Northern Monarch.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 252, 23 November 1903, Page 4

Northern Monarch.

SiUTICAL ENQUIRY. The enquiry into the wreck of the Northern Monarch concluded on Saturday morning, when counsel addressed the Court. The Bench retired, and on resuming gave their judgment as under : '•That the Court is satisfied that the ship's position was accurately placed at noon on the 6th inst., and that the courses steered until Cape Bgmont tight was sighted on the bearing that the captain exi>eeted to pick it up on, were correct ; that the chief officer on taking charge of the deck on the morning of the 7th inst. omitted to carry out the orders that were given by the captain, namely, to call him if necessary and not to approach the land too closely, and that he acted in a very indiscreet manner, and took upon himself the responsibility of navigating the ship and altering the course along a coast of which he had no local knowledge, without advising the master; of the ship's position. The course given by the captain would have taken the ship clear of the land. Uad he been in possession of sheet No. fi, in which a cautionary note is printed re this locality, or had he carefully read the directions given in the New Zealand Pilot, the wreck would probably have been averted.

"That, in our opinion, the captain placed too much reliance on his chief officer, and this trust on this occasion led that officer to take too much upon himself. Whereas, had the captain been called the loss of the ship would not have happened. The ship hod been going foster than the captain anticipated, and he had not been advised of this. The Court is of opinion that the chief officer is solely to blame for the loss of the ship, and his conduct was so reprehensible that if it bad not been for the cautionary remarks above referred to being omitted on sheet No. 5 of the Admiralty Chart, the Court would have shown less leniency. As is is the chief officer's certificate will be suspended for twelve months, and be is ordered to pay the costs of this enquiry. The. captain's certifioHjte ami/that of the second officer ar» returned to them."