The Sun.
London, England, 1864-11-04 00:00:00

What inference did you draw from that ?—That we were
either set by a strong current which prevails on that pas-
sage and is very uncertain, or that the compasses must
pave been very much out.
The President—How set off the bank? In that case
would it not have been more desirable to stand in and
ascertain by the lead your distance from the land than to
trust either to chronometer or to compass under circum-
stances where the soundings are so clearly defined ?
Witness—ln the first place I did not trust the chart, as
by the short run from 12 o'clock to 6 it was quite impossible
to be out so much in our dead reckoning. Had it not been
for the threatening state of the weather I should have con-
tinued longer on a SE course to try and obtain soundings.
The sights and cross-bearings agreed.
Then what reason had you to mistrust the charts ?—From
the course I had shaped at 12 30 I ought to have obtained'
soundings, being in sight of land. The passage even now
Is not correctly surveyed. _ . _

In answer to further questions touching the corrcetness
of the chart, witness stated that mariners constantly cruis-
ing around these islands stated they could place no depen-
dence on the chart, but he had never himself proved it in-
accurate. Mr Gilpin, master, Mr Jackson, acting second
master, and Mr Brodie, master's assistant, took the meridian
altitude on the 18th May. The latitude by those three ob-
servations agreed. lie was satisfied it was correct. The
observation was made in the first watch by three stars, and
the latitude by those stars agreed with the dead reckoning
at noon.

Knowing your latitude, why did you not steer eastward
until you got soundings, which would have given you your
longitude at once ?—I did not consider it safe, on account of
the shoals laid down close to the bank. The shoals 1 tried
to keep clear of were patches marked inside the bank to Col-
lingwood Shoal. Being night I preferred stopping in deep
water than chance running the risk of getting on shore.

Can you explain how it was after the master's advice you
did not stand in for soundings and verify your position ?
On account of the appearance of the weather. At 7 p.m. we
had a doubt of our latitude, and I could not understand why
we could not obtain soundings when I thought we ought to
have been on a bank. I expected we might be six or seven
miles out. Assuming that they were that distance out, it
occurred to witness that they must still be 15 miles on the
banks, He was satisfied he was off the bank. The course
he was steering would certainly have cleared the shoal by
10 miles southward of it, supposing he was 10 miles north-
ward out of his reckoning and off the bank. He computed
his distance from the nearest land from 22 to 25 miles.
The day before the stranding of the ship the master went
on the sick list. The mester took the bearings of the land.
When the course was shaped at 8 p.m., an allowance
was made for currents, but it was always difficult to
decide the exact allowance. He allowed for the current
being on the port bow setting off the land. He was aware
that for two or three preceding days the current had been
setting strong from SS.W. He could not see any broken
water on the shoal when the ship struck, but directly after
she struck there was a slight breaking of water on the port
beam. When she struck he supposed himself 20 miles to
southward. The master on being placed on the list did not
cease to attend to the navigation of the ship. There were
men with hand leads keeping them going on the morning of
the 19th. A man was constantly kept in the fore chains
and relieved every two hours.
The Court then adjourned.