The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1871-02-07 00:00:00

"STARBOARD OR PoRT "—LOST BY A
WORI) !

Many years ago.whee Uwe, desired to alter a veneers
ftvurller IL. amas*Or Orifti •• ••.••••1".•••••1
to the helmsmen, 'recording as be desired the course to
be turned one wsy or the other. The similarity of the
words, uttered perhaps when a high wind wmi blowing,
and the waves were dashing around, were the sourer of
many accidents, for the helmsman often was supposed
to mistake one for the other, end run his vessel to
destrusliou in oonsequenee. So it was agreed that
"port" should be the word opposed to " btarbaard,"
and the marked differenos between the two was thought
spough to prevent mistake. What a fearful difference
there is between the results of uttering the right word
or the wrong at the twilled time 1 So found Mr. John
Moody Campbell, chief mate of the steamer Mauritius,
of Dubin), whose utterance of the wrong word he him.
ee/1 considers was the cause of • fine brig 200 tons,
that bad weathered the peasage from Africa, being
sunk about two dozen miles from our own coast. Ile
mys that on Monday, the 30th day of January. at 3.10
a.m., the tide at the time being fbod, the weather
dark, end the wind is the N. E., blowing • light breeze,
the said ship being about al miles W.S.W. of the
Needles light, steering W.S. W., about nine knots, with
no canvass set, all lights burning bright mid in their
proper places. Dew:meet had watch on deck, and being
on •he bridg.e observed • vessel's red light on tbu star-
board bow about quarter mile distant. Ordered the
helm to be sherbosrded. Ake did not answer the helm
as quickly as deponent anticipated she would. Perceiv.
tag a adliaion vu then inevitable, stopped the engines
and reversed them still keeping thu helm sterboerded.
The two vessels immediately came in collision, time
about 3.20 am.. the stern of depouenta versel striking
the stranger on the port quarter. shaft the main
rigging, doing comiderable damage. Reversed the
engines and got clear. Tbe mister then cause on deck
it being his wretch below. Steamed up alongside and
took mew a strange vessel on board, who were then
in their boats. The strange retool which proved to
be the Kanagorn of Liverpool, Williams, master,
foundered about one hour after collision. Deponents
vessel beaded the strange mew at Weymouth,
it about 11 a.m. on the 30th (this day). In answer
to questions Deponent stated it is the rule for
the Quexteromater to trim the lights with Cole& oil
every night at midnight. On this occasion tbey were
trimmed at 9 p.m. They were platted in the rigging.
When deponent first saw the strange vessel he sup-
posed she was heading S.E., bet the night being dark
he cannot tell under what ...avast she was. ilre lighte
appeaied to be well alt. The light seen viz., red one,
was burning brightly. She wai close hauled and did
not change her warm after she was first seen.
Deponent stated that the oollision. would in hie opinion
have been avoided had he ordered the helm to be
ported in tame, and not intarboarded as stated. Ile
also stated he was deceived in the distance between the
two vessels, when he first saw the red light, and
that he kept his helm to stmboard while the engines were
reversed to pass astern of the other vowel if possible
John Lloyd, chief officer of the ship Kanagore, of
Liverpool, deposed that she was of 109 tons, and was
owned by deponent. of Belleheli Carus:von. She was
• brig slimed in Lloyd's List as A 1,6 years. The
crew consisted of 8 hands, including deponent, who has
only • certificate as mate. She had on board about
200 tons of I goods. shipped by A. Silva and
Co., of St. Paul de Loando' and consigned to oriel. of
Falmouth. She pi oeeeded from Si. Paul do
Loando on the 28th day of November. —At
the time of sailing the ship was tight, staunch,
strong, well found, and in every respect It for the
voyage. She proceeded until the 16th Jsnuary, when
a heavy me struck the ship and earried away bulwarks,
be. She arrived at Falmouth on the 20th instant.
Received orders for London and sailed on the 26th,
On Monday the 30th of January, at 110 sm., the tide
at the time being flood, the weather dark, and the
wind in the N Eby E 4 E blowing • moderate breeze,
the ship being about 26 miles SE by 8 from Portland,
under all plain sail heading SE by E E, making five
knots, both light' burning brightly, one on each quarter
, placed on the lop-gallant bulwarks. Deponent had
' watch on deck and was on the quarter deck, with an
obi* seaman at the wheel and an ordinary seaman on
the lookout forward. Deponent saw a steamer's mast
head arid green light on the port quarter. about 1 j or
two miles distant. and kept worst uotil about 3.20 cm.
when seeing the steamer wining into collision he
ordered the helm to be put hard • port. The two
vessels immediately collided, deponent and the able
seaman having to roe forwarded to save their lives.
the steamer's bow eaught deponents vessel on the port
quarter, cutting late the ship. The master who had his
watch below came on deck, sad with the rest of the crew
launched the boat, got into her and made towards the
steamer, who took us on board. Saw the vessel go
&owe about an lieu after leaving her. Did not sound
the pumps and she commenced to settle by the st.re
immediately the was struck. The steamer, which was
the Mauritius, leaded deponent and rest of crew at
Weymouth about 11 a.m. this morning. On board de-
ponenta vessel it was the duty of the officer of the
watch to see the lamps trimmed. On tide uocasion they
were bound with Celia oieby deponent as lie said about
3 Min Supposed the steamier was heading W 8 W as
the bright and gram lights were the only ones visible.
They were carried he fancies in the fore riggine.
Deponent's vessel was on • wind on the port trick.
Deponent staled that the *Wilde° might have been
avoided if the steamer had ported her helm. —lt wee
it merciful Providence that preserved the iivell Of the
men. Those in the brig were enable to save any of
their property • oily the watch on deck bad the clothes
they stood upright in, while those who were in their
berths bad to rue into tbe boat as they were, and
afterwards borrow clothes from the steamer's mew. -
The value of the ship and Naga ia UlliCllol.ll.