964

THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.

time being discharging the duties of Consul-General,
Consul, or Vice-Consul.
In witness whereof the undersigned have signed
the present Declaration, which shall come im-
mediately into operation, and have affixed thereto
the seal of their arms.
Done at London, this eleventh day of April, 1877.
(L.S.) DERBY.
(L.S.) J. V. BÜLOW.

Report on Wreck of the "Robina Dunlop."

Customs Department (Marine Branch),
Wellington, 24th September, 1877.

IT T is hereby notified that His Excellency the Go-
vernor has been pleased to confirm the following
report of a Court of Inquiry held at Wellington on
the 25th, 27th, and 28th days of August last, before
the Hon. John Johnston and Joseph Godfrey Holds-
worth, Esq., Justices of the Peace, assisted by Captain
Robert Johnson, Nautical Assessor, into the wreck
of the barque "Robina Dunlop," of Glasgow, regis-
tered tonnage 493, official number 68101, John
Graham, master, holding a Board of Trade certificate
of competency No. 94129; George Friedrich August
Carl Von Schoen, first mate, holding a New Zealand
certificate of competency as master No. 125; and
Hugh Hood Lawrie, second mate, holding a Board of
Trade certificate of competency No. 03115.

GEO. MCLEAN.

"THE 'Robina Dunlop,' a British ship of 493 tons,
left Wellington on the 11th instant, bound to
Batavia with 300 tons of ballast on board, but no
cargo, commanded by Captain John Graham, assisted
by certificated first and second officers, and a crew of
fourteen hands all told. The vessel is stated to have
been in good repair, and well found in stores. After
clearing the harbour experienced head winds, and the
vessel was kept beating to the westward until about
11 a.m. on Monday, the 13th instant, when Jackson's
Head bore N. W. by W., distant about 2 miles; the
vessel was then put on the port tack for the last
time, all sails were set except royals, wind freshened
from N.W. with hazy weather, so that the land
could not be seen across the Straits, and was al-
together lost sight of about 2 p.m. In the afternoon
the wind freshened, and at between 5 or 6 o'clock
the topgallant-sails and main-sail were taken in, and
topsails reefed, the weather getting more hazy and
thick, so that land could not have been seen at a
greater distance than half a mile. About ten
minutes to 8 o'clock p.m. the chief officer on watch
saw breakers ahead, and immediately roused the
master, who was dozing on the gratings abaft the
steering wheel, but too late to save the ship, as she
soon after struck, then shifted a little further, and
finally settled amongst the breakers, the sea making
clean over her at 9 o'clock, carrying away boats,
bulwarks, &c., and by next morning had become
a total wreck. The weather at the time of stranding
was so thick that land was not seen until the vessel
struck. From noon till stranding there is a dis-
crepancy as to the course the ship made, the steers-
men, excepting one, asserting that the vessel only
made a N. by W. course, while the master and mates
affirm that it was N.N.W. The patent log appears
to have been over, and the master states that he
hauled it in and looked at it two or three times
after leaving Jackson's Head, and that it had regis-
tered up to 6 o'clock forty miles, and would at the
time of stranding have registered about fifty miles;
but as the distance from Jackson's Head to the place
of stranding (one mile north of Turakina River) is
sixty-six miles, and the vessel must have had a strong
tide for the most time against her, for which eight
or nine miles must be allowed, a grave error in com-
puting the distance run must have occurred, which
appears remarkable when it is considered that a sea-
man who paid the slightest attention to the navi-
gation of his ship must have known whether his
ship was going 5 or 8 knots. It is also remark-
able that the men who steered the ship from noon
did not see the log hauled in, or the master looking
at it, although from their position they should have
seen it had it been done. The hand lead was oc-
casionally hove by one of the officers from leaving
Jackson's Head, the last time about ten minutes
before stranding, but no bottom was found. Taking
into consideration the speed of the ship and the
depth of water in the Straits, no reasonable person
could have expected to get bottom until the vessel
got so near shore as to be in danger. Had proper
soundings been taken with the deep-sea lead about
6 o'clock it would have shown the ship to be in
a different position to that assigned to her, and
to be too near in shore.

"Reviewing the whole case, we are of opinion that
the vessel was lost through the culpable negligence
of the master in not paying greater attention to the
navigation of his ship, particularly with reference to
the course and distance run, and not taking proper
soundings. We are also of opinion that the chief
officer is highly blameable for not having paid proper
attention to the course made and the distance run.

"Having decided that the ship was lost in con-
sequence of the culpable negligence of the master,
John Graham, the Court decide to suspend his
certificate for two years, and to express its opinion
that the chief officer, George Friedrich August Carl
Von Schoen, merits severe censure.

"Given under our hands this twenty-ninth day
of August, one thousand eight hundred
and seventy-seven, at Wellington, in the
Colony of New Zealand.

"Jos. G. HOLDSWORTH,
"JOHN JOHNSTON,
"Justices of the Peace for the Colony
of New Zealand."

"I, Robert Johnson, Nautical Assessor on the
Inquiry into the loss of the "Robina Dunlop,"
do fully concur in the above report concerning
the loss of the said vessel.

"R. JOHNSON,
"Nautical Assessor."

Greymouth to Brunnerton Railway (portion of).

NOTICE is hereby given that a plan showing
generally the nature of the works to be per-
formed in the construction of a portion of the above
line of railway is deposited in the Warden's Office,
Cobden, in the County of Grey, where it can be
seen at all reasonable hours for the period of forty
days from the 27th instant.

Dated this 20th day of September, 1877.
J. D. ORMOND,
Minister for Public Works.

Cadet appointed in Government Insurance Department.

Government Insurance Office,
Wellington, 21st September, 1877.

THE following appointment has been made in the
Government Insurance Department:—
WILLIAM LUPTON DEAN, Cadet.
J. WOODWARD,
Deputy Commissioner,