"MAIPU." (Three masted barque of 593 tons, 167ftx28ft. Sunk in 1879 when driven ashore.)
The Merchant Shipping Acts, 1854 to 1876.
IN the matter of the formal Investigation held at the Chancery Court, St. George's Hall, Liverpool, on the 27th August 1879, before H. C. ROTHERY, Esquire, Wreck Commissioner, assisted by Rear-Admiral APLIN, R.N., and Captain WILSON, as Assessors, into the circumstances attending the stranding and loss of the British sailing ship "MAIPU," of Liverpool, on the Scilly Isles, on the 27th July last, whilst on a voyage from Iquique to Hamburgh.
Report of Court.
The Court, having carefully inquired into the circumstances of the above-mentioned shipping casualty, found, for the reasons stated in the annex hereto,-
1. That the stranding of the said vessel on the occasion in question was due to her having been kept on a course too far to the eastward.
2. That the vessel was not navigated with proper and seamanlike care, more especially after 4 p.m. of the 27th, due allowance not having been made for the set of the flood tide to the eastward.
3. That the master was not justified in neglecting to take a cast of the lead between half-past 8 p.m. and the time when the vessel went ashore, having regard to the thick state of the weather and to the character of the soundings which he had obtained between a quarter to and half-past eight.
4. That the master was alone to blame for this casualty.
5. That, although a fog signal on Bryher Island might have warned the master of his danger and prevented his going on to the rocks, yet that no sufficient reason has been given for erecting a fog signal there, inasmuch as a cast of the lead would have at once shown the master that he was running on the Scilly Islands.
For these wrongful acts and defaults the Court ordered the master's certificate of Thomas Wheeler to he suspended for three months from the 27th of August 1879, but recommended that during the period of its suspension he be allowed a first mate's certificate.
The Court made no order as to costs.
Dated the 3rd day of September 1879.
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Gugh Island SG?