The Sun.
London, England, 1867-07-03 00:00:00

LOSS OF THE SHIP ASS.IYE.

OFFICIAL REPORT.
To the Lords of the Committee of Privy Council

- for Trade.
Lords,—We, the undersigned, two of her
Majesty's Justices of the Peace for the county of
Renfrew, have had an official inquiry into the
stranding and subsequent foundering of the ship
Assaye, which occurred on the morning of the Ist
inst. in the vicinity of the Blackwater Light vessel.
The Assaye was built of iron at Greenock in the year
1853, and registered at that port of the burthen of
785 tons. She was owned by Messrs. James and
William Stewart and others, of Greenock, and was
commanded by Mr. James Jones, who holds a cer-
tificate of competency as master; dated in February,
1858. The Assaye left George Town, Demerara,
on the 2d day of April last, bound to Liverpool, with
a valuable cargo of colonial produce. She was pro-
perly and efficiently found, and was manned by a
crew of 2l men all told. Nothing occurred on the
voyage to call for remark, and on the 31st May, at
10 o'clock at night, the Saltees Lightship was made,
bearing E.N.E., at a distance of six or seven miles. -
At 11 o'clock the lights were lost sight of, "bearing
N.N.W., and the distance from them was computed,
both by the master and mate, at from six to seven
miles, the computation of distance being obviously
very difficult in thick weather; From this position
an easterly course was steered tilled 2 o'clock a.m.
of the Ist June, when the ship struck upon the south
rock off the Tuskar, the weather at that time having
become so thick that they were unable to see that
brilliant light although in such close vicinity. After
the casualty the ship freed herself of the rock, but
shortly commenced to leak. Sail was set, and
efforts were made to get her round the north end of
the Blackwater and beach her on the Irish coast,
but these efforts were ineffectual, as the vessel foun-
dered in 20 fathoms of water, within half-a-mile of
the Blackwater Lightship. The incidents of this
casualty lie within a very small compass and a very
short interval of time, and no doubt might have been
avoided by a more cautious course, and due atten-
tion to the lead, &c. The weather both on making
and after passing the Saltees is represented as being
very thick, and here was the primary error in over-
estimating the distance from that light. A course
to pass the Tuskar, which would be safe at a dis-

Lance of six miles from the Saltees in fine weather,
became manifestly unsafe in thick weather, and, in
fact, with a leading wind and the whole Irish Channel
open, it was highly imprudent, in such .thick weather
and with a strong spring flood, to attempt to round
the Tuskar so closely. -We must, therefore, hold
Mr. Jones responsible for the loss of this valuable
ship. In awarding the sentence the Court took into
consideration the previous caution of the master in
heaving his ship to, and casting his lead with care,
upon making the Saltees ; and it is much to be re-
gretted that the same caution deserted him when
approaching the Tuskar. The Court, however, was
not disposed to visit Mr. Jones's omission with
severity, but they could not overlook the fact that a
fine ship had been lost, with a leading wind and in
moderate weather, by a neglect of ordinary pre-

caution. The sentence of the Court was that Mr.
James Jones's certificate of competency be sus-
pended for the space of three calendar months. The
certificate is forwarded to your lordships herewith.

COUx4TRY MARKETS.

LEEDS-TUESDAY.

The corn market to-day had a very poor attendance, and
what business there was done in fresh wheat was at the
same prices as last week, yet trade was dull. Barley no-
minal. In oats and beans no alteration.