An enquiry was held on Thursday afternoon by W. Handyside Tapp, Esq., H.MI.'s Rexistrar of Shipping, into the circum stances under which Henry G. Adaus, aged 23, Into chief mate of the British barque City of Carlisle, oficial number 7,972, was lost overboard from that vessel on the night of the Gth December last.
It was stated that the officer in question fell from the jib-boom, and it is certainly worthy of comment that the chief mate of a vessel of the tonnage of the City of Carlisle (823), should ever have been out on the jib-boom at all. The following evidence was adduced.
A. J. Payer, deposed that he was the master of the City of Carlisle, and that the vessel left Antwerpon the 26th November 1879. All went well till the 6ch December, At half. past eleven that night the mate, Mr. H. Adams, reported that the wind was increasing, Tame on deck and shortened all possible sail—the two upper tops top-gallant gail and the foresail, Afu got in I ordered the mate to send han aloft, to furl asked Adams if he bad any of the crew deck, He thought he could get two men, told him of he bad enough help to get the jib down, He went forward and bauled it down with help, and came aft and told me it was down, 1 told him to make it fast as soon as he could get enough help, It was not actually at that moment necessary to furl the sail, My order meant that be was to do so toon as lo could get some of the men wh came down from aloft. It would hi done then, He then went forward, I di not know whether the jib was being furled or not. Sven alter I heard a ery. I went to the leo side of the ship to ascertain the cause, and then I heard a voice overboard astern of the ship, I did not give " distinct order to the mate to furl the jib himeelf, I instantly told the helmsman to put the helm down, but immediately countermanded the Knowing it wae no gued to do so 5 it would only endanger the ship. 'The yesso was going too fast—hetween 8 and there was a mountain these were the reasons that preven from lowering a boat, so I was reluctantly compelled to abandon the ma A life-buoy was ready, but it was not thrown because I thought' the mau was too far off. It was simply a plain buoy, without a patent light. I could not ware ship. At this time the men who said they were out on came aft aid that th vote hi overboard, There had not between the nate and myself or anyo ov board to the est of my knowledge. attribute the occurrence to a pure acci It is not known what caused the deceased to fall overboard, James Dawsox Rei, deposed—I am the second mate of the City of Carlisle, Twas on the main upper topsail yard at the time referred to, and I know nothing of the mate'
Uthat he feeling between him and anyone on board at all. T have never threatened avy man, or heard him do 80.
Witt Jaxsex, deposed—Iamanable seaman on board the City of Carlisle. I remember the mate falling overboard. Ido not know the date, The mate came forward and ordered the inner jib to be made fast, I wan on the deck. I went with two other men and the mate to make it fast, but could find a gad One man went into the down haut foreonstle and he could not find a e mate told me to lovk for one.
was doing so T heard a splash. I shouted out to the man next to the mate that he had fallen overboard. The sail was flapping about a good deal. Ido not know how he fell; [did not see anyone touch hi I had no ill feeling against him, We did not furl the sail, but came aft and told the ad fallen overboard, The other m too.
Waurer Bucuaxay, deposed—I am an able seaman on board the ber Mr. Adams, th ity of Carle, I remem T remember the December. The mate ordered th sail to he farled. 3 and T went out, and the mate followed.
There were only three men on the boom that U know of. [think it was the riner jib we ser furling, but Tam not cure. The mate hut a piece of rope, which he mate fant by the clew. We gathered the sail in, Ho left me the end of it yo secure. en could not find the gasket, he was out at the head of the sail, The mate "Let me go out and. help that fellow to find it." Ilaid down on the boom to let him pass over me, He passed across ime on to the footrops the other side all
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