THE FATE OF THE DUCO.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 672, 24 November 1909, Page 9

THE FATE OF THE DUCO.

!; A TES;|O H ?|'w E ATH E £fe || I fp|fHlT|-rffl?aHl-r||jj| VEYOR/SiW.y ■ Swal&i'^ fe ;^.;; ;^ r 'W ;a S < V;Mr.:Jame3'M'Lean : ;as s assossors, coi %■ tiii *?WS d ' th ? V thei '."lossi'bf the : S .i tilWs%ys :C. S; 'Nixoi i'»w^ e i#^-o;f.:.Cust^^ and with' huntwii fe s y#'iW>^.:W ; Smitii,': .Kv-Vicarifilo;:/Md r inoi;|:Mr;'-;]c\X ./^onyoohaif; of ; tho;.WoUiiigton/HarEour'Ferric nfs V' of, tho.ybss'elrMr.:T. ! -Yonrig for.th RKi/?;^ IS to3/' o f.; ; thW;bmcers 1 -of:,the; : v ; Mi >M- : k&: J#Kson : for;thb;relativcs of CaptniniAbram :<£•*•s.^ a ;^.->A;VS,;*.Monteatn v -fo:r;. the""Royal-Ej 01 iyftyjty i Meteoro ffi'iv' ! ;J*J°?J s fe; #?tod ;tiat;it ; ;was;Cdp;tain'Abrani's;cus :;p/.'sfikty :^te-^o.n/^ y r 'f, •«l^s'fe 'fchafbburj'/and^whcn •, the. Diico, wa ;\.S^; ; f^ a t'!^g'f6l I :.:hbr.'.;lnst 'vbyage/iliQ Captain! rani s;J^':: tt P;a'Up us'-usual.-.'.'Witiwss;..rbpliea: that' ; thi 3 P^ t '3:w>re:bad,ythe;barbiheter-was low ii :;V<.',;.;.;the i sb^th,-a'nd. ; a:distjrbance i had'passed to thi -ft.-''':? a % a ;had-;expected ;a■'.south-east, giili '^■O'r: 'O/^yo""Doen, raging ; at?that.';tinie, 1 -namely &K'>'-- ia;mV/on /the- day:thb Duco 'sailed \%■:.'. '■-..'•*»?.;^* e ,ar' of- '.thbvdisturbanco''did:'nofl'seem ti Mi(, : v:'haye|thb ;;fbrcb-it.iad 'in. the /front'. . This wai ■<■};■.%■ ..>;• , dU9 jto' aVwestorly-- low 'pressure- in 'the south V<<'fi ] ? a,lsiH e thoitWo/system3 ibvcbllidbVand hoiitra. ';A;; ; ; -:^ :^; V ".''V::;i-'-,'-:■- . 'V;^;/[f^;gl^';^jire^';Days^^ '' >' :■; .'wlicther;':- he'. : ; ; had ; '' ; ahj ■ ;■: 'i ■'• ■ ■ Chaticb..otv'getfnig'to ; .'the:/ChathamS.'';Witness ■;:Kj : :,.o''fbpVedi : that;';he';;cotild ; '-h,bt';.say.ttherb:'TO ' ho t v /-;- 'to; post--',V. -.•:<■";P on *;;toilingi'..^ , rhe'^ , captain'!.- : ask'ed'-'.him v hbw '&'}■:.! loPß.s.hb'.'should'f.waif.'i;'and'witness said :fc s' l?..vWWigit;; tho; last, an'''i:^:;?:/^ e^ti|; nward,: l ahd/ i that ; VKas'about :.duo"theu; i -i; "■; v i/Hb-;MtHbv;. captaih). '.'-'asked ft if;/ thero T'was 'any ti?^V|-:': '.southbrly -blowing'.dowh/southj 'and ; particularly i^^v;- wh^ifhe;iTOhd; : i/vv'.V. n prevailed,;.but fy;..'.'.--'"'-.tte-'jri9ii)gJv l b^ sjfti, V. southerly Vwin'ds.';;!iHo./sdid,; ho ;cbuld/.nbt ■' wait '';'y;/;::thrca/,days i ':becßnse; hp : ;;-"■';.'-.. and] a/very, big; cfonf. /Witness: asked him;'who\ ■-~■;:.; i.ther'h'e;co.uld,-not-/keop/the,mails b'abk,'VamT-lib' £-'.;":' ; /',Bald;';ho/had;;'to go. /'He/said-ispmothiiig;:about ';:;:.; ;L./:being;.a';. poor said, thb westerly '■{<y.- ".wind ,/fras'a'faitVbnb y for:hiirii 'and! : if; At). woiiitl :^;;;/ ; coiildvfeeti^hcrb 1 br'j'less. vy;;;|/: witness ;said;he:;c6iild 'not: get :'thbrb /befprji; ;tlia ;,/•-, .;south'erly-;..canlb,vahd:.adyised ,:;VV i;south'--Jiefore;;sotting: his 'course, for..the/.ChatT ;.-•; i-y■;; :^^hariis./?;- Witness 'did inot-'speak^.of ;'. sHAtetfiik' --■■■I :.'/, cause -'of -..tha'..probability/.that.-tho /'soutlierly -"ofMife ;;/t*/vcourSe^before-ho''gpt';{o.Jthe ICha'thams;';^Tho iv;-\-'-.■ : ■thonjsajd. hov.wbuld'.got: away 'as-.soon /.?!),:'.,'.•;,aS ;ppSSiblb, H and:'witnoss' v 'understoqd ihim;-to'say r V.he';wbhld;go^southward;p : Withess. advised jthat ~ .-j/.•:/./'course;}jfor, 'tho',.further/-/r.eason!'..:tha't->,the;''dis-' y;fl;yturbancp'Vthbn)ipassing/ithe/ ./:?:> ; ; ha>ye;.time to.-the''"eastward.; -./ J-i; - f ;">'- ; - SiiTM (*'o£h: a s : 6.'.9ii' FJj? K^T'"; /-'.^^ 1 :'" V;~ -i'' ; 'V -'i i \'fi^>;v''udde^stpod,^• ; h* , V«»piain-^"-''Bi^'rlia'sirpTild ;,;;&; ;V; fqllpfrgtliis' ; id to :,-;:...;;•: le, .was':, taking'/a,; yejy':big':risk;' : ahd,::tho'-,iatter', ,''.'V'ri>;?PPyS(l'' that.?hes>yas/aised ;,tb J that;'!;WitncS3:ira-; :/.i;:!^vplibd^;/''l.-khbw^at/;jYoU;;arb:;.brayerV .'.;/f/^.know;^';Witness;tregardedr;Captdin';vAbram[-a^ ;^:./'':gerierally;'a'i-rerW^areful\;inan.-^^ fj-.cft./^'^ ■:Vi?V" .tneVSigiial-,' thatjthp; ;c"aptain ; ; ; did ; ;:not j.;f:,? .'-folliiiy-b-hia'i "vadvico:' td: : ."gbi.'ißbuthiva'rd..', i -Ijv.-.'h'is '.yi'S published:forecast,'.for'the-datein .dufestion.h'e . did ;hp't i fprccast/i trohblo,; ; at': seij vdsfhc'idid/not '?./;,-:: : anticipate''it .'Coining; 6o'-'sbo'n.'ij:'Skippers i 'm'ado' ; : ; >;'-;,aV]wacticßAbff;rfngin"B/.himiup:"::He.:defiiiitely ;: : . ; :, : .-, vtolcljthe/'captain of ;thb/Dhco"thdt.::he (witness); :*; : C-' would jiibt-go, if'.he /wero /cdptaihVUv '°ff.. y ¥? |.^'■;' ; :M; ■: : , "James -Jones,:: captain':'of,' %i v ; Du6hess;- "'he'ttok ;:,;}V. i '\cha'rgev;of; : the. 7 ''-Ducb'--wheni'Sh6;Vcd >;■;')>;lß92;or;is?3,"aiid'remained; inychargb'for about ;■/./; A/VBiiJyears;;:': The iDucP I hadi'bi;'PlimsoU ; ma?M l iut' :;',-s.:m:,!tnb;,;iron'. : :.li' i 'thb bolting ;&$\ thejinarfcwould bb^just'toash; J ;lf:thb bolting ,;;.;.;;,/.was.:;;.wash,','.the,; vthree /inches '■ ;>; abbvbi"".'watefe/'Witneb3 bjpkl in-:.t)ie;l)ncd; /'She: v penisyßdy.alr^ ;','.' :: iMte^varidther-'.boat 1 ■; that! was!'in. 'trouble,'-."and ~;:-./ivthe^'Ducb:-behaved .well^v'Herhad'carried.tim- : S-ff ;^'^ n ?] n . ~..i-.r ttdfc.pn,. the 'Duco.- vite :"sbnietime's : 'had -20 "or K.'S-',«'i'-'t?nß:,of. such-"carg'6 , :o&de,ck.Js ; l£e;'6Phietimes'' ! /rSJ»?\? d :deck.,cargofin^;thb:;harbbur^ ; \.:i' l ;;.;TOids:.'m\iblv &s.;^o'.br::4s..'.casks;o£':ta , llow.-.''.'-.Tho i l f -U,-t'! l ft^;. l^n sed.tO i ;carry:^2o!passehgers;:and : a o 'carriedvrfull ;.loadsvpf ; ;;:passerigers:?on. ■ * -:;:^i^?S etlm i e ?# e y. : weather;, in ■ : - ''w ,: '^[^°°!i2^ffeW Sl^;^ind - ; '' ! Most'of:'the •:'-V-l S^'M 1 *' 6a 'd«<*^aiid''.he"'. .;;:■ ftrhaldst^!ow^Hb/;never:;had-t;iie'*least ; 'troubl ß •;. : --i-;-,onjisilcn.: : oc6asiohs; "/»!•-•;•-':■: : : 'v.;.' i :^^ baa'CaCTied: ; wire,i ! tim; '": th;qiDuCp;; tb';PaUiser ;Bay; : V ; -boats;. sometiines -^■• : "A'Kias^upset^he.:trim' ; of-'the "W :^t^ 1 'S 6 :H3 d - i ?T r : t P ld: "yne • tha^such K&%^:%: had^ ?& ;^il^"" t0 :/ ;-. ; -v.-whPUy covered by .the-belting. -'He did-not f-Wl • ; -" Kf^ tlft^,^ u ™ ousht^^^lb^d'S' a^fSli^f'^S^ a 'i^i^^^^ ; :,< ''" e 'i sb ?':Md- ; pi g .iron /.ballastX i That, ■■" vfe^i?i o ' ■■*s?s■ Passengers;in KivKbarbo|^^f'^ k^^^ ■oi:i£i?k!?, ?# a W.iecajled,tsaid;'tn b Ducoias' .^rfYNbcUto.ioavo; : at'-,ll;;oiirtiie day her-'last '^wJ^^ 6 ' byOcoaUngfSS i^^V-^^' ;wa9v ' f; h e i d esii'e';to--take«at " ; "£ i: ;' : dSftf rather;; Ho,said 'to' witness IS 11111^:^?^^ 11 ".' B'ass::waii '*fcfr;. ''-"SK-'Rl^ ll hlllt two.clear <lcyS';to ; "- -Witness i'had /no "reason ;/;:,; toniorce / Captain ;Abram ;a"way;*:Tho.: cdptiin ; "- ; ' &■ dnv''.»stion: : that;;he "should:/noßsail :i - : ";shb^&i e f-Af? *P,' I W/Wish;;to,.rua' i a;,risk; .",-;:v--i,i:;;'. ■■■■■ bnftho'firsi !'' ; : :; - i S*vk^ ; r' ho ' l i 1 V 1183 r wtis sold for'aboitt - ft:>S^^ i -- a ?^ i ' 1 doing ;"5f:«P? vttjwou'ld/ : cost:the'compariy/just,unde?^ #' =tprcs.u ; He' .had' only. ■1-hA "i"' s -' io L : cov ™ ' i: - : expenses;-;., Dater^ *';?SsW^fe^'; b !i^ :: ?^ 1 * tri P- but;:tho/clireCtbrs; ' :: ' ; ;''nos :■ 6 :> o & cer 2 ■"■ W!ls ' ;il >' disfov'on?',' on 6 ' tho,trip;;'Nonb:of;thb' wy h«)? .to"say; : übont -the ;cOal-' ' S?-^!^: l^'^^' not ;fix'-any,hour; ■ #' ih^-V^t■fi? l ®i&i- 8 "• ■-'■ tfthi SSin" - .quantity:was left .:;:;:: ■--■ SUhb-'i^J-j:

-?■'■■ ; '$^^MB^¥^^ !^^vv^°^°i: ships,' ?:-;!; «?Jf ,Ni?:on,;said. he .saw-tho Duco at '■■W^2*d¥ ! -*' fold ; the' mate " W : s&ife a into : his office. •'"- ;^^wHi Un i^l us i that the order' : '.:: b? .'.obeyed. at Notice. f,< Ho alsoi said he ■: : ■'■& see;tftß asnin,;/bnt *rt '''"kfs* nt^ a( fc a^2 >'>».-.' sho" wasgone.:: >; v.,,,:-;.T0:.-ltt. ; 'loung. : Tho-'-coaf he nllotfcd 'to' re- .' : a o f#^<^V t f 0 -^ r;thrC ° :{ons .- i M'i '!">' <Vw e smMbty}tosase&r > That could, bo done .:;:;,.-.n%rj ; %,boatt'ieft-tho-wharf.-Ho only sur-■'. -:0: ; :;T c y™>= o ;,m;'ch.' of':tho;boot above, the ;-.>.'fwcatUor deck; and/structural alterations'below ,:::••;:,would-not /concern-;him.';"Hoknew :thoballast ;;. ; :::'Bad!beeriv- l takonvont.•■■/./■,'•. , :■-.■:<,.- ■-;•':■: ';? ;rS J-HeVwould 'havo v taken /the .- lon(led ii fore/:and raft, with: coal,'...but a:*vm v/naroyto^thrpyrv,HrtorbTbdard--'in ''rough, r;,'^,weather.;vf;jg ; : 'v,-.//,-. -°- ■■. ?X ; '*':?r{!^rJosepH!;M^ .:;,// ; :/eng neer ofstbe :Duco;::Bdid/;'h8:/,wbntJdown'at': <say: good-v??:.W;l:.sis;brother;said;they-would not sail bc.3;/and"tho ; 7; r;::boatt'Jiad;;:left.':/fTwo-;nl3htsvbefore::that : ' ?:/;::;l#'of-vcoal,;they:7Avem.:roquircd to,- carry. Witf/;;;s;/n(>«^h6nght,tho:boat;'Could::not:ojrry it.safely,. .

.voyage.',- After the Duco ,was reported missing witncss.'hnd a conversationwith"Captain'Jones, who sawMhat.it was«nicido for the DuCotc go 6ut;whon she,(lid. ,v-.. ■•; ■ • "•'''. •'/This concluded the evidence,';■"/•':':'.,..">■'■■■'.-'; £ ; ;--v.•■; ■ ;/■ : ' :^';;semarks ; of. Counsel.,:'. ./- i-'Mr.Younj* submittcd.that under Sections 223 and 31 of-tho Shipping and Seamen's Act tho Duco should not have'carried deck cargo without, having a certificate; and should have been required to produce such certificate'before sail' ing:.:'...:, ■:■:-..- . V.--'."'.-' ;'.-■■ ..Mr. Dalziell said the company had not.been .given any of, answering the su'g.' gestion-.that thb law had not been, complied with.: : '■" . y ' ■:','■■ !VV •■'■ -'"'v. :/'',.-;-' „. t

■'".'Mr.' Nixon: pointed' out .that Section's 102 and 103 of the Customs Act, providing that a vessel 'must; hove .a., clearance, -applied .'only to' trading-Vessels; and'therefore not to the Duco. . ~Tho magistrate statod ■ that ' thb decision would bo■': announced atlo o'clock to-morrow morning. '..'-.;'■■ --'-s '-:.'- ,- : - •■;:"•'-'■•-■/.■ ' ■-.