THE WRECK OF THE TRIUMPH. THE OFFICIAL ENQUIRY.

Waikato Times, Volume XXI, Issue 1789, 22 December 1883, Page 2

THE WRECK OF THE TRIUMPH. THE OFFICIAL ENQUIRY.

[BY TELEGRAPH.— OWN CORRESPONDENT.] AuoKXAN'b, Friday Night. The enquiry into the wreck of the Triumph commenced to-day. The Ci'own Prosecutor,, in ' opening, quoted authorities iii\s\ipport; of his contention that it was , quite .competent for the court to de&l with officers in the direction of withholding or cancelling certificates in the event of any negligence" being proved. He had received instructions to nmkd the enquiry as searching as possible, in order that some lighfcjmight be thrown upon what appeared to be a most inexplicable occurrence. ' Mr Williamson proceeded to comment upon the clearness of the night, ,the fact that there was a bright light burning on the' island, etc > • < > ' > > Mr Hesketh, who appeared for Captain Brothertpn, believed.the enquiry njighf\ be shortened if he were to say, npw, that all this would be admitted]' 1 > s Cap'fcain Brotherton was prepared to- give straightforward answers^, and Would -"assume 3 ;tlse whole of the blame himself.- He would not seek to exqi}se ( htmself ftn|anjr*gtoplfd,of a; nautical .kind. , .He .would npfc say that he had not the cdui^e,* in- tHai tlfe'^te'di-uig gear -was .out of .ordefr _ , He wpuld admit freely i ; arfd teidymiSfr %h'e^pildfc ! i%t-sBim'g?ivinjg vh^^e^ne^tft^th^-e^^'. f Brothorfcon "'^vpuld re^plaiij^isinip^i'. tjiatj /^yiilgto^e^^ust^oiv'frpitj^ijlnll^ ' worrjfrlie j>ff >j?HilB/^Btanuing^"oijt^he ■

t^o, expJjj^a^w^KOhorten the inquiry, h&would bo only too glafd to have offorreu |<|oramentiiDy§£j on fms explanation, Mr xralliamsojii paid if wfe captain had dozed off 4 he hrtd jwij;noBss£ < .fco say that a few moments before thoHtiip struck they saw lmfi infiun" abdutjp§>t>ridgc, and that they o|Ued td^in..gg^jjja§i&o would like to know now the ca"ptfe£^omtld account for the fact of the officers employed on deck not seeing the light or being aware of the danger. He would also call testimony to show them had been a great deal of jollification before tlie ship left, in which the officers and saloon passengers took part, and that some of the crew weie taken on boaid before the Triumph's departuie in a state of helpless intoxication. Pilot Burgees deposed to taking the steamer outside Raugitoto,, and giving the captain the couv.ss. . '' Thi'ee 'per&(Ais left the vessel with him. Ode was a cousin of the captain ; another was named JTamesiJEr^m/Ce Aujha, and^th^e .third .was some one named "Foidf They "were friends of the captain. Ha landed them ,at the North Sht>re. One of them .was" rather the woi be for liquor. He thought the captain was sober enougkto take charge of the ship, - although he might fyave had a glass or two of grog for all he knew. There was nothing to justify the vessel going ashoie fiom the intricacies of the harbour. The captain had something to drink ; d\d see him take a little biaridy ancPsoita; 1 "but beyond that knew nothing about it. | ' , "* " Mr Williamson commented on the appalent hesitation with which Pilot Buigess gave his answers. Capt. Brotherton handed in his certificate befote giving, evidence. He x deposed that he had fallen asleep in a finding position on the bridge before T;he vessel struck. He did not believe he was awake ten minutes before the ship stuick. Might have ! been walking on the bridge, -and still •islcep. There ha\ c been such cases. 'He felt diowsy when he went on the bridge, but did not take the precaution of having some one on the bridge with him. The officei* were all busy. The man at the wheel was a reliable man. Ho attributed the sleeping to ovei fatigue. He had been siiffeimg fiom nem.ilgia for some titnn, and could get no .sleep ; besides that ,had, been up at four o'clock. Had 'a glass of champagne about 12 in tlw day, some claret and lemonade about four, and a glass of brandy with the pilot after leaving the shipping olfice. Did not think that had anything to do with the diowsiu ss 5 — that would not affect him. The captain desciibed subsequent efforts to save the ship and caigo. The inquiry will occupy thiee days.