STEAMER ASHORE NEAR THE FRENCH PASS.

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 86, 24 January 1885, Page 3

STEAMER ASHORE NEAR THE FRENCH PASS.

Nelson, Jan. 20. The Anchor line steamer Wallace left Nelson at 11.30 on Friday night for Wellington. On reaching Beef Bun ells, near the French Pass, she went ashore while going at the rato of ten knots an hour. She broke off whole blades of her propeller, and somo of tho bottom plates were dented. On being got ofF, tho engineer reported that sho was making water. A boat was cot out, and tho vessel was towed across to the mainland, and beached in Waikara Bay. Three pumps were worked by steam, and the passengers just kep f , her from sinking. The leak having been stopped with tallow packing, and spare propeller blades put on, the vessel returned to Nelson on Sunday morning. Mr Paul, chief officer, was in charge at the time of the accident. An enquiry was held in the afternoon, before Mr Curtis, R.M., and Commander King, K.N. Captain Bruce deposed that ihe was reading in his cabin, the chief officer, W. F. Paul, who holds a master's certificate, being in charge. Mr Paul states he was steering by the land, the night being dark but clear, and giving directions to the man at the wheel. He was a milo out of the ordinary course when the casualty occurred, but was trying to make a short cut to catch the tide in the Pass, He must have misjudged his distance from the Beef Barrells. He was drowsy at the time, and might have been nodding a bit, but was not asleep. He expected the accident was the result of his nodding. He could not account for it in any other way. On Thursday ho was up at six, and on duty till eleven p.m. Tho ship being on the cradle on Friday, he was up at four a.m., and at work till half-past eleven p.m, He went on watch at midnight again. The Court suspended the chief officer's certificate, for three months, but to mark the appreciation of tho straightforward way he gave his evidence, refused to mulct him in costs. The steamer is not much injured. Sho has been under repairs all day, and will be ready foe sea to-night,