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

TIM LOSS OF TfIE 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 ()Meer of the Ava. At the conclusioa 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 take
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 Lirton, that the primary
cause el 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 I
evidence of himself and chief officer, it was observed
that the current had set in so early as 4 dclock in
the afternooon of the 16th (on the day snd four
hours preceding the wreck) ; that the current was
stronger at five o'clock, and still strovr at 6.
Upon this point, however painful it might be for
the court to express an opinion, still it wris neces-
sary to do so, and the opinion of the court Fag that
Captain Kirton, possessing the knowleigahe did,
had neglected to take that precaution which had
been alluded to so often during the inqui/y, viz.,
that of heaving the 1-ad. If the lead had been
used there could be no doubt the wreck wouli never
have happened. If the lead had been 8) used
three or four times it could not possibly have
detained the ship more thau an hour Ilion its
passage ; but if the delay of taking souixdings
had occasioned the loss of 12 or 14 hours, as it
had been stated it would, the vast interestr con-
fided to his care, and the many valuable lives on
board, ought to have led him to have avoide neg-
lecting the elementary precaution thus pointa out.
With this exception, in not having adopted such
precaution, the court held him not to j?laine ; and
although, as he (Mr. Son) had befur:i sEitted, i; was
painful to express an opinion to Capt. Kirton ppon
the point, Fredric, the many valuable testinnolnals
which had been handed in as to his proficiePc9,
skill, and. courtesy as a commander, still hivelf
and Captain Walker had a stern duty to perf'irm.
He could only say that they both sympatbised
deeply with Captain Kirton upon his present pain-
ful position, and hoped that in his future career he
would maintain the high character which he ,bad
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 tu the inquiry for their kind attention, mid,
had ho been able to come over earlier a different
light and construction would have bees thrown
upon the matter than it now presented. - Having
again thanked the court under very deep emotion,
Captain Kirtou left with his friends.