FATE OF THE YONGALA

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1150, 10 June 1911, Page 5

FATE OF THE YONGALA

DID SHE FOUNDER?

RIVAL, THEORIES PUT FORWARD.

By Telccrapli—Press Association—OopyricM Brisbane, June 9. At tho inquiry into the loss of tho Yongala, of the Adelaide Steamship Company's fleet, Mr. Wareham, the Queensland manager for tho company, saiil the Yongala was a "stiff" ship. She was fully equipped with nautical instruments. The captain was an excellent seaman. lie had received no orders to push the ship owing to keen competition. Witness had heard of no complaints by passengers as to the Yongala's excessive rolling. 110 thought she would be immune from any other form of disaster than striking a rock. Judging by the small quantity of cargo recovered, a very small hole had been torn in her bottom, and sho had foundered very quickly. The vessel had cost .£102,000, and was insured for tho company carrying tho balance of tho risk.

Captain Hansen, a. stevedore, gave evidence as to the cargo on the Yongnla being safely stowed. It was impossible for any of the cargo to have shifted. Tlie cargo had never been so light on the upper deck. The steamer rolled a bit, but not more than other ships.

Captain Ifothwell, Government pilot, was of opiniun that the Yongala met tho full forco of the gale at midnight, and simply foundered, Tho search lie had made had disclosed no evidence that she had struck a rock. Possibly some of the cargo had shifted; otherwise a vessel liko tho Yongala would have weathered tho storm. Ho did not suggest any negligence in stowage. There was nothing lacking in either ship, officers, or crow.

Mr. Leslie, superintendent of wharves, deposed that the Yongala was a "tender" hut snfo ship. She rolled heavily, and it took only a few tons on either side to give her a list. But she righted steadily, and there was no danger. She could not have been better found and equipped. The cargo Plight have shifted, although ho never knew it to do so. His opinion was that the disaster was caused by th« steamer striking soma obscured obstruction.

Other evidence supported that given as to the seaworthiness and proper equipment of tho Yongala. There had been no complaints by the captain or officers against the sailing capacities of the steamer. AN UNSUCCESSFUL SEARCH. (Rec. Juno 9, 9.30 p.m.) Brisbane, .Tune 9. The steamer Porpoise, which has been searching for the Yongala since May 6, has returned after an unsuccessful search. The members of the search party walked around Nares Rock—which it was thought by many that the vessel had struck—at low tide, but saw no sign of the bottom having been disturbed. . A spar, which was sunk sixteen fathoms and tailed over the stern in the vicinity of the rock, failed to touch anything. A QUEENSLAND MYSTERY. Tlio Yongala, a fine Australian interState liners—of about the same size as tho Mokoia—left Mactay on Thursday, March 23, at 1.40 p.m. on her regular run up tho Queensland coast. Her next port of call was Townsvillc, 208 miles further north, and sho should have arrived there on the Friday or early on Saturday morning. The lighthouse-keeper at Dent Island reported sighting the Yongala at 6 p.m. on tho Thursday, but from that time onward her fato remains a mystery. A terrific cyclonic storm was raging on tho coast on Thursday night and Friday. Tho coast is a treacherous one, beset with islands and shoals. . Small quantities of wreckago were afterwards picked up at different spots. Captain Knight, an experienced navigator, with a thorough knowledge of tho coast, and commodore of the Adelaide Co.'s fleet, was in command. There woro one board tho vessel 73 passengers, and a crew of 68—141 souls in all. The Yongala, which was built in 1903 at Low Walker on T.vue, England, for tho Adelaide Steamship Company, Ltd., was made to meet passenger requirements in regard to • deck space. Sho • rode along majestically in tlio still waters of tho harbour, but needed good stiffening in heavy weather. Her port of registry wis Adelaide, tlio headquarters of the company. Her principal dimensions were:— Length, 350 ft.; beam, 45ft. 2in.;" and length 27ft. 2in. She was a steel screw steamer of 30G-1 tons gross and 1825 net, with a 690 horse-power. Tho vessel had become popular with tho travelling public.