_Q._—Does she not belong to some bill-sticker? _A._—No, unless you call the Commercial Bank by that name. There may be some bills sticking in there (Great laughter). I remember taking the _Maitland_ down to the Heads on the afternoon the _Alert_ was lost. I did not go outside because a strong ebb-tide was running. A gale rose with the ebb-tide, and made the “Rip”[1] dangerous. The wind was from the south-west, but it was not that I feared, it was the “Rip.” Had I been able to get the ship down to the Heads earlier, I would have gone on outside to sea. A south-west wind would not give smooth water under Point Lonsdale. The bunker lids of the _Maitland_ have catches. They fit in notches like the top of an iron tank. _Q._—Supposing your gratings were open, and the ship taking water on board, what would you do? _A._—We have none on the _Maitland_. _Q._—But if you had a grating, how long would it take you to put a spare jib over it? _A._—The spare jib might be stowed away in the fore peak and not easily got at. It might take a lot of time to get a spare sail, and then it would not be fit for the purpose. _Q._—Would it not be prudent to make everything snug in a gale? _A._—We always make everything snug before we leave port. We don’t wait for a gale to do that. The _Alert_ was not a fit vessel for the trade she was engaged in. She was a ship never meant to go outside the Heads. She was not sea-worthy. _Q._—Did you have any night-caps last night, Captain? _A._—No, I don’t like them. _Q._—How is that? _A._—Ever since I was with you, I gave them up (Laughter). Re-examined by Mr. Smyth: In my opinion there was nothing to prevent Captain Mathieson, as a skilful seaman, from making his course for the Heads. I reckon that he was as good a ship-master as any on the coast. MR. JUSTICE WILLIAMS: _Q._—Were you lying inside the Heads on the night of the _Alert’s_ wreck? _A._—I came to an anchor about nine o’clock that evening. I knew there would be a bad “Rip” on, and therefore did not go out. HIS HONOUR: _Q._—What was the weather like? _A._—It was a fresh gale with fierce squalls and blinding rain. From three to four o’clock in the afternoon it blew hard at times, and then would lull off for a bit.