Wreck Report for 'Laura B', 1881

(No. 977.)

"LAURA B."

REPORT of a Court of Inquiry held at Nassau, New Providence, on the 7th and 8th March 1881, before THOMAS AUGUSTUS THOMPSON, Esquire, Police Magistrate, and WILLIAM HENRY STUART, Esquire, commanding the Imperial Lighthouse yacht "Richmond," Justice of the Peace, Nautical Assessor.

Report of Court.

In the matter of the stranding and total loss of the British brig "Laura B," James Sherrard, master, on the Ginger Bread Ground, Biminis, on the 28th February 1881.

The "Laura B," a brig of 278 tons burden, of the Port of St. John, New Brunswick, sailed from St. John on the 14th day of February last, under the command of James Sherrard. Her cargo consisted of sugar box shooks and white pine lumber, and she was bound to Cardenas, in the island of Cuba. Nothing occurred which is necessary to note in this report until the 27th February. On the evening of that day, at about ten o'clock, Hole in the Wall Light was made, the wind blowing at the time from the south. At five of the morning of the 28th, Sturrups Cay bore S.S W., distant about eight miles. The wind was then about S. by W. and blowing rather freshly, the brig being under topgallant sails and upper top-sails, indeed, all drawing sails being set except the royals. Her course was W. by N. About ten o'clock the brig broke off to about N.W., the wind shifting in a sudden squall to about W.S.W. Sturrups Cay had then been lost sight of, and the speed of the brig was rated by patent log to have been between eight and nine knots an hour. The brig was kept off from this time to the N.W. until three p.m., the wind up to that hour continuing W.S.W., but being occasionally very light. No land was seen while the brig was on this tack. At three, the wind changed to W.N.W., and the vessel was tacked to the southward and westward; she would at times fall off to S. by W. At eight p.m. the lead was hove and no soundings found, but Captain Sherrard thought it advisable to stand out again. This he did until midnight, when he tacked and stood in again, the brig heading S.W., and at times S.W. by S. The wind was still blowing from W.N.W., but had greatly increased in strength, and the brig's top-gallant sails had been taken in. Captain Sherrard appears at this time to have supposed he was very near the Great Isaacs Light, and went aloft to look for it, remaining there for hours. He sighted the Light from the upper topsail yard a few minutes before five, and took the bearings as well as his position allowed him. From these he judged that it bore about W. by N. 1/2 N., and he at once came from aloft and ordered the lead to be hove, when ten fathoms of water was found. He ran to the wheel himself and put it hard down, but the brig struck as she was in stays; she went on, and an attempt was made to veer her, but she missed stays and again took the bottom.

All her officers and men declare that the brig was usually a fine weatherly vessel, and quick on her helm, and the fact of her missing stays they explain by her nearness to the bottom, the heaviness of the sea, and the easy canvas which she was under. They also swear that she generally made very little lee-way.

Capt in Sherrard and his officers assert that there would have been no good in letting the anchor go directly as the brig struck the first time, as they could not have held, the bottom being very hard. When she failed to move after striking again, the starboard anchor was let go, and the head sail clewed up, but this attempt to get her to the wind failed altogether, the brig being set bodily to the S.E. She soon began to pound heavily on the bottom, and within an hour after striking was bilged, every effort up to that time having been made by Captain Sherrard and his men to get her off. In the morning it was discovered that she was within six or eight miles of the Little Isaacs, which bore W.N.W. from her. No assistance arrived that day, and on Wednesday one of the officers was sent in a boat to the Biminis. He returned in a wrecking schooner on Thursday evening, and the work of stripping the vessel was immediately began. Captain Sherrard and his crew quitted the brig on Friday and arrived at this port some days afterwards. He speaks favourably of the conduct of the salvors.

It was shown by the evidence of a resident at the Biminis that the wind for some days previous to the disaster had been blowing very strongly from the S.W. and N.W.

The "Laura B" drew 14 feet of water. The tide was aflood when she struck.

Opinion.

No blame can, we think, be attached to Captain Sherrard and his crew. He appears to have been exceedingly careful in the navigation of his ship, to have remained aloft for hours trying to ascertain her exact position, and immediately as he discovered danger to have made every effort to avoid it.

The place upon which the "Laura B" struck is about 23 mi es S.E. 1/2 E. of the position in which she should have been according to the evidence of the witnesses and the entries of the courses steered and distances run made in her log-book, and as she is shown to have been a vessel which usually made but little lee-way, we can attribute her stranding only to the effect of a S.E. current.

The strong north-westerly and south-westerly winds which were proved to have prevailed in the vicinity of the disaster for some days prior to it may have accelerated the south-easterly current which is stated in the West India Pilot to exist in the N.W. Providence Channel during the prevalence of northerly winds.

 

(Signed)

T. A. THOMPSON, Police Magistrate.

I concur in the above opinion.

 

(Signed)

W. H. STUART, Justice of Peace, Nautical Assessor, Extra Master and passed in Steam.

The case calls for no comment, and I see no reason to doubt the correctness of the decision given.

 

(Signed)

W. A. M. S., A. G.

Chambers, 16/3/1881.

L 367. 747. 70.—4/81. Wt. 203. E. & S.