"A LIVELY BOAT."

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 818, 16 May 1910, Page 6

"A LIVELY BOAT."

THE LOST DUCO CHAPTERS OF HER HISTORY. INSURANCE CASE. Tho seaworthiness of tho Duco when she left Wellington on her fatal trip to the Chathanis was further investigated in .tho Supreme Court on Saturday morning. The Corporation of tho Royal Exchange Assurance had refused to pay £500 insurance money to the owners of the steamer, the Wellington Harbour Ferries, Ltd., and the latter thereupon took action to obtain the money with interest and legal expenses. Tho Duco was insured "with several companies for amounts totalling £2-500, and tho action was, therefore, regarded as a test case. Mr. Justice Chapman was on tho Bench, and has tho assistance of a special jury. Mr. C. P. Skerrett, K.C., and Mr. F. G. Dakiell appeared for the plaintiffs, while the defendant insurance- company was represented by Mr. J. H. Hosking, K.C., Mr. A. A. S. Metiteath, and Mr. W. EL D. Bell. The defenco which was .heard first, and occupied tho Court nearly three days, had sought to prove that one of tho conditions of tho insurance policy had not been fulfilled by the owners, in that the steamer was not seaworthy when sho departed on her fatal trip. Mr. Skerrett, having opened for the plaintiffs on Friday afternoon, began to call evidence on Saturday morning. The Concrete Blocks. Thomas Simmonds, wharf labourer, said he had been employed- by tho Ferries Company for nearly seven years, mostly on tho Duco, and was rated as an A.B. She was towing and doing harbour and coastal trips, and behaved ■very well for hor class. Tho Duco's rolls were fairly easy. She did not quiver attho mast. The Plimsoll mark was cut in about amidships, and the belting covered the middle of it. Ho might not have noticed it if he had not painted the hull. _ Hu!zh Dowiies, caretaker for the Ferries Company at Day's Bay, snid he inado tho concrete blocks for the Dneo. There were four of them, and tlioy measured 14 inches by 14 inches by 12 inches. They weighed close on 2cwt. John Thomas Williams, late captain of the Cobar, confirmed the last witness's measurements. Ho brought the blocks over from Day's Bay. Government Surveyor's EvlSonco. Arthur Calvort, Govcriimon-t Surveyor of Ships a-nd Inspector of Machinery, said that some time ago ho was engineer on the Duco. She had then _ about sixteen tons of iron ballast in her. The Duco did a deal of towing work, and on one occasion ho went out in her to bring in a sailing vessel in a hard north-west blow. She behaved very well considering the weather. He looked on her as very lively in a seawa*, and thought that when sho rolled sho recovered herself quickly. Ho had always understood that tho latter was a good sign—that the vessel was stable. During tho last June and ■> half years the bulk of his work had been in surveying vessels of the Duco's class. He had sun-eyed the Duco herself six times, and if he had noticed anything wrong about her it would have been his duty to ' report it. Tho last occasion on which Jio had surveyed tho Duco was in January, 1909, and he then found her in a satisfactory condition. The alterations to tho forecastle- were made after consultation with him, and ho had approved of tho manner in which 'they were ca-ried out. The same applied to the insulation of the forchold If it had affected the stability of the <nmsel, it would havo been his duty to seo to it. Altogether ho had approved of the position of everything fixed in tho boat, such as machinery, etc., and on July 27 last had passed hor as being entirely satisfactory. On that date he made a declaration for certificate to bo issued by the Marine Department. In his opinion the now forecastle head, the .removal of tho ballast iron, and the putting in of the insulation material would improve the stability of the boat. He inspected her as a 'for-eign-going vessel for voyaging to the Ch-itliams. He thought that, even if looso coal got adrift on tho deck, it would not prevent tho action of tho steering rods. If a lump of coal got into tho quadrant, the gear would p"robably be powerful enough to break it up, but it was not likely to get in owing to the height of the quadrant above the general level-of the deckabout 18 inches. ' '

Her Carrying Capacity,

Ho considered the Duco could have carried more than 26 tons of cargo. She could have carried double that quantity in weight in tho hold Tho registered tonnage of a ship had no relation at all to the actual weight carried. The only test lie- know of was the load-line. The coal-carrying capacity ot the bunkers of the Duco was 22 or 23 tons. Tho weight of the water in. the boiler was about 14 tons, and tho boiler would weigh about 20 tons Tho engines, pumps, and machinery weighed 30 to 35 tens, and the insulation would weigh 16 tons.

To Mr. Hosking: He did not know whether the amount of i the Duco's ballast was altered since he went out in her on tho occasion'before referred to which was in 1900. Ho did not recommend the new forecastle head. It would prevent head seas coming aboard and would not interfon with tho stability of the vessel in a beam sea. Ho did not go into tho weight of the forecastle head, tho insulating material cr the refrigerating machinory, before the Duco sailed. Ho approved or the alterations because ho,knew that when ho had worked on the Duco, 'she-would have been all the bettor as to sea-goiii" qualities if somo of her weight irai higher up. He took the weights of the machinery as given him. There might w> Bomo danger if the wholo contents of a bag of coal were jammed into the quadrant, but half tho quantity would not. have much effect, as thoro was ample power in tho gear to crush through it.

Re-oxamined: Tho iron ballast formerly in the forehold was put there- to give lier greater power as a tug, by sinking her a little in the water, not to add to lier stability in any way. Robert B. Grange, consulting engineer, said ho was representative for the contractor _ who supplied the refrigerating engine, condenser and piping. The weight of tho engine and condenser was 3} tons, while tho'piping and other fittings put in tho insulatec? chamber weighed ]"- tons. Testimony of Captain Jones. James Jones, who said lie had been in- the employ of the Ferries Company for about twenty years, stated that ho had been placed in charge of tho Dueo on her first arrival in Wellington, and was master of her for six or seven yenrs. At the time she yeas ballasted 'with forty tons .of pig iron in tho forehold. Belting was put on shortly after hex arrival, and covered up the loadlino previously marked on her hull. This meant that if the belting was awash, the load-lino would be' above water. Tho pig iron ballast was taken out in Wellington, and replaced by about eighteen 'tons of railway iron, this being dono to give hor weight and, consequently, more efficiency as a tug. It was laid right on the bottom of the ship, in the forehold. During his time on the Duco, he took her out to sea in oil weathers, and found her quite as

good as other small boats. She was lively, but did not roll as much as, for .instance, the Duchess. On many occasions, ho carried cargo such as tallow, wool, posts and rails, etc. Once lio had 140 casks of tallow on board, 40 being on deck. She drew Bft. forward, and lift. aft. That was a proper draught for the Duoo. The coasts mg vessels. going in and out of Wellington frequently carried deck cargo. An axe and crowbar wore always kept on the Duoo when she- was used for towing. Cross-examined by Mr. Hosking: Ho did not oppress tho opinion to anyone that tho alterations to the Duco wo.nld upsot her trim. He did not think they would. He did not toll Mcnard about a month after the Duco sailed, that it was suicide for the boat to go out when she did. He did not see the Duco when ftte left on hor last trip, but, loaded as described, ho would not have been afraid to go anywhere ia her. Tho court adjourned until 10.30 a.m. to-day.