THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 1625

of the recent wreck of the mail steamer "Kafir," and
request Your Excellency will be pleased to give
directions for the same to be communicated to those
whom it may concern.

I have, &c.,
F. W. SULLIVAN, Commodore.

His Excellency the Right Hon.
Sir Bartle Frere, Bart., G.C.B., G.C.S.I., &c.

REPORT ON DANGER OFF OLIFANT'S POINT.
H.M. Surveying Vessel "Fawn,"
Table Bay, 5th June, 1878.

SIR,—I have the honor to inform you that, on the
3rd instant, I made an examination of the locality
where the Union Mail steamer "Kafir" struck and
was lost on February last.

2. The survey has not been exhaustive, as time
   would not allow me to fill up thoroughly the great
   blanks that have been left in the chart of the entire
   west shore of the Cape Peninsula, nor was there any
   occasion why a very close survey of the waters off
   Olifant's Bosch should be undertaken.

The locality is well known to fishermen, who spend
great part of their lives there, and three visits that
I have made by land from Simon's Town have con-
vineed me that these men know of no danger outside
the rock called by them the "Albatross," on which
they one and all declare the "Kafir" to have struck,
they having been eye-witnesses of her movements.

3. The result of my examination is that the
   Albatross Rock is 1,200 yards from the shore of
   Olifant's Point, or 500 yards farther seaward than
   previously shown on the chart.

4. The spot where the "Kafir's" remains now lie
   is 1.6 mile to the S.E. by S. of this rock.

5. A tracing (filed in Surveyor-General's Office,
   for general information) of my soundings in this
   vicinity is enclosed for your information.

I have, &c.,
W. J. L. WHARTON,
Commander in Charge of Survey.

Commodore F. W. Sullivan, C.B.,
Senior Officer.

Report of Enquiry regarding Stranding of
"Wanganui."

Marine Department,
Wellington, 14th November, 1878.

IT IT is hereby notified that His Excellency the
Governor has been pleased to confirm the fol-
lowing report of the Court of Enquiry, held at
Oamaru, on the 10th ultimo, before Thomas Windle
Parker, Esq., Resident Magistrate, assisted by Cap-
tain James Shand, Nautical Assessor, into the cause
of the stranding of the schooner "Wanganui," of
Dunedin, registered tonnage 78, official number
61015, John Blaney, Master, holding a New Zealand
certificate of service No. 2027. The vessel was
stranded on the beach about three miles north of
Oamaru, on the 4th ultimo.

G. GREY.

"That the schooner 'Wanganui' was bound from
Dunedin to Oamaru with 35 tons of general cargo,
and left Dunedin in the forenoon of the 3rd of
October instant, and cleared Taiaroa Head about 7
o'clock in the evening, there being a moderate breeze
with showers of rain. About 10 o'clock the vessel
was abreast of the Kartigi Light, the wind being
S.S.E. Proceeded along the coast without any
alterations in the course, and the master expected to
see Oamaru Head as usual. About 12.15, the dis-
tance to Oamaru having been run, not by log, but
according to the master's judgment, he wore ship to
stand to the westward; but, on hauling to the wind,
he found there was too much wind to carry whole
sail, and took steps to reduce it by reefing, and
standing in at the same time a little to the westward.
However, before the mainsail could again be set,
breakers were seen on the beach. All attempts to
bring the vessel round failing, the anchor was let go,
but it would not hold, and the vessel in a few
moments was high upon the beach. Measures were
then taken to cant the vessel to the beach, which
were successful, and the cargo was, on the same day,
all got out undamaged. The vessel does not show
any sign of being damaged, and a contract has been
taken for re-launching her. The master attributes
the disaster to thick weather, and inability to see the
light on the Oamaru Cape, or the light on the break-
water. It is assumed that the weather was as
described by the master, thick with showers when
off Moeraki, and thicker, but still with showers,
when off Oamaru and up to the time of the catas-
trophe. The master was provided with a patent log;
but neither it nor any other log was used by him:
his reckoning being solely his own judgment; this
being apparently the only reckoning that guides him,
as he says that he has gone round the New Zealand
coast without ever using the log, and has done so
frequently. The weather was so thick that there
was no possibility of seeing any object; and, although
provided also with a lead line, the customary pre-
causions taken by seamen under such circumstances
were not adopted by the master. The use of the lead
might not have shown him exactly where he was, as
the bottom of the bay is generally flat all over; but,
as it was not possible to see any familiar object, the
necessity for standing out to sea was urgent, and if
he found himself getting into shallow water in such
thick weather, it was then still more urgent. It is
perhaps singular that in such thick weather the first
knowledge of his close proximity to the breakers was
conveyed by sight and not by sound. When being
carried rapidly towards the shore, the anchor was
dropped, but was of no service; and it is not at all
likely that two anchors would have been of any
greater service than one, so close in shore. Captain
Blaney has the credit of being a competent and
trustworthy seaman, and has sailed along the New
Zealand coasts for several years with great good for-
tune as regards casualties. Probably this continuous
success may have begotten a confidence in himself to
such an extent as to induce him to regard the artifi-
cial aids as less reliable than his personal experience
and skill. These natural qualities may be useful;
but before a master can rely upon them entirely, he
must first have exhausted all the artificial aids which,
under similar circumstances, are recognized and
relied upon by seamen generally. On the night in
question these precautions should have been taken:
they were not taken; and it is no answer to say that
the result might have been the same if they had
been taken.

"I apprehend that the stranding of this vessel is
nothing but a natural consequence of negligence on
the part of the master; and I cannot see that a
Court of Enquiry can do less than suspend his certi-
ficate. No loss of life has occurred, but a heavy
pecuniary loss falls upon the owners: such as cost
of re-launching, if the weather permit; outlay for
repairs; idle time during which the vessel will be
earning nothing; and depreciation, more or less,
from the stranding; and if the master, as one of the
owners, is a sufferer, that will not relieve him from
liability under the Statute, which gives jurisdiction
to this inquiry. The favourable mention of the
defendant by Captain Sewell, the Harbourmaster, is
not overlooked; and the decision of the Court is that
the certificate of service of Captain John Blaney be
suspended for four months.