| Unique ID: | 14512 | | Description: | Board of Trade Wreck Report for 'A. E. Botsford', 1881 | | Creator: | Board of Trade | | Date: | 1881 | | Copyright: | Out of copyright | | Partner: | SCC Libraries | | Partner ID: | Unknown |
Transcription
(No. 954)
"A. E. BOTSFORD."
REPORT of a Court of Inquiry held at St. John, Antigua, into the loss of the barquentine "A. E. BOTSFORD," of Sackville, N.B.
To His Excellency, GEORGE BERKELEY, C.M.G., Governor, &c., &c., of the Leeward Islands.
We, the undersigned, William Henry Whyham, Esquire, Resident Magistrate for District A, the Honourable Wm. A. Coull, Resident Magistrate for District B, the Honourable John F. Wylde, Registrar of Shipping, pursuant to the Leeward Islands Wreck Enquiry Act of 1876, held a formal investigation on the 22nd day of February 1881, at the Court House in the city of St. John, respecting the loss of a certain British barquentine, called the "A. E. Botsford," on the 10th February 1881, on Captain Brittam's reef, on the north east-end of the island of Barbuda, and have had before as and examined on oath divers persons and witnesses, to wit—Tolbert Putnam Atkinson, Samuel Marshall, James Henry Scott, Le Quire Gabriel Marie Alphonso Mackemie, and Michael McKey, being assisted therein by Mr. William Wright, master of the British barque "Cuyuni," who was duly appointed by His Excellency the Governor of the Leeward Islands to act as assessor to us, and upon such investigation and examination of witnesses aforesaid we find and beg to report to your Excellency as follows (that is to say):—
1. That the official number of the said ship called the "A. E. Botsford," of the port of Sackville, New Brunswick, was 71,316, of which Tolbert Putnam Atkinson was the master, whose certificate is numbered 89,760, and which ship belonged to Captain William Milner, of Sackville, a retired ship master.
2. That the said ship sailed from the port of Newport, Mon., on the 5th day of January 1881, at 11.30 p.m., laden with coal, and was bound for Havana.
3. That the loss hereinafter more particularly mentioned happened on the 10th day of February 1881, at about 3.30 o'clock a.m., at Captain Brittam's reef, on the north-east coast of the island of Barbuda.
4. That the cause of the said loss appears by the evidence to have arisen by the vessel striking on the reef before mentioned.
5. That the nature of the said damage was the total loss of the said ship and cargo.
And we, the undersigned, further state to your Excellency our opinion on the matters aforesaid to be as follows:—
It is to be regretted that the ship's log-book was not produced to the Court. From the statement made by the witnesses, we are of opinion that the loss of the ship on Captain Brittam's reef, on the north-east end of the island of Barbuda, on the morning of the 10th of February instant, was owing to unusual weather, with a very strong current running to the W.N.W., for which the master did not make sufficient allowance. Under the circumstances, we consider that no blame can be attached to the master or crew for the loss of the vessel.
All of which we submit to your Excellency.
Given under our hands this 22nd day of February 1881, at the Court House in the City of Saint John, in the Presidency of Antigua.
(Signed)
WM. H. WHYHAM, Resident Magistrate, Dist. A, Antigua.
WM. A. COULL, Resident Magistrate. Dist. B, Antigua.
J. F. WYDE, Registrar of Shipping.
WM. WRIGHT, Nautical Assessor.
L 367. 723. 70.—3/81. Wt. 47. E. & S.
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