LOSS OF THE WHITE JACKET.

Westport Times, Volume V, Issue 872, 10 October 1871, Page 3

LOSS OF THE WHITE JACKET.

The following is the official report of the Mauritius Marine Board on the loss of the White Jacket, which took place on a reef off Bodrigues on the 22nd May, on her Voyage from Bombay to Hull. * The White Jacket was well known in these colonies, having formed one of the White Star line of vessels. The report is dated 2lst July, 1871 : The White Jacket, of Liverpool, a wooden vessel of the burden of 1148 tons, twelve years old, and classed A.l at Lloyd's, left Bombay under the command of Mr Michael Johnson on the 30th April last, bound to Hull with a cargo of linseed. She appears to to have been tight, stanch, and seaworthy when she left Bombay, and to have continued so up to the night of her I loss. The island Bodrigues was sighted [ at one p.m, on the 23rd of last May. The conditions in which the White Jacket was placed at this time were such as almost to preclude the possibility of danger or accident, fine, clear weather, steady, moderate, fair wind, smooth water;! and a weather shore ; notwithstanding which she was run on the reef on the north side of Bodrigues shortly after eight about two and a half miles from the shore, and in a few days became a total wreck. Out of a valuable cargo of 18,600 bags of linseed a very small portion was saved. The master was asleep on deck when the vessel struck, and the -second mate (a young and very inexperienced officer) had charge of the watch from<» to 8 p.m. when he was relieved by the mate ; the course of W. b N. would have taken the ship clear of all danger, but at 7 p.m. or shortly after, the yards were braced Bharp up on the port tack by order of the master, and the vessel hauled on a wind to the southward, making a course varying according to the wind between S.W.b S. and W.S. W., the ship being somewhat vaguely steered "full and by" which may mean any course, lights were seen on shore by the second mate and the men on watch ; voices were heard, the roll of the surf was audible, if not visible, the land perfectly clear, but " full and by " the White Jacket was steered till the reef brought her up. It would be difficult to find a parallel to this extraordinary and inexcusable wreck. The Board of Inquiry suspended the certificate of Mr Michael Johnson, the master, for eighteen months from the date of this inquiry, and the certificate, of Mr Murdo Mackenzie, second mate, for six months ; at the same time severely reprimanding Mr M'Gibbon the mate, for the careless and irregular manner in which he kept the ship's log book, and for the want of decision and promptitude evinced by him when relieving the second mate shortly before the vessel ran on the* reef.