The Sun.
London, England, 1864-04-05 00:00:00

The Wreck of the Golden Age,—Board of

Trade Inquiry.

Yesterday an official inquiry, instituted by the Board of
Trade, took place at the Greenwich Police-court,before Mr.
Trail!, magistrate, and Captain Harris and Capt. Domett,
nautical assessors, into the circumstances attending the loss
of the ship Golden Age, Captain Charles Morrison Pack,
off Dungeness, on the morning of the 19th February.
Mr O'Dowd, attended on behalf of the Board of Trade,
Mr. Morgan (of the firm of Humphrey and Morgan) appear-
ing for the captain'; and Mr. Marshall watching the case on
behalf of the owners. Mr. Boustred, the chief clerk of the
Court, took the depositions of the witnesses.
The proceedings were briefly opened by Mr. O'Dowd, the
first witness called being
Joseph Wall, who said he had a certificate of competency
as master from the Board of Trade, and was chief officer of
the Golden Age, which left Madras on the 2d of October
last, bound for London with a cargo of cotton and oil. At
the time of leaving Madras the vessel was found well and
sound, and sufficiently manned. Everything was prosperous
on the voyage until three o'clock in the afternoon of the
17th of February,when a Deal boatman was taken on board
to take the ship to Dungeness. The wind was then N.W.,
and they had a leading wind up Channel. At 2.25 a.m.,
being then within pilotage waters, the pilot-boat came up,
and William Anderson, a branch pilot, took charge of the
ship. About 3.30 a,m., the Wellington steam-tug took the
vessel in tow, and at 5.45 a.m., a Dutch galliot came into
collision with the ship, it being then just daybreak. The
ship was got off without much injury, but was left adrift,
the hawser of the steamer having apparently been out by
the galliot about 7 fathoms on the outside. The vessel was
then worked to windward until about 11 a.m., when the
steam-tug Secret took the ship in tow, the South Foreland
being in sight, distant about 10 miles, Folkestone light
was observable on the port bow, and Dungeness light bore
W. by S., distant 10 or 12 miles. The tug having left, the
captain set the fore and mizen topsails, standing in on the
starboard tack, and anchoring in 17 fathoms at 8.45 p.m.
The pilot gave the order to let go the ship's anchor, and the
anchor watch, five in number, each lasting one hour and 25
minutes, was formed, He had the first watch, from 9 to
10.25 p.m., and at 4.5 a.m. of the 19th he was again called.
At 5 a.m. he gave orders for all hands to be called to get the
ship under weigh. The crew had coffee, and at 5.45 the
ship struck heavily about midships, under the heel of the
mainmast, starting the masts. The captain remarked,
" What is that ?" and witness said, "The ship has struck,"
upon which the captain replied, " That is impossible." Tho
vessel struck again, and on the pilot coming up the captain
said, "The ship has struck," and the pilot said, "That is
impossible in 17 fathoms of water," and gave orders to slip
the chain at 75 fathoms, and to hoist the foretopmast stay-
sail. The well was sounded by the capenter, and he re-
ported six feet of water. Witness jumped into the star-
board mizen chains and took a cast of the lead, which gave
five fathoms, less a quarter. The ship went broadside on,
and the pilot gave orders to cut away the main and mizen-
masts. The snow was coming down heavily, nothing could
be seen. Shortly after 7 a.m. No. 4 pilot boat bore down
came alongside and took off the passengers and a portion of
the crew. The remainder of the crew, excepting the captain,
witness, the carpenter, and four men, being taken off by the
boat in five other trips it mado. At 1 p.m. ship was aban-
doned, and those who had remained on board were landed
nea No. 2 battery. A large portion of the cargo was after-
wards saved, but greatly damaged, and the vessel has been
got off the Roar, where she struck, and taken ashore at
Hythe.
By Captain Harris—When the ship anchored at 8.45
p.m. of the 18th, the wind was blowing fresh from ENE.,
with a heavy snow squall. During his watch, from 9 p.m. to
10.25 p.m., the ship rode easily, and the pilot gave orders at
9 that the helm was to be shifted at 12 p.m., when there
would be a change of tide, and that if there was any change
in the weather ho was to be called. No orders were given
to throw the deep-sea les4 overboard, nor was it thrown
during his watch. The Foreland light was right a-head,
and the ship's head bore to the cast. Before leaving deck
at 10.25 p.m. he tried the chain by placing his hand upon
it, and found all correct. The captain was on deck when he
was called up at 4.5 a.m., and tlso at the time the ship
struck, but witness did not see the pilot.
The boatswain, carpenter, and second mate were then
severally called and examined upon the points contained in
the preceding evidence. They all stated that during their
different watches orl the morning of the wreck the deep sea