The Sun.
London, England, 1864-01-23 00:00:00

STRANDING OF A STEAMER.

Yesterday an inquiry, directed by the Board of
Trade, was concluded at the Greenwich Police-
court, before Mr. Traill, the magistrate, and Cap-
tain Harris and Captain Domett, nautical assessors,
into the circumstances attending the stranding of
the screw steamer Regina, Captain James Bowen,
off Dungeness, on the morning of the 16th of De-
cember last. Mr. O'Dowd attended to conduct the
case on behalf of the Board of Trade, and Mr. R. N.
Howard, solicitor, of Weymouth, appeared for Cap-
tain Bowen. Mr. O'Dowd, in opening the case, said
that the inquiry was instituted by the Board of
Trade under the Ist article of the 4321 section of
the Merchant Shipping Act, 1854, The Regina
was a screw steamer, belonging to the port of Lon-
don, and was the property of Messrs. Pickernell, of
Fenchurch-street, City. She was built in 1862, and
was registered as of 497 tons burden, and having
engines of 90-horse power. At the time of the
stranding she was under the command of Captain
Bowen, who held a certificate of competency from
the Board of Trade, and had had the command of
years, including the Great
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general cargo. At 10
p.m. of the 15th December Dungeness Light bore
E,N.E.,i
distante
rate of nine knots an
leagues, the vessel at this
time ;proceeding
seven
th at
hour, weather cloudy, and wind W. by S. At
midnight a light was placed over the ship's
bow as a signal for a pilot, the vessel then
being abreast of Dungeness distant about two
miles. No pilot, however, came on board, and
bluelights were burnt, and the vessel was hauled off.
At 1 a.m. Dungeness Light bore W.N.W. At that
time the engines were working at quarter speed,
the helm was ported. Shortly afterwards Dunge-
ness Light was again passed, distant about three or
four miles. Captain Bowen was on deck during the
whole of this time, and soundings were twice taken,
the first giving 17 fathoms, and the second between
six and seven fathoms. At 2 a.m. the ship's helm
was ported to avoid two vessels, and this bringing
her to the northward her helm was put hard star-
board, and about eight minutes afterwards the
vessel struck on the beach. Orders were then given
for the engines to be worked astern at full speed,
but this failed to bring her
off, and she remained
fixed for 22 days, during which time her cargo was
discharged, and she was then brought into a dock
on the Thames for repair. The first officer, the
chief engineer, and an able seaman were examined
at great length, as also Captain Bowen, who said
at the time the ship went aground Dungeness light
bore by the bridge compass, E. by y N. a N., and
afterwards Captain Fenwick, who was sent down to
ascertain the exact position of the ship, made it E. by
N. N., when he remarked that the ship's compasses
must be incorrect. The spot where she struck was
only three-quarters of a mile from the light. Captain
Harris, in expressing his opinion upon the case,
strongly condemned an entry made in the log-book
of eight fathoms of water being obtained as sound-
ings just previous to the stranding. The entry, he
said, appeared to have been made for the purpose of
misleading the owners, but it was not likely profes-
sional men would be misled. With regard to 17
fathoms soundings being obtained, he (Captain
Bowen) knew as well as that Court did it was next
to en impossibility to obtain such soundings with
the vessel going at four knots an hour. The general
navigation of the ship appeared to have been very
goad, and reflected great credit upon the captain.
His opinion, however, was that Captain Bowen had
trusted more to his eye than the compasses as re-
garded the light. Taking into consideration his
high professional character, he was not inclined to
visit him with any severe punishment, and he should
therefore recommend that his certificate be returned
to him with an admonition from the Court. Capt.
Domett and Mr. Traill concurred in this suggestion,
and the certificate having been acordingly returned
to Captain Bowen, the proceedings terminated.