NAUTICAL INQUIRY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 59, 7 May 1907, Page 2

NAUTICAL INQUIRY.

Per Press Association. Wellington, May (I. An inquiry into the stranding of the steamer invaran, 2835 tons, at Point ,lcrningham, in Wellington harbor, during a storm on the night of April 24, was held to-day before Dr. MeArthur, with hint Captains Anderson and Gray, nautical assesors, and W. C. Kempton, engineer assessor, Captain Marshall, master of the vessel, deposed that he anchored at 0.40 in 11'/ a fathoms, taking the usual bearings and precautions. At 10.15 he let go another anchor, as the vessel was sheering. Twenty minutes later the vessel commenced to drag. lie sent word for steam to be put on the engines, and, on going on the bridge, telephoned fullspeed ahead. The engines started almost immediately, but before they took effect the ship touched ground. They must have drifted half a mile.

Counsel: To what do you attribute the Inveran going ashore?

Witness: 'J'o the fact that there was too much wind for our anchors.

Captain Johnston, harbor master, stated that the forty-five fathoms of chain let out was not enough. Ninety fathoms should have been used.

Edward Dorward, the chief engineer, stated that only u few seconds intervened between the order to go ahead and the moving of the engines. The Court gives its decision to-mor-row.