THE ELINGAMITE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1309, 12 December 1911, Page 3

THE ELINGAMITE.

——♦ CASE CONTINUED. CAPTAIN ATTWOOD'S EVIDENCE. STORY OF THE RAFTS. lichcniing of the inejuiry into the Elingnmiio wreck wns resumed yesterday before the Chief Justice (Kir linbort Stout) and two assessors (Captain 11. E. Smitli and Captain Chrisp). Tlio Eliugamito was wrecked in a fog at the Three Kings on November !), 1002, and -13 lives wero lost The Court of ■Slarino Inquiry, appointed in connection with the disaster, brought in findings adverse to CupUin E. ]!. Attwood, who wns in cominiimi of.tho vessel. Recently, however, it was discovered that the islands were incorrectly charted, rnul, in consequence of this, Captain Attwood. was granted a rehearing. This rehearing was commenced on Saturday morning. The Solicitor-General (Mr. J. W., Salniond) appeared for the Marino Department, and Mr. T. M. Wilford, with him Mr. W. J. Cracroft Wilson, appeared for Captain Attwood. Several witnesses, called by both eides, had been hoard on Saturday. Mr. Wilford culled further evidence yesterday. "Chart Worse than Useless." Captain D. J. Watson, secretary of the .Merchant Service Guild, stated that he had had 23 years' experience, of the sea. He had also" been associated with Mr. Wilford in the preparation of Captain Attwood's case. His own calculation of tho'speed at which the" Elingamito must have been steaming, as from noon on Saturday, November 8, 1902, was llj knots per hour. It was certainly not more, than 12 knots. As to tho question of stopping tho ship, that would merely have made her more susceptible to the influence of the current, and a new element of danger would thus have been introduced. Captain Attwood knew that he was in'the vicinity of the island?, but soundings would have been valueless because, he could have obtained no clue to his position from a chart on which soundiugs were only sparsely marked. The 'chart, in fact, was worse. than uselessit was really misleading. The experience of Captain Attwood on tho previous voyage (when he had found a southerly set) was in itself a direct contradiction of the data supplied by the chart. Witness had had analagous experiences himself. To the Solicitor-General: Absoluto Reliance could bo placed on a solar observation as a . guide to portion. If no errors were wndo in taking it the result would never be more thiin-n milo out. It would have breii unreasonable to "stop" the ship in tho. f os. To Captain Chrisp: If land suddenly loomed up. after the vessel was stopped she would not then bo under command, and so would,be unable to get clear. In further cross-examination' witness reiterated his statement that soundings would havo been futile. Captain Attwood's intention to sound a quartor of an hour after tho vessel struck was a formality which most shipmasters take to satisfy a Court of Marine Inquiry in the event of a shipwreck. But, as giving a clue to his ship's position it would not have assisted him. Captain Attwcod Called. Captain E.B. Attwood was then called. He stated that he had been in command of the Elingamite from July to November of the year in which slip was wrecked, lie had had previous 'commands/ and had held a master's certificate since, 1885. Hβ had also ■ served as chief officer in steamers trading on tho coast of Cliina and Jo pan. l'rior to taking command of the Elingainile lie had brought the Zealiuidia from Australia to Auckland. Tho Jilingamite's test speed was 13 knots, but she seldom did more than 12 knots. When he took observations at noon on tho Saturday before' tho meek, the weather was clear and he was quite sure of his position then. At -2 p.m. on .Saturday, however, tho range of observation was only two miles, and hazy conditions continned 'until-10 a.m. on Sunday, when it was ' only., possible' to seo two. lengths ahead: The speed was then, reduced to "slow," that was .knots—the slowest speed at which sho could travel and, at tho same time bo kept in hand., Slio could then be pulled up in .her ,own length, and could be set going astern in a length and a half. To the best of his belief the engirds were stopped when tlio vessel struck, but did not go astern. Had they gone astern—even after tho vcssol first touched—there would have been time to get her off. When the impact'came'witness called the .'officers and directed thejn to lower owaj- the boats. Directions were also issued to tho stewards as to provisioning tho boats. Witness and the second' mato were washed off the bridffo-about a qnarter of au hour after the steamer struck. Until tho rechartiiig of the islands, he bad never been able to find an explanation of the disaster as, by dead reckoning, he believed that he was at least five or six miles abreast of the Tares Kinns. lie did not agree with Captain Blackburne thr>t it-would have been safe to havo stopped the ship. That would have been a source of danger to any other sliip in tho vicinity. .When Captain Keid went off in tho lxwt he was instructed to land the passeuj gers, and come back.as soon as possible. He never camo back. "Bumping on the Rocks With Great Force." Thero woo difficulty in handling the boats, as the Elingamite had taken a; heavy list, and was bumping on the rocks with great force. Every time that the boats were lifted out of the chocks, tho tendency was for them to be bumped back again. To tho Solicitor-General: He had been carried about two miles to tho north or his course on the previous day, but had put that down to bad steering. Working on tho old chart, witness would go.on tho samo voyago again without- taking anymore soundings. He had altered liis opinion sinco the previous inquiry. He believed that he had ordered the com passes' to be got when he directed'the. boats te be lowered. The Solicitor-General was proceeding to cross-examino Captain Attwood as-to tho previous inquiry and as to why ho had not made certain statements then, when Mr. Wilford interposed, ami remarked that the conduct of the previous inquiry ha<l been extraordinary. The captain had been condemned on account of considerations relating to stores and compasses, and for net provisioning tho boats, and yet no questions on these points had ever been asked. Someone had mado a general statement about theso matters, and the Court had apparently framed its finding on that. His Honour remarked that this a<-pcct of the caso could bo referred to during the course of legal argument . In answer to further questions, Captain Attwood stated that he distinctly told Captain Reid to fill No. 1 boat with passcngeTs, and Ileid had no right to go away with the boat half full. He had done so contrary to orders. Witness did not observe- that the boat was only half full until it was some distance from tho wreck, no had endeavoured to keep the I boats and rafts together by sounding his whistle, but this plan had failed. "When the Rafts Disappeared." He-examined by Mr. Wilford: When the rafts disappeared it would not have been feasible to have gone in the open sea in the fog to look for them without a compass. Robert Duncan, head of the Inspection of Machinery Department and chief surveyor of ships,- gave evidence in regard to tlio method of calculating speed by the revolutions of the machinery. His.evidence diffe.red from that of Mr. Culvert, who was called by the Solicitor-General. Subsequently the Solicitor-General called .Tamos Ormiston, marine engineer, to'give evidence on'tho samp point. At tho conclusion of the' evidence ,the Solicitor-General stated that ' ho would charge Captain Attwood with the following:— (1)" Negligent navigation—(a) in running at excessive speed through a fog.- (b) In..taking no, account of risk of deviation* through northerly current.. (cV In' not sounding.. (2) T'ailure of duty after tho wreck—(a) In allowing boats (o leave without compasses or provisions, (b) In allowir^. Captain. lipid's boat'to leave without full - cnmnlenuMit of uaswngprs. (r) In not standing by the rafts. " After hearing-.argument by counsel, the Court adjourned, until-10. o'clock this I morning. ■ *.■-..