ABANDONED.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVII, Issue 32, 8 October 1913, Page 5

ABANDONED.

THE WRECKED TYRONE.

FAST CREAKING UP. Tlio Tyrone has been abandoned. There is a ruck about 711 high right through her bottom about amidships. The hole in .\o. 2 lioid, discovered by the diver some days ago, is 6ft by Bft. The vessel is filling up inside with sand and is last breaking up. NOW UNINSURABLE. | By Electric Telegraph— -Copyeigiit] Times—Sydney Sun Special Cables. London, October 7. The Tyrone wreck was. quoted at 45 per cent, for re-insurance on Saturday, but became uninsurable -when the position was fully known on the

market. Her loss is estimated at £l-10,000.

NAUTICAL INQUIRY.

[Pee Pkess Association.]

Dunedin, October 7

The nautical inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the loss of the Tyrone near the Otago heads on September 27, began to-day before Mi H. Y. Widdowson, S.M., and two assessors, Captains Sundstrum and Hunter.

Robert Lcighton, lighthouse-keeper at Taiaroa Head, said that on the morning of the wreck there was alight northerly breeze and a dense fog, which set in about 2.40 a.m. He then started the fog signals, and these were continuously fired. William Carter, harbor watchman at Otago Heads, said that the weather got thick at twenty minutes to three, and a fog set in from the north. It was a very thick fog at four o'clock. He heard a faint.sound of a whistle between four and a quarter-past four, and heard the first detonator from the wreck at 4.30.

After being examined, Captain McLauchlan, master of the Tyrone, read a written statement, the main facts of which are as follow:—"I want to tell the Court that I made a mistake, and that mistake, combined with a series of abnormal circumstances later on at the Heads, led up to the catastrophe. Various courses were steered until we reached Akaroa Lighthouse about 3.40 a.m., the log showing 146. I told the second officer to have it hauled in, with a view to getting ready for anchorage. At about 3.50 I heard ,an explosive on the heads, and I felt satisfied I was a good distance off, having heard it from Dunedin myself. I waited for a second report, which confirmed the first, and slowed down the engines, porting the helm five points with a view of picking up* the anchorage. I heard someone «-,ay, 'ls that breakers I hear?' I turned the .engine-room telegraph to full speed astern. Meanwhile the lead had been got out, and it was the first indication that I had that she was ashore. I could see no land, and I got a report of 24ft of water at the stern. The engines had 'been going full speed astern for some time, but the ship did not respond. With the light reported by the fourth officer in my mind (which I had not see'n), and the 24ft of water on the starboard bow, I ported the helm and went full speed ahead, thinking I was on the spit. After two minutes I saw land on the port quarter, and after seeing land I determined to go full speed astern and try to get out the way I came in. The engines were kept full speed astern its the tide arose at about ten o'clock. She began to show signs of coming astern, and I had worked her about 250 ft astern when the tug Plucky got a rope on the starboard quarter. We very slowly worked astern, but the Plucky was not sufficiently powerful to keep her stern .to seaward, and in spite of the Plucky she fell down on Wahine Point. The mistake I made I only discovered on Wednesday. I measured the distance from Akaroa to the heads at 143 miles, and this not being the distance impressed on my mind by over six miles. I discovered that something was wrong. I procured a copy of the X.Z. Nautical Almanac, and found that the distance mentioned, 115.7 miles, was not from' Akaroa, but from Flat Point."

Captain MeLauchlan said that he did not see the Taiaroa light that

night. He had been in command of steamers since February, 1850, and during his 22i years' nautical experience this was the first accident that be had had. Neither he nor his officers had scaled off the course on the cliart. Witness had never been deceived by fog-signals. He had no complaint to make regarding the officers. The enquiry adjourned till to-mor-row. "NO CURE, NO PAY." Mr G. L. Denniston, local agent for Lloyds, to-day received a message in connection with the Tyrone, and tenders are now invited for salvage on the basis of "no cure no pay." The conditions of the tender refer both to the vessel's liftings and cargo. In connection with the taking up of the Tyrone's running, it is understood that the Xew Zealand Shipping Company's Waimate has been chartered by the Union Company. . The Waimate will proceed to Australia, where she will load for San Francisco and Vancouver. The position of the Tyrone is said to be growing now more precarious and her list to seaward lias increased. The Customs officials at Port Chalmers are exorcising keen vigilance over the vessel. also over launches that return from her vicinity.