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 2, 4 June 1864, Page 2

REPORT ON THE LOSS OF THE "STAR OF VIVTORIA."

The official enquiry, into -the circumstances immediately connected with ..the .wreck of th© barque Star of Victoria, -has, resulted in a verdict of No blame attachable* to 'any party." The following is the evidence" taken, with the verdict of the Commissioners :-— " ' -■•■•" y-y Captain M'Eaeheni "stated" from the log , book, in answer to' Captain 7/ Elles : — The , warp being .? slack, -, in - consequence, , .pf , .the small way; ofj; the Bteamer,. pilpt made , no objection to taking ..the .ship toj .sea, beyond 7 'the mark stated in the log boot I made* ho objection to the pilot leaving. The anchor was' clear, hanging hy the stopper i and 'painter"; 'j^l believe there was room -to wear; there wasverylnearlyJfoom. The master of the .steampr..., directed* me to put back. I coincided in that opinion. "The pilot came off the moment he saw the warp part ; he and tho harbor master?- and his erew^f did ■ everything in their power to assist.me. . -. Mi\ Bray stated-^He found more, sea on the bar than he expected. " Had He known there had been so much sea. he* would not have taken the ship out: Tt would : have 'been -" "an ■ impossibility for the boat to have lived through the sea on the bar. .I. might have got on hoard the steamer outside with the ship's boat, but T have never done so. The pilots.-have.; usually left the^ships where I did. When I saw the ship attempt to wear, I thought there was room. TWhen;l. saw the engine set, T thought she would, be all right. I thought two lines quite sufficient. Charles Murray, Ymaster^of nthe Aphrasia — I agree with the statement made. I thought the , ,the warp quite, sufficientY'' Judged the s sea very heavy. I stood "by the cail^pipe,-^ and i:iehsed^ the engines, so as to diminish the jerk. When, the warp parted, I thought --.there was^rppmjtp wear. I could not get hold of the warp again. In my opinion the only course tEe "captain had was to wear. ■ .'-* ■"' -UA'^OVY-YrC ■ 'It appears to- the- undersigned that this severe casualty arose eiUirely from' oircumstances-that could not ihe foreseenior controlled. -Tlie sea crcrthe bar rose with extraordinary rapidity.' 'The 1 warp, . which all the' witnesses ; believed Jto, he 'quite sufficient, parted. at. a_.most."ciitical*mqmen^ TKero was every reason to suppose that there was room to wear, the ship,' and isliaAreify nearly did so with '.success.; <yVe think x that no blame, can attach^ to anyone, from the? circumstances Vhich 'led to the ship's loss ; and iaftefyher. loss.^very exertion was used to assist" the I 'and crew, and to save 'propertyr "ltrwdiild-have-heen- very dangerous for thS pilots to* liafej^ccompanied the ship ; r fiirther,-and? there is-^no reasom, .to. .believe., that any diSereht re'sultjiwonld* have^oefchrre'd hkd he remamed on board. _ '(Sighted) I "'' cr THEOTI<HEAM!, .jji-DifAOJiaiArsr. em,es, -— — ~~ Invercargill, _une^2nd, 1864. ..*..- -.-. .'r j iy K.s^ylyiSS.lMiaJzit'AE'lA'f/^:- z