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LOSS OF THE BARQUE STAG.

   
The Mercury, Wednesday 16 August 1882, page 3

LOSS OF THE BARQUE STAG.

[BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.]

[ FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.]

LAUNCESTON, TUESDAY.

Mr. Murray, P.M, and Captain Barwood, nautical assassor, gave the following decision as to the cause of the wreck of the barque Stag to-day, as follows :-" In pursuance of the Act of the Parliament of Tasmania, 38 Vict., No. 2, and having been applied to by Mr. Edward T. Boyes, Collector of Customs of Launceston, Tasmania, I, the undersigned, this day held a formal investigation into the cause of the loss of the barque Stag, of Auckland, New Zealand, and have decided as follows :-

1st. That the barque Stag, No. 19,878, bound from Whangaroa, New Zealand, to Melbourne, Victoria, and laden with kauri pine, was stranded on the north side of Vansettar's Shoal, in Furneaux Group, Tasmania, at 10 p.m. on August 1, 1882, the wind being then W., and the tide at the last quarter flood ; also, that the barque was abandoned by the officers and crew about 1 a.m. ou August 2.2nd. That the master must have been mistaken as to his position and the land sighted, and had omitted the customary precautions of taking an observation for longitude, and making use of his leadline, both of which omissions are the more to be regretted, as no observation had been taken for several days. 3rd. That the barque could not have got into the position where she was stranded except by error in navigation. 4th. It appears the officers and men left the said barque earlier than was necessary, considering the state of the tide, and that there was no break over the vessel. 5th. That, after careful consideration of the circumstances, I deem it right to suspend the certificate of the master, Mr John McCabe, for three months from this date. 6th. That the only mate, Murdoch McDonald, is censured for not having the pumps clear for sounding, and for not seeing that the lead was used during his watches. Whilst thus consured and cautioned to be more careful In future, I do not think it necessary to suspend his certificate, but return it to him. Dated August 2, 1882. (Signed) H. T. A. MURRAY." " I concur in the above decision. (Signed) W. R. BARWOOD, Nautical Assessor.

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