The Wreck of the Wairarapa

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4879, 17 November 1894, Page 3

The Wreck of the Wairarapa

(ByTclegrapi.—Press Association) Auckund, May, , At the Waii-ai-apa enquiry; C'apt Brown of tliebarque "Natal Queen" slated that on Iris last trip from Australia an east-south-east current, not mentioned in the sailing directions and' charts, set him 15 miles off, his course between tho North Capo l and Capo Brott, The log registered 65 knots, whereas they ran 80. ftlotSanty said his first experience of the cuirent, mentioned was in 1870, when coming from Sydneyin' the brig "Siren." Wheh ho expected to be ; off the Hoii and Chickens, be found himself at the Great Barrier. ' '"■ ; '■ '■ ■ ';, James Cheme, A.8., dfipostid thai • as on the look put when' the )Vaifarapa struct, he was right forward in .the eyes of.'tho ship., /Wljen he, relieved. Greaves he. could not-soo 'more'■ than .20■ yards { flheadj/.The .-first danger ho, sawjWM the] -white foam of pveakevs'about 40 ! yards'

away. He. .could sob no land,.but sang out ''Breakers ahead!" na loudly as lio could. Almost simultaneously tho:: steamer struck the rooks nnd stopped dead. .Witness thou saw high land so close that ho though t he could almost have stopped ashore

Mr Wheeler's Evidence,

(By Tolegrapli.—Press Association)

Wfxunoton, Saturday. Mr N. F. Wheeler, tlio local manager of tho Union Company, was examined before tho Magistrate in connection with (ho Wairarapa disaster, Asked if ho knew of any instruction to captains to 'make fast passages in view of opposition, hero-' plied that he was unaware of any,and said tho Company thought so little of the opposition, therobeingonly one vessel running, that he did not think any instructions would bo given. So fur as he knew the general instructions of the Company to captains provided for blowing the foghorn in, a fog. The General Manager would be tho proper gentleman to examine as to instructions. Witness had known Captain Mcintosh for ton years and regarded him as a careful and; capable officer. Witness declared that whether tho captains made fast or slow passages, did not affect promotion in the company.