Mrnores oF uz Proceepivos.
The following certificates were handed into Court Edward Bendall, Master, for Master No. 4,318, dated 20th July, 1878. Joseph Slessar, Firat Ollicor, for Master No. 99,760, dated 2ist February, 1880. Henry Pybus, Second Ofiicer, for Master No. 9,374, dated 24th April, 1880. Henry Good, Chief Engineer, for Second Engineer No, 15,835, dated 16th July, 1880, Donald Sinclair, Second Engineer, for Second Class gineer No, 107, dated 17th December, The ship's papers were handed in, but not the official log, which had been lost.
Edward Bendall, Master, being duly sworn, made the following statement On Tuesday, the 5th day of September 1882, at 4.50 a.m., cast anchor off from Buoy at Pagoda Anchorage, and proceeded at full speed, about ten knots. Tide, last of flood. At 5.35 a.m. passed through the Mingan Pass, At 6.10 a.m, passed through the Kimpai Pass, Lide ebb and Toad going. At 6.25 a.m. passed through the Woga Channel, wind N.E. and very light, At 6.32 the course, Piunade Rock bearing W.S.W. magnetic, course magnetic N., by EH. At 6.40 a.m, passed the Inner Buoy on the " One Fathom Patch. At 6.50 a.m. the ship struck on a rock, The soundings immediately before and after the accident were 18 feet. L ordered the sluices to be closed and the wells to be sounded. The carpenter reported 18 inches in the fore hold.
f engineer reported water coming rapidly through the bunkers. I ordered pumps to be kept going and rang "Full ced ahead" and shaped a course N.N, for shoal water to try to save life and property. At the same time I ordered the ship's boats to be swung out in readiness and the ships' papers and mails to be looked after, AL7.15 a.m. the water was one foot above the stoke plates, and gaining rapidly, and at 7.18 a.m. the vessel took the ground in 17 feet of water At 7.20 a.m, stopped the engines and sounded round the vessel; soundings 17 feet forward and 14 feet aft. Immediately sent ship's boats in charge of second officer and second and third engineers, with passengers, compradores and supernumeraries with orders to lund the people at Sharp Peak and return, At 830 a.m. sent the chief offi-cet to Fouchow in a native boat, accompanied by a Foreign passenger by name Mitchell, to report the accidents to my owners and obtain assistance as quickly as possible, At 10.45 a.m. all the passengers were safely out of the ship. The hold was full of water, engine room half full, there was six fest of water in the after s hold, and the water was rising There were n number of native boats ance as they said it was th loot the vessel when night came on. 4 p.m. the s.s. Douglas arrived at the scene of the wreck. I boarded her and applied to Captain Ashton for tance, which he gladly promised to give, and accordingly sent twe boats and crews, one in charge of the second officer and the other in chee of the third officer, all fully arm. I ordered the bonta to Iny alongsi¢2, the second engineer and the second ollicer being in charge of the Zurope's Jouts, and the third officer of the Douglas I in charge of her boat, the remainder of the Europe's Officera and myself kept watch on the top of the after awning and the upper ok of the vessel being four feet under water at high water, The natives in the boats continually tried to board the vessel but we managed to keep them off by firing shots occasionally over their h On Wednesday the 6th inst, at 8 the Steamer Douglas came closer, and with my aanetion slived two chests and two Bales of Opium. At 8.30 a.m. the Chinese gunboat No. 14, Shen Hong, came out. and stood by-us.. There was a moderate BE. wind and heavy swell. At loam. Jardine, Matheson & Co.'s launch came alongside in charge of Captain Saunders, and I gave him the electro plate ware, cutlery, glass wi, &e. Abd p.m. left Europe as we could stay no longer and went on board the Chinese guubost. On Thursday, the 7th instant, boarded the Europe when tide suited, salved sails awnings and ropes, the same being sent on board the Chinese gunboat. On Friday, the 8th inst., Mr. J. P. Cowles arrived with cargo-boats, and permission from Jardine, Matheson & Ca. to salve cargo, but the swell being too heavy for our boats to assist, we unable todo anything. On Saturday, the 9th mat., at low water Mr. Cowles went off to the wreck, on the, arrival of his two cargo-boats, and salved one anchor, a hawser, and sundry packages the chief officer assisting. On Sunday the 10th at Captain of the Eh gun-boat and myself were of opinion it was useless for us to remain any lon; by the wreck so. we accordingly came in, who Mandarin junks stationed at Sharp Peak promised to prevent any looting, weather permitting. On the second day after the ship lad been beached I employed native sampan man to search for the rock and after he had found it I proceeded to the spot in a "a boat with &e., and found the rock on which ick to lie on the following ings ghost Peak of small Island lying N.N.E.? E. 72 miles from Sharp Boak—N. W. A Pagoda (not marked in the chart) bearing N.N.W. from Shar Peak distant three miles—W. by N. North and Piunacle Rock 8.\. by W. 4 W. The water was five feot deep at the ok is not marked in the about low am a qualified Pilot nearly as I can re. y thr times through the Woga Chant Iwas not aware of the existence of any rock i the locality in which the ship struck.
By Cuptain Walker:—I was atooring the usual course. I had no cargo on board that was likely to affect the compasses.
By Lieut. Boll—{ was certain of my and bearings; the weather was clear.
Jonsul Giles—Whenever tt was sufficient water I have always mi point of going out by the Woga Eh:
considered the Woga Channel as safe as the ordinary Chan A distance of about four mil ed by taking this Channel. It is not officially buoyed but where the struck I was actually out of the channel and in soundings of three and a half fathoms according to the chart, and on the usual course.
I had one of the Foochow Pilots, Mr. Mitchell, on the bridge at the time of the accident. Thad no conversation with Mr.
m Mitchell previous to the accident relative to the course was afearing.
William Mitchell, Pilot, being duly sworn, made the following statement By Lieut, Bell—I am a ed Pilot for the Min River. I have taken a number of vessels through the Woga Channel, but it is not usual to do so. I was on the bridge of the Europe when the ship struck.
id no attention whatever to the course the ship was steering. I was aware of no dungers in the Channel except those shown on the chart. The rock on which the Lurope struck was unknown tome. I was merely a passenger, I had no ticket, my passage being free aes pilot in the Glen Line, By Captain Bendall—I recollect about theodgh the Woge Channel There a two years ago going as passenger with you
some steamers which mae use of no other channel than the Woga Channel. None of Jardine's steamers use the Woga Channel to my knowledge.
By Lieut. Bell—I consider the state of the tide was satisfactory and that Captain Boudall was justified in using the Woga Channel by his personal knowledge of its navigation, (Signed) W. Msromett, Pilot.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.