The Daily Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Or.) 1876-1883, 1883-10-05
COURT OF INQUIRY.
Story of the Loss of the cairnsmore

SllOlJ Va lAC 1OSS Vi Ll1C AcAl
4 crowd of mariners stood around
the entrance TO vice-consul Cherry's
Office yesterday morning, waiting for
a summons in reference to a court of
inquiry into the loss of the Cairns
more on the 9th ult. The court con-
vened at ten, in pursuance to the fol-
lowing order:
Whereas, The British bargue
CaiTNsmore, was wrecked near the bar
OF the Columbia river on the 9th
day of September, 1888, and whereas
] consider it expedient that the mat
ter should be investigated by naval
court, do hereby order a court of
which shall be president, to assem-
ble at the British consular agency at
this place at 10 A. NJ, on Thursday,
Oct. 4th 1888, for that purpose, at
which court you are hereby required
to attend as members.
L. l.. CHERRY,
British Consular Agent.
This was addressed to Capts. Pri
deaux of the Cbasca, and Sherett Of
the Rirer NTH, who in conjunction
with vice-consul Cherry, constituted
the court, Mr.. Joshua Taylor acting
clerk.
Capt. Glib, master Of the Cairns
more, was the first witness examined;
his testimony was substantially the
same as that embodied in the report
furnished The AsToRIAN upon his
reaching this city. la addition he
stated that at noon ON the day the
vessel struck, she was in Lat 4G, 10 N,
Long 125. .45, W., weather very thick,
and smoky, wind battling and variable;
at 2 z. NJ, weather calm, vessel not
steering, hove patent log, no bottom;
at D r. NJ. wind sprang up set all
square sail and steered n. n. Z.
which by his compass was n. f. by
NJ n. true;at 8 o'clock shortened sail,
and took a cast of the lead;
no bottom; at nine o'clock,
the vessel going FIVE knots,
altered ships course to n Z by
by n; at 10 o'clock hove yards back,
having sailed 10 miles since 8, and
calculating that the ship was 40 miles
off the land; at 1880 p. NJ, ordered
second mate TO lash the hand lead
onto the deap sea lead, to make it
heavier. Question, Was the ship
hove tol Ans, Il gave orders to
pass the lead along and haul in the
stsrboard main braces, and to back
the yards, but while passing along the
line, the man having the lead in his
hand, the vessel struck before the or
der to heave could be executed. /
ordered the helm to be put to star
board, to heave her off to the north
ward and westward: then set ali after
canvass, threw yards ahack, showed
blue lights, but got no answer from
the shore. We got the boats over and
done all in our power TO assist the
vessel of, remaining by her till 6 PM,
the next evening, mate being en-
lployed the whole day with boats
crew pulling to the north'ard and
sOuth'a ard to try to find ont our
whereabouts, with my authority to
arrange with steamer or any other as
sistance that could be procured to as
sist her of. Hung off the ship at
p. NJ, intending to board her in the
morning if possible, but when day
light broke, being very foggy, and
current having driven us to tn,
north'a ard, we lost sight of the vessel,
but sighted the American mail steam
er Queen Of the Pacific, which vi
boarded"
, Edward Goldswain, lst mate, CAV,
testimony substantially the same n
/; the captains concerning the strand
5 ing of the vessel, when the cour
5 took a recess for an hour.
g Upon reassembling, the second
= mate Z. III. S. Goetz was placed ol
j the stand, his testimony also corrob
5 Grating the rest. He said that at 3 ?
NJ, on the evening of the 9th he cam
= on deck when lst ma had taken
: cast of the lead, took off top gallant
sails; and royals. slowed royals an,
left top gallant sails hanging. sat L
p. N, rounded to for sUundings, bu
got no bottom, / casting the line my
self. A few minutes before IL o'cloc
2 got ready for another sounding, bu
ship struck, just as we were haulin
r the main braces. Captain gave oil
e ders for everything to be throw
aback, set the spanker and gaf tor
r sails haulad we'll fo Nyindvard hi