The Sun.
London, England, 1864-01-08 00:00:00

The Accident to the Steamer Anglia.

On Wodnesday the official investigation into the circum•
stances attending the stranding of the Atlantic Royal
Mail Steam Navigation Company's steamer Anglia, Capt.

Prowse, was opened by order of the Board of Trade, a

the Gieenwicli Police-court, before Mr. Traill, magi&

trate, and Captain Harris, nautical assessor. As was the
case on the previous day, Capt. Baker, the other nautical
assessor, was not present in the court, and after waiting
nearly an hour, it was agreed that the proceedings should
commence in his absence.

Mr. Sharkey appeared for Capt. Prowse; Mr. Valiance
represented the Atlantic Maii Company; and Mr. O'Dowd
was present for the Board ot Trade.
Mr. O'Dowd said that the Board of Trade had thought

fit to order an investigation into the stranding of the Anglia,
on the morning of Nov. 10, on the Black Rock, close to the
town of Galway. lie was happy to say that there had been

no loss of life or property, and that the material damage
sustained by the vessel was just sufficient to bring it within
the jurisdiction of that court. The Anglia was a paddlewheel
steamer, built at Hull in 1561.. Her registered gross ton-

nage was 2,919 ; but, deducting 1,290 tons for the propel-
ling power, her registered tonnage was 1,6.58. She had two

engines of I,OOJ horse-power, and the ship was under the
command of Mr. N. Prowse, who held a certificate of com•

peteney from the Board of Trade, and was a gentleman of
very high professional standing and character. Her crew

consisted in all of about 130 hands. The Anglia, laden with

a general cargo, and having 140 passengers, left Liverpool

for Boston about 7 o'clock in the evening of the 7th of

November, and arrived in Galway Bay at 6 o'clock in
the afternoon of the 9th. At that time she was off Black
Head, on the coast of Clare, taking the south and usual

channel. She proceeded steadily towards the roadstead, and
when about half-way the weather suddenly became thick
with rain, and squally. Her head was then put to the west-
ward, and, the weather continuing squally, the steamer re-

. .
turned and anchored under the Black Head, about 50 mi-
nutes past 7 o'clock. At 2 o'clock on the mornidg of the 10th
the ship weighed anchor and again proceeded towards the
roadstead very closely. Capt. Prowse, being aware of the
difficulties of the navigation, directed rockets to be sent up,
blue lights to be burned, and guns to be fired for a pilot.
No pilot, however, offered. And with reference to this part

of the case, the learned gentleman adverted to the pilotage
clauses in the Galway Harbour Act, from which it would
appear that the ship was then in pilotage waters. He then
returned to the course of the Anglia. About 5:a.m.10n the
morning of the 10th, while she was going dead slow, and
every precaution being apparently taken to secure her safe
navigation in the roadstead, the steamer grounded on a
ledge close to the Black Rock. The tide was then on the
ebb. The ship came off on the next flood, and was taken
back to Liverpdol, where it was ascertained that she had
sustained sufficient damage to bring her within the opera-
tion of the act. From his (Mr. O'Dowd's) knowledge of
the constitution of the Court, he felt satisfied that every
justice would be done Capt. Prowse. In conducting those
inquiries, he felt that it was not his duty to express any
opinion upon the facts. No one would be more pleased than
himself if the Court absolved Capt. Prowse from all blame
in the matter, but, on the other hand, if it should appear
that he had been guilty of any default, he was certain the
Court would not refrain from expressing their opinion.

Several witnesses were then called and examined. The
first was

John Thomas, first officer of the Anglia, who deposed

the general condition of the vessel previous to the accident.
On the evening of Nov. 9 they were off the south end of the
Arran Islands, at the entrance to Galway Bay, and fired
guns, burnt blue lights, and employed the signals gene-
rally used to indicate the want of a pilot. The Anglia was
due in Galway at 4 o'clock that afternoon. As no pilot came
on board, and the night was threatening, they anchored
under Black Head until 2 o'clock the next morning, when
they weighed and steamed slowly towards the roadstead.
The speed of the vessel was not more three miles an hour.
Men were kept continually heaving the lead on each side of
the ship, extra look outs were stationed on the paddle boxes
and in the bows, the signalling for pilot was repeated at
short intervals, and Capt. Prowse was on the bridge most of
the time. No pilot, however, came, and at 4.37, ship's time,
the vessel grounded gently on a ledge of the Black Rock.
The engines were at once reversed, but, it being ebb
tide, the vessel could not be got off. The third officer was
despatched to Galway, and returned with a pilot at 5.10.
The binding of the passengers was then proceeded with,
and completed after 10 o'clock. Preparations were next
made for floating the ship off at the flood tide ; and this was
effected at 3.45 in the afternoon, with the assistance of the
company's tug. She anchored in the roadstead, and was
found to be leaking a little. The cargo had not been re-
moved while she was aground. On Nov. 15, the Anglia
cast off from the buoy, and proceeded to Liverpool,where she
arrived on the afternoon of the 17th inst. Witness consi-
dered that the beacon on the Black Rock was useless at
night. In his opinion the captain had adopted every means
to secure the attendance of a pilot,and to avoid the accident.
John Stubbs, third officer, was next examined; and he,
as well as the other witnesses, confirmed in all important
particulars the evidence of Thomas. At the time of the ac-
cident the night was clear,with bright starlight, the Mutton
Island light being right a-head, but the Black Rock beacon
not being visible. The ship's head was E. N.
Edward Sharpe, boatswain, said that four minutes before
the vessel grounded, the lead men found about 7 fathonis of
water on each side of the ship.
John Corkill, quartermaster, stated that at the time the
vessel struck, her head was E, N.
Andrew Russell, chief engineer, and Edward Pritchard,
a pilot, of Liverpool, were also examined, but nothing ad-
ditional, or in opposition, to the prevous evidence was
elicited from them.
Mr. O'Dowd said these were all the witnesses he pro-
posed calling.
Mr Slankey inquired if there would be any objection to