Shanghai, April 7th, 'A Naval Court assembled at H. B.M.s Consulate office, at Shanghai, by order of Edward Bedford Woollcombe, Esq., the Senior Naval Officer of the port, to investigate the eircumalarices attending the lose of the British barque Annie Ma'el, which stranded on a rock near the Saddles on the 26th ultimo, Navigati Will Lora Cooper, eq, Acting, Vice, Consul, Shanghai; and Alfred Coleman, Esq. British steamship Mongotia, ornas Willonghly Hall, paymaster of H.M.S. Thalia, Court, After.the usual formalities, the statement of Henry John Ponting, captain of the Annie Mabel was rend, - It was as follo That on the 8th February, 1876, the Annie Mabel left, Neweastle, N.S.W., with " cargo
went well until Sunday, the 26th March, coals (430 tons) ow ship's' account, All when about 9 p.m., the' vessel struck on a sunken rock about eight miles S.W. of the Barren Tslands, the weather at the time dull and cloudy with a moderate breeze from N.N.E. Every effort was made to get her off, Lut we could not so 60, (finding she was decided to take to We pulled in the boats at daylight for the wid, which proved to be one of the group, where we were received by and taken to Shang whicl place we reached on the 30th March, Henry Joan Powtixa, Master.
Hesey Joux Powtixa, the in of the Amie Mabel was ther lo said—Th Statement just read to the best of my knowledge no complaint to make agai crew on the occasion of the loss of the Annie Mabel, The speed at the time of striking was from 4.5 to 5 knots heading N.\W, close hauled on the starboard tack, At 8 o'clock p.m. I lost sight of all laud. I the ship was set to the NW. by the Whien the ship struck there was no land in night, and after striking neither my wife towed myself, all round the abip and found nor wnyself could see any from the I
from 32 to 35 fathoms, The ship struck about the port bilge, and we experienced two or three heavy shocks, after which abe began to settle down, Rive minutes after striking I order the mate ge were taken at oil N.E, and East Sad tran 35"fathome. It was half fast 8 at the time, the ship being
time of striking. At about ten p. mate'reported seven feet of water in hold, and consequently we took to the boats which had previously been lowered into the water. We remained near the vessel until she went down. All the cargo was lost, as well as the Jogs. " After taking to the boats we steered to the Northward, in order to make the land I lind seen the previous night. 'The curren 'Was setting strong to the South-West and I failed to reached the land, In the morning the first land seen was what I supposed to be the Beehive bearing 8.S.\W. for which I pulled, but could not land on' account of the turf. "T then pulled Northward towards what I supposed to be the Saddles, There were two boats, and in each there was about five gallons of' water, and ten pounds of biscuits, Joux LawRescs, the chief mate deposed—At the time the abip struck I was down below. My last watch was from six to eight between five and six knots, About noon drelock. At eight o'clock I took hearings and the wind changed to the West and gradually Barren Islands were N.E., East Saddles went to north, and at 8 p.m ib was fathoms when the ship was in the stay We.N.W. Lalso took soundings and got 32 N.N.E. When the wind changed the vessel was board tack, were then on the port tack, and after the tack we headed N.W. I was down below to ti The course molle on the when we lost sight of land and therefore starboard tack was about west and the speed. cm't say what time it was, During my Of the vessel between four or five knots, watch, and at the time I went below, the he Court was then cleared, and. after weather was cloudy and there was a an hour and a half's deliberation the following drizzling rain, When the ship struck I judgment was giv was in my berth. I thought we had struck a junk, and rau forward, but seeing nothing I'concluded we were on a rock. I took 1,—That in consequence of the direct contra soundings and found $5 fathoms, "The Cxpdiction between the master and the mate as tain who was on the deck at the time we to the courses steered from the time the struck ordered me to sound the pump, Barren Islands were sighted at 7 a.m. ti and I found five fect of water, That was 8 p.m. on the 26th March last, when it is ten minutes after she struck. The man at stated that the last cross bearings were the wheel told said to have been taken by the master and mate, the Court is unable to decide upon the exact position of the ship at the latter time ing, the from which to take an accurate departure, Captain being on deck at the same time.
2—That there is also great discrepancy Jusase said Tam a native of Singapore, and between the master, mate, and crew, as to the was serang on board the Annie Model. On state of weather at 8 p.m, of Unt day. the night she struck the rock I took charge 3,—That the soundings stated by the master of the watch at eight o'clock, relieving the and mate at the time. the ship' struck, and chief officer, It was dark and' little foggy, when they were in the boats, could not have but there was no rain. Ieould see for about been obtained bad the ship continued on the three miles, but no land was course given, ay there was a strong flood tide four o'clock afternoon the vessel was ing to' the westward, and" the ship steering N.W. 'The last laud I saw was at ing a certain amount of leeway, five o'clock. "It was high The ship 4.—From the above facts and taking into continued steering N.W. until' six o'clock when she tacked. The land I last saw bore consideration the close proximity to land on dark night with drizzling rain, the Court is north by east about twenty-fi of opinion that the master is to blame for not: The Captain took bearings at five having kept the ship on the Port tack while ateighto'clock, and diately after the ship the flood was running. strack the mate toc Leannot say what the depth of fay at eight o'el—The Court is further of opinion that nut Twas told it was thirt the Annie Mabel was the vessel while she Rock through an error in ju the last land T saw looked like a mountain, part of the master in not allowing for the OveTuse, deposed—1 am a native of Java strong flo spring tide then running. and was an able seaman on board the barque Annie Mabel. I took charge of the wheel at stances into consideration feel justified in 6.—The Court after taking all the civoumtight clock on the night she strack the rock. taking a lenient view of the master's conduct, She was then W. but she had pre-and after a careful enquiry are of opinion i The weather was not very that Henry John Ponting, the master, has about one mile. wilginent in losing his jes an hour. It vessel on a known danger and they censure was dark when the ship struck. The mate him for we doing and he is hereby censured took soundings at eight o'clock. At that accordingly. time I can't say in what direction 8.—The Court order that the costs of the lost sight of lan Court Trois 25, be paid by the master Henry morning on the port bow. I John Ponting. appeared to be small islands, about twenty miles away. After we struck the rock I sound (Signed) Wiiutaat Warren Hurrox, ed with the hand lead, but could not President and Lieutenant of grimy, bottom, "The mate also sounded, EMS, Thulia, heard he got thirty.
Wiitrax Mans Coors, Captain was on deck hip strack, and had been there from eight o'clock.
Acting Vice-Consul, Shang Bava Sr. Onater, said—I was an able sen Aurrep CoLEMAN, man on board the barque Annie Mabel. 1 Master of the British steamship took charge of the wheel at six o'clock Mongolia, night she struck the rock. She was heading By order, Tuomas Wattoscnty HAL, at that time E.N.E. on the port tack. Land was in sight, one large island and two small Paymaster of H. M.S. Thalia, ones. Isaw the Captain and the mate take officiating as Dak of bearings at six o'clock. The weather was the Court, thick, but it did not rain, When th struck it was very dark, and I could sei half-a-mile, MIXED COURT, the Capt Powtaxo recalled exid-—When I took Shanghai, April 11th, Before the Chinese Magistrate Hstex, and assumed th Dr. Yates, U, S. Assessor. the N.E. The weather was foggy with drizling rain, I assumed the distance from the
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.