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WRECK OF THE BRITISH BARQUE
WINDHOVER.
The following is taken from the Torres
Straits Pilot, of Saturday,-August.31, published
on Thursday Island
The Windhover, belonging to Robert
Kerr and Co., of Greenock, a Clyde-built
composite vessel of 337 tons register-. Captain
Planck, with a cargo of 1,300 tons of coal for
Batavia, was wrecked on 20th inst., at 10
minutes to 12 at night, on the Bramble Gay
Reef. The captain seems to have been more
than ordinarily careful in navigating his
ship, being ably assisted by his chief officer,
who has held command previous to shipping
on the Windhover. A departure was made
from Newcastle on the 10th inst.,; and fair
weather was experienced until the time of
striking. Portlock Reefs were sighted as
expected, and the course verified a few hours
before the disaster occurred. The course was
then laid down as five miles clear of all I
danger. The vessel was under easy sail, for
handiness, when she struck, and the lead
five minutes before gave 25 fathoms. During
the day the compasses had been tested twice
after passing. Portlock Roofs and found
correct.
Captain Planck is of opinion, and his elliot
officer coincides, that either the Bramble
Cay reefs are erroneously marked on the
chart, or that the set of the tides is improperly
described.
After striking the vessel began to bump
heavily, taking a heavy list to port The
captain, with his wife, child, and crew had
to take to the boats at daylight. One of the
boats was swamped when being launched,
but fortunately no lives were lost.' The seas
were washing fore and aft, and the vessel had
to be abandoned, while it was found impossible
to save anything, the captain's wife
being unable even to secure a change of
clothes. The shipwrecked people, number-
ing 21 all told, arrived at Dalry m nie Island
in the two boats on Wednesday evening.
There they got a few potatoes and cocoanuts
from the low natives who live on the island.
Two natives came in the boats to Thursday
Island on the understanding that they were
to get a boat as a reward for assistance on the
voyage. The two boys, however, proved
to be useless and determinedly lazy and for
the greed and rapacity shown in driving such
a bargain, should be treated as such fashion
as may lead them to understand in future
that recompense will only follow when it is
deserved. The boats arrived last Saturday
afternoon after experiencing very rough and
squally weather during the four days of the
voyage. '
A sad accident happened on the vessel two
days before she went on the reef. A fine lad
named George Moorhouse fell to the deck
from the topsail yard and was killed.
The wreck of the ill-fated vessel was sold
by public auction on Wednesday last by Mr.
Herbert Bowden, the purchaser being Mr.
E. L Brown, at £30. .
An inquiry into the circumstances connected
with the wrecking of the above vessel
was held in the Court-house on Thursday last
before the Resident Magistrate, with the
Harbourmaster and Captain Williams as
Nautical Assessors. The finding was as
follows :- We are of opinion that due precautions
were taken in the navigation of the
barque Windhover on the 20th inst. Front
this case and from other shipwrecks which
have lately occurred in the vicinity of
Bramble Cay, namely, in the case of the
German barque Kenilworth, and in the case
of the American ship Rosie Welt, it would
appear that there is a strong set to the northward
at this season of the year which is not
noted in the charts or sailing directions. This
set no doubt caused the stranding of the
Windhover. We do not attribute any blame
to the captain and officers of the Wind-
hover and return them their certificates
The very considerable number of vessels
in the coal trade passing through the North-
east Channel, and chiefly bound from New;
castle in New South Wales to Eastern ports,
renders it very necessary that there should
be a light on Bramble Cay. Two vessels
hare this year been wrecked on the Bramble
Cay, and two more in its vicinity. It is
highly improbable that any of these casualties
would have acorued.ifj.horo had been a light
on Bramble Cay, and we think that this fact
ought to be brought under the attention of the
Governments of Queensland and New South
Wales, the latter colony being largely in:
terested in the safe navigation of the' North-
east Channel. I j
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