STRANDING OF THE WILLIAM MISKIN.

West Coast Times, Issue 292, 30 August 1866, Page 2

STRANDING OF THE WILLIAM MISKIN.

The adjourned enquiry into the stranding of the above vessel, was. held yesterday afternoon; before his Worship the Resident Magistrate and Mr fatten, Collector of Customs. James Binstad deposed that he was chief engineer of the s.s. William MUkin, and remembered the 18th of August. He was on board the steamer that day, attending to his duties a* engineer. Remembered an attempt was made to enter the river, although he was below, at the time in charge of the engines, which were" in good wdrking order: The . boilers we're then carrying forty pounds of steatu, that amount being full power. When the vessel struck, the engines were going full speed ahead, and keptatthatfor about three minutes, when the order was given, to reverse, and go ftill Speed astern. It wa3 obfeyed, and in abdut two minutes the" drdJir 1 to " Stop her j) was .given, and then "Go ahead full speed." In a few minutes this was countermanded by the preceding order, &nd in three mlndtes another cp'rriiiiand td gdahesidj again was given 1 . JGfuring that time, the vessel was humping heavily. When the Miskin first struck until the order to stop the engines wa9 given, seven or eight minutes elapsed. The next morning at about 2 o'clock, steam was again got up, as au attempt was then being _ made to get the vessel off; tiy the flench— l hold an engineer's certificate from the Marine Boardj Wellington': .1 ' , ■ , , i . Kiel M'Gill b'ein^ iivVorri} depdlied that he was a master mariner, and holds a certificate of competency from the Board of Trade in London. The number of the certificate is 272, its date being 15th April, 1835. Witness stated, that ho at present was in the employ of the Provincial Government as pilot for the pdrt of Itokitlkdj and has held the office Ssce April last. He r^m^moerei the 18th of August last. Aboilt twenty minutes to two in the, afternoon. He. went 4o'wn'.!|o the, .flagstaff, and .signalled . the Wni. JilteWn that tije Uv was +cry fallow. lie then returned to the wharf ju9t as the Lioness was leaving it with a vessel in tow. Witness went ofi board her. and when crossing the bar the lead" was hove, and gave about ten, feet water in llie" shallowest part; There wiis d neaVy br^ak bft. Tlie Lioness rdn albngsidg tile Wtri, Miskin: arid the letter §etit a idit dnd toqfe iVjtnSßs .Bn W-4 tyb Jhe fitat p.jrty he met,, was Captain #lacli,. anil pnquired of him whether hfe* was .oJD the; r Miskin..'-; •% ithen Rsl<ied whftt waiev tlil llbaiiiev drew, and was told Bft. Gin. He then enquired if all was ready for a start, and received the answer, "in a few minutes." Whilst steam wag getting up the Steamer's wheel* eliAiiif werjs shortetiedj as they were slack, and all being" feady'j she' p'roe'eed'ed 1 slowly to,Wai : d| the bar; fdli spged" beitig given when steaniwas more plentiful^. Jqst aa ahe took • the ibar , two Heavy seas struck Her; and launched her tfver ihk M*, giVitig her a strung port sheer; at the same tirn'e causing her ,to open the beacons a little to tjie s,outhward'-f Tlie jib w^ip. at once sei by tlie prdor of witness: atld a straight hqurse regained} but. shk had ndt rdn far when 9hetoolc a starboard sh.eer. .Witness ordered the helm to be ported, hard, and asked the man who was standing aft by the tiller i( she \va§ hard a „parfc, toj.whieh, h* jjßplißd tifl i the Aflifmd^ tae aUtmet ri'dt AHaWgrfrf* lllr tiMni', tile engines' wire reversed and the mainsail set. Went astern as for as the water would allow, and then turned, ahead hoping to Glear the spit. §hV failed to do «o, &$ nftef going several lengths iv that direction she grounded oil the north Spit. .When the, tide fell} the paSSedgtfrs were landed, aba the cargo afterwards wa3 all discharged. A warp .was then run diit to the south' spjt flagstaff, and an attempt was ,made to heave her ahead at high wajk-r. t a i i !'!„,,. A ,!. . By the Bench — It Was high water on iHe 18th at twenty minutes past three in the afternoon. It was close to three o'clock when the Miskin attempted the h««- ■ *

the 4^ \V4 3 Ml A pfetry heavy Sfea' was running. I had no iJarticular converMtioh Ti i Bl^ k aiil % tbfe run ilk I 11 wi,^ , anid i oiie of the Bfeai & n i t T^?V he wheel - As we we^e gding iiv & ?« ekfe^ And t told him "in one." time. Ihe chief ofneer iriade no particular remark to mo as we were closing in with l»v tl\ ll X u GJ?t the q« es t'on touching the pretty close m, the beacons were in one n« Vn-iV n-i , con " i I n S" the vessel, being in charge as pilot and kept her as near as possible In the centre of the fair way. I can't account tor the starboard sheer she took after she closed tne bar, it was that «hecr that put i-'r ashore. I never told Captain Black

ySymjni "being in one ; neither did |c remark, as the Miskin crossed the fijt w-eat, thatshe_jwas certain to go onshore. lam qmto-SureTe did not say so The beacons are on the South Spit. They were as near as possible in one. It was not t consequence of the vessel grounding that' he jib was set. It was to cleck her sheer I . to port. Ihe semaphore ou the flagstaff i was not worked that'day. I don Wskler ! l was too far to the northward. The sienalmau told me the beacous were set to i tlie south to keep vessels entering wolf i to windward I deny that portion of bchuler s evidence, wherein he states that the helm was ported without my orders, , and that I then shouted " Starboard " I i didstiy «' s he is now fair in the channel, ,

By Mr Patten.— After the Wm. Miskin ' struck I kept the engines going for. a while, to check her drifting to the' north, She remained there hard and fast. When first crossing, the bar, bof>r€ she took the sheer to starboard, her heel took the ground, and that caused her to sheer. The bea* eons were then in a line. At this stage of the proceedings the enquiry was declared over.