The Sun.
London, England, 1858-06-30 00:00:00

THE LOSS OF THE AVA.

Yesterday, the 'inquiry into the circumstances
attending the loss of the Ave was resumed before
Mr. Selfe and Captain Walker, H.E.I.C.S. Cap-
tain Kirton was further examined, and afterwards
the chief officer of the Ava. At the conclusion of
the evidence, Mr. Selfe and Captain Walker then
retired, and after a short absence returned into
court, when
Mr. Selfe said that himself and Captain Walker,
from whom he had received very great assistance
during the inquiry, had given every attention to
the evidence relating to the present very important
inquiry. The evidence was such that it would ;ako
some time to look carefully through it before for-
warding their official report to the Board of Trade ;
but he thought he might then say what would be
the substance of that report when forwarded. He
and Captain Walker both agreed with the explana-
tion afforded by Captain Kirton, that the primary
cause if the wreck taking place arose to a consider-
able extent from the force of the currents which had
set in, and the mistaking of a false light ; but at
the same time the court could not wholly acquit
.Captain Kirton of blame in the matter. By the
evidence of himself and chief officer, it was observed
that the current had set in so early as 4 o'clock in
the afternooon of the 16th (on the day and four
hours preceding the wreck) ; that the current was
stronger at five o'clock, and still strorger at 6.
Upon this point, however painful it inifht be for
the court to express an opinion, sill it vas neces-
sary to do so, and the opinion of the court was that
Captain Kirton, possessing the knowledge he did,
had neglected to take that precaution shich had
been alluded to so often during the inqairy, viz.,
that of heaving the lead. If the lead had been
used there could be no doubt the wreck would never
have happened. If the lead had beer. so used
three or four times it could not possibly have
detained the ship more than an hour upon its
passage ; but if the delay of taking soundings
had occasioned the loss of 12 or 14 boas, as it
had been stated it would, the vast inteests con-
fided to his care, and the many valuabb lives on.
board, ought to have led Lim to have avaded neg-
lecting the elementary precaution thus pointed out.
With this exception, in not having adopted such
precaution, the court held him not to blame.; and
although, as he (Mr. Selfe) had befora stand, it was
painful to •express an opinion to Capt. Kirton upon
the point, seeing the many valnakde testimonials
which had been banded in as to his prsficieucy,
skill, and courtesy as a commander, still himself
and Captain Walker had a stern duty to perform.
He could only say that they both sympathised
deeply with Captain Kirton upon his present pain-
ful position, and hoped that iu his future career he
would maintain the high character which he had
up to the time of this occurrence earned for himself.
Captain Kirton having returned thanks to the
court, and those gentlemen severally who bad taken
part in the inquiry for their kind attention, said,
had he been able to come . over earlier a different
light and construction would have been thrown
upon the matter than it now presented. Having
again thanked the court under very deep emotion,
Coptitin Kirton left with his friends. •