THE DEVON INQUIRY

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1844, 2 September 1913, Page 4

THE DEVON INQUIRY

■ .—-— PORT LEADING LIGHTS. <?ED BEAM THAT BAFFLED WAS IT FALCON SHOAL? - THE WHITE SECTOR FOUND . : AND LOST. CAPTAIN'S PLAIN STORY. .— . f Tho nautical inquiry into the strand-■ lag of the Federal stoamor Dovon was ■■■ oommenced at tho Wellington Magis- ? trato's Court yesterday morning. Dr. ; A. M'Arthur, S.M., presided, and associated witl*. him'.wero Captains Black, and Bollons, assessors. ,Mr. P. S. If. 5 Macassey, of tho Crown Law Office, conducted tho inquiry on behalf of. tho - Marino -Department; Mr. M.Myers apr»i peared 'oh behalf of the master of the S Captain Caunce; Mr. C. H. Izard for the Wellington Harbour Board; and Mr. A. W. Blair for the ■V' owners of tho vessel. A good dea' of evidence was called, i',.; Generally speaking, the theory adrvaiicedby tho officers of tho ship apparently y/fis that ,thpy. had mistaken J"tho small red light on Falcon Shoal >V. buoy, for the', red sector of the. Somes £/: Island; light, . After picking up Somes tt li§ht and losing-it 'again in the rain and mist tho ship s helm was ported to :-bring her back'into tho'whito sector — which is the .safety path for vessels en- ; tering tho harbour. It turned out that *?.' tho Devon had never really been in the % red. soctor, and ,tkis tura. : rrm , hor. straight into danger. Ono of tho most ** interesting incidents pi tho; inquiry was; w : a suggestion by Mr. Myors that a* pilot i'i' who had boon'refused employment in . ; the navigating of tho ship into Wellington was in somo way. connected with tho i/f inquiry. The matter will bo referred to tho Marino Department. £ . Captain Caunco Called. ' Cajjtain Arthur Henry Caunce ( master of tho Devon', was the first witness. '"He stated that the timo when tho ves■'sol took tho rocks bolow Pencarrow was 7.43 p.m. on August 25. Capo Palliser ,:j'had been passed (about 3J miles off) at ",4.53 p.m.' and ho then steered a courso 52 W. true (N. 70 W„ magnetic). fcTaurakirao- Head was passed with an 'doffing of lit miles., . When the ship got "Jinto the white sector of tho Somes Is- ; ;land 'light, then ported, and headed .'•'straight for it. Both the Pencarrow flights were then in view. These lights :,";liad been, picked up about a quarter of £an hour previously. Thoy did not see "-•the green sector (on tho eastern side) at "'.all. The ship was held in the white £(or central sector) for 12 minutes, at j-tho end of which time a squall o'f rain' it. This squall lasted about ."five minutes, and when it cleared he £saw a red light; - which he • took to be i.»-the red sector of Somes Island (west l.'side of tho fairway). Ho ported to get iSmto tho whito sector again, but, shortly afterwards, ho saw'that lie was too /• close to tho rocks-at Pencarrow (east r-'side), and immediately went hard fla-sta.rboaxl.,...<Ho.could not .see • the . ?;>;hife;light, at;: this timo; and" the vessel .'momentarily, would not answer her ijjiohiil Tho-'rocks on the starboard side wero then very close, and he. was apprehensive, -that the steamer'a stern would swing, round and strike, .while hor bow was pointing out into tne chan-' Sel. Ho therefore ordered ''full speed 'astern," but, a moment later, the vessel struck heavily, just abaft the bridge. Ho.stopped tho .engines, and. then set 'them ahead, but finding rocks still ahead he again rang "Stop!" All lights ivent out shortly after tho vessel struck and ho presently ordered the second officer to makej distress signals, and muster all hands on tho bridgo. When the engineers and firemen came up, i they roported that water was entering the engine-rooin and stokehold. The cxact spot where the vessel struck was about a cable's length from tho lower Pencarrow,-]d{rht. The steamer was doing about 10 knots when she went on tho rocks. ' The sight was wet and squally, but not ' exceptionally bad. ■ There were sometimes intervals of about a quarter of an hour botween the squalls, which usually lasted about fivo minutes.

:Tho Red Light that Baffled Him. --Mr. Macassoy: When you ' saw ' the red lights, why didn't you go out to sea? —"I didn't think it necessary. I thought I was in tho red sector." Did you seo the red light again?— ■'No; I never picked it up ajgoin." -It would havo been safer for you to stand out?—"I did not think it necessary." .-/Mr. Macassey quoted from tlio "New Zealand Pilot"- tho instructions to •masters how to' bring deep-draught vessels into tho port of Wellington. The "Pilot" advises masters not to bring such vessels into port at night; but, in case of necessity, tho chief direction is to keep in tho .whito sector of. Somes Island light until tho red Falcon Shoal buoy light is in a certain position. Mr. Macassey asked tho witness if ho knew-of-this direction. Tho"witness: Yes; but wo aro not a' Vessel' of deep draught, now. Mr. Myors: What is your draught?— ''Eighteen feet, about." .Questioned by Mr. Macassoy as to how ho' got out of tho whito scctor— as ho thought he had done—Captain Caunce stated that lie was probably carried out by wind and tido.

Mr. Myers. .suggested . that tho captain might havo seen the Falcon Shoal Ted light, and camo to tho conclusion that ho was actually in tho red (western) sector of Somes Island, whilo really still in tho white (central) sector. This, ho said, was tho trend of tho captain's. evidence-

Captain Caunce thon oxplained the position as it appeared to him. at tho timo. He said, ( seon a red light after the passing of tho s(]uall which shut out the Somes Island light, and that made, him, think that ho had got rather across tho fairway and into the red sector. Tho red sector from Somes Island and the red Falcon Shoal light wero very similar in appearance, being both fixed lights.. The Somes Island red sector was a sixtecn-milo light, and the Falcon light only a four-milo light, and ho naturally concluded that tho light which he saw was (considering •tho weather) tho moro -powerful one. 'As to. the green (eastern) sector of Somos Island,.'lie did not see it at any timo until tlio vessel was ashore, and the weather had cleared.

Questioned,as to tho damage sustained by tho vessel, the captain stated that sho was seriously damaged, and he supposed that sho would become a total wreck. Replying to Mr. Blair, Captain Caunce said that at the time when he thought that he was in the red sector, he made the correct turning to bring him back into the white sector. ll© was, however, now of tho opinion that the only red light which ho over saw was tho beam from tho Falcon Shoal. "Nothing Imprudent." .... Questioned by Mr. Myers, the witness stated that the Falcon light was right on the blend of tho red and white sectors of Somes Island. If tho Falcon light' had been a revolving light, he did not think that the accident could possibly have happened. The wind at the time was from S.S.E., and if it had any effect on his vessel, that effect

would bo to drive her westward into the red sector. When ho first saw tho rod light (which he imagined to be tlio red sector) ho was about three miles and a half from Falcon Shoal, and both these rod lights wero practically on the sapjo bearing. At the timo he ha<l no doubt that lie was setting the correct courso to get back into tho whito sector, but, judging from tho consequences, it must havo boon the Falcon light which : lio saw, and ho must have been in tho whito sector all tho time. Had the So'mes Island light not been obscured ho would havo found himself in tho greon sector, when ho got near tho rocks. Ho would then havo immediately put tho helm over to starboard and regained tho fairway. There was iiothing to indicato to. him that it would bo imprudent to entor tho port that night. Other vessels came in with safety. To Captain Black: When tho Somes Island light was obscured lie'had no apprehension that he was in danger, and expected to pick it up again at any moment.

You must have been in tho green sector for somo timo.—"l never saw the green sector until we were ashore." Why did you not make suro it was tho Somes Island red light?—"l had no doubt."

Why .did you not slow down? —"The ship being light, and the sea heavy, it would havo been dangerous to reduce her speed." To Captain Bollons: Ho did not get a "fix" off Bearing Head. He took bearings from Taurakirae Head, and set the courso N. oJ. W., which would bring him into the Somes Island whito scctor. Ho had tho latest edition of tho "New Zealand Pilot." Re-examined by Mr. Macassoy: Tho tide was at half-flood, and the wind was following. He never at any time lost the Pencarrow light, and lie would be abouVhaLF a milo away from the lighthouse when ha got into what ho supposed was tho red sector of Somes Island. . ■ Lighthouse-keeper's Story. William Noble Edmondson, assistant light-keeper- at Pencarrow, said that at about 7.50 p.m. on August 25 ho saw lights which seemed to bo rather close in, if not on the rocks. Ho reported tho matter to the principal keeper. By the time that the latter camo tho vessel had started. firing rockets. She was less than 100 yards from tho lower light. At the time they could see the lights of other vessels proceeding down the harbour between squalls. These, squalls lasted from fivo minutes to a quarter of an hour.

To Mr. Myers: He had not measured tho distance from tho ship to the light, and his estimate was merely a puro guess. He would' not contradict a statement that tho distance was about 300 yards. If tho matter wero of importance he would not ask tho Court to rely on liis evidence on this point.

The Man at the Wheel. Thomas Mooro said that on the night the Devon struck ho was at tho wjioel. Ho went on duty at 6 p.m.-, and held a course of N. 57 W. Ho saw no lights. The courso was altered soveral times by the captain's orders, but ho could not say what coursesr were set. Mr. Macassey: Could you say how many alterations were made? —"Well, I didn't know that, this was going to happen,' so I didn't take any/ moro notice of that night than any. other night." (Laughter.) The witness added that he was steering almost ■ throughout by tho master's orders. He steered by a course only when ho first wont on duty.

To Mr. Myers: Ho remembered receiving tho orders: '.'Port your helm" and "Harcl; a-starboard." i

To Captain Black: His last order was "Hard a-starboard." This would bo about two minutes before tho ship struck. Tho previous order had been "Port a little. Thoro would be about fivo .minutes between these two orders. Thero was no intermediary order.

To Captain Bollons: He.could-not say how, long he was steering on tlie course N. 57 W. r The Look-out Man. >

Philip Lo Mesurior, A.B. on tho Devon, stated that ho went on tho lookout at 6 p-m, on August 25. Tho first light which ho picked up was a big right on the starboard bow. This would Jbo Pencarrow. Ho then saw tho loom of light on the port bow, and later; another light alongside the big one, and a whito light right ahead. Tlio next light which ho reported was a red light right a'head, and then he reported rocks right ahead. Ho lost tho white light ahead after fivo minutes, it being obscured by a squall. When the squall had passed he saw a red llight. Ho took no othor interest in tlio position of tho ship, but noticed that the Poncarrow lights were on the starboard bow all tho time. To Mr. Myers: Tlie red light which ho 6aw was (when ho picked it up) in tho samo position as the white light previously reported had been —right ahead. In the Engine-room. Francis Hugh Roberts, chief engineer of tho Devon, said ho was in tho ongino-roora after 6 p.m. on Monday. August 25. Tho first ordor received .afiter passing Capo Palliser was: "Stand by." This was about 7.35. Tlio vessel would then bo making about ten knots, her full speed. Tho ordor "Full speed astern" was telegraphed a few minutos after "Stand by." Then ho got: "Stop," "Full ahead," and "Stop." Ho got no other orders. "To Mr. Myers: Tho timo which ho had given was tho engine-room timo, but tho clock tliero did not agreo with tho captain's. ,-Engine-room clocks rarely did, being subject to changes of temperature and to vibration. To Captain Black: 'tliero was no decided- shock when tho_ vessel struck. Ho could not be certain of the exact moment when sho struck. Jamos Tillerton, second engineer of ,the Dovon, corroborated the evidenco of tlio previous witness. Chief Officer's Evidenco. John George Maurice, chief officer of tho Devon, said that ho was on the bridgo with tho captain on tho evening of August 25. Ho had been on tho bridgo since 4 p.m., with a short interval for tea. Thero wore also on tho bridge tho fourth officer and tho quartermaster -at tho wheel. They passed Capo Palliser about four miles off. 'I'liey camo into the whito sector of Somo's Island without ever having seen the green scctor. When tho white sector was picked up, tho course wa3 altered, and the ship headed straight for it. Tho vessel was doing' a littlo moro than ten knots. They saw a red light right ahead, which they took to be 6ho red sector of Somes island, and which was reported as such. Tho red light was picked up after tho li'hite scctor was lost. Ho accounted for the ship's having got into tho red. soctor—as Kiev imagined she had dono —by tho sot of tho tido'. Ho coilld not say whether the red light they saw was from Falcon Shoal or from Somes Island. They thought at 'tho time that it was tho latter, and tho captain gave an order to port the helm. At this time the Pencarrow lights wero on_ the starboard bow, nt a distance which tho witness estimated at three milos. There was no alteration in the courso until tho white light was picked up. The next alteration was when tlio red liyjit caino into sight. Shortly afterwards they, saw rocks on the starboard bow, and the vessel struck.

To Mr. Mvcr.s: Tlio captain was solely responsible for the navigation of tlio ship, Init ho had shared with the captain tlio opinion that thc.v wore in tho Ted scctor of Somes Island, 'but if it were really tho Falcon Shoal liirht which they saw. and they may possibly have been in tlio white sector all tho time. When the vessel struck appearances were so deceptive that ho thought that they wern two miles away from the lower Pencarrow light. As a matter of fact, they werq almost alongside

it. Ho Jiad never thought for a moment that they were in danger. To Captain Black: Ho never considered that the vessel was too closo to tho Pencarrow lights. The night was very misty, and tho lights appeared to bo farther off than they eventually turned out to be. Seon From Aloft. Edward Gould Ratioy, fourth officer of the Devon, who was on tho bridgo from 4 p.m. on August 25, said that when they saw tho whito Somes Island light tho captain sent him aloft to ascertain where they wero heading, and ho found that they were heading N. by AY. Ho then described tho loss of the whito light, and the discovery of tho red. At this time he saw broken water on the starboard bow, and called down to tho captain, • who ordered "Hard a-starboard." Shortly afterwards tho vessel struck. Ho would, of course, expect to pick up tho Falcon Shoal light- as ■ tho vessel proceeded up tho white sector, but lie had thought that tho red sector of Somes Island would bo seen first.

To Mr. Myors: Ho held a master's certificate. So far as ho could see, everything was done which prudent people would do. To Captain Bollons: After he bad taken the bearing.of tlio light—N. by W.—ho ••kept a watch on it, and the bearing did not alter. Tlio. bearing of 'both white and red lights was the same. To Mr. Myers-..Judging from the appearance of tho light, lio had. thought that the vessel was a quarter of a milo from' Pencarrow. On Tod of a Reef. Archibald Walkor, Lloyd's ship and engineer surveyor,-said tho Devon was lying with rocks nearly' all round her, with tho exception of tho port quarter and boam, where there was deep water. A pinnacle rock about fifteen foot high stood about thirty feet from the starboard quarter. Soundings round tho vessel ran from threo and a half fathoms at the stem to five fathoms at the-stern. Tho soundings showed that a reef ran • across tho ship's bottom diagonally from the port beam to tho starboard quarter. Ho could not tell yet how much damage had been sustained by tho bottom of the vessel. \ The ship was resting on the bottom-forehand aft, and tho reef running across hor must have "set up" her bottom. The contour of tho decks had not yet been altered. A good deal of damage had been done to the superstructure. So far as he could see there was no possibility of salvage. The vessel was .lying over 300 yds. from tho lower Pencarrow light. To Mr. Myers: Ho had had a very similar exporienco to that of tho Devon's officers while coming up tho harbour from Pencarrow . on > Sunday last, in tho Karaka. They lost the white Somes Island sector in a squall, and when it lifted thoy picked up a red light, exactly where tho whito light liad'been. The Karaka was then much nearer the Falcon Shoal than the Dovon was. It took them three hours to make the trip up the harbour. Captain Jones, who • was in command of tlie Karaka, had criticised tho fact that thero was a light on tho shoal of tho same colour as tho red sector.. Harbourmaster's Evidence. Captain Henry Johnson, harbourmaster at Wellington, said that tho sectors of tho Somes Island light could bo seon a distance, of fourtcon miles in clear weather. Ho went out to .the wreck on Monday night, August 25. Tho Devon was lying about 1000 ft. from the lower Poncarrow light. Tho red light on- Falcon Shoal was in the blending of tho red and w"hito sectors on Somes Island—a little in-tho red sector. ' So far as he knew, thero was no objection to the prosenco of this light. A master bringing-his ship up tho whito scctor must expect to pick up tho shoal light. Both must bo seen at tho samo timo. . ' To Mr. Izard: The Falcon Shoal buoy was over three miles from where tho Dovon now lies. He was unable to understand how that light was visible all tho time, and tho Somos Island light obscured. Tho low-level light at Pencarrow was over threo miles outside Barrett's Keef, giving ample time for a change of course —should it be wrong before entering the narrow part of tho harbour. It was incomprehensible to him how the ship could go ashoro at the lowor-level light. To Mr. Myers: The rango of the Falcon Shoal buoy was ' fivo miles, Tho Somos Island sector had a range of sixteen miles. ■ Ho was quito ccrtam that a ship in tho white sector of Somes Island, within 2i miles of tho entrance «f tho harbour,, must see tho Falcon Shoal light. This was on a clear night. Sometimes there were squalls which might conceal ono or other of tho lights, or both. A squall could pass across both lights, obscuring first tho Falcon Shoal light, and then tho Somes Island light. It would bo quite possiblo to havo tho Falcon light in sight, and the Somes Island light obscured. Mr. Myers: Is it not tho fact that thero are two opinions about theso lights—one yours, and one that of somo master mariners?— "Judging by recent communications between the_ Harbour Board and the Merchant Service Guild, I should say thero arc." Captain of s.s. V/ahine. Captain Alexander P. Edwin, master, of tho ferry steamer AVahino, said his vessel loft Wellington for Lyttelton about 8.10 p.m. on August 25. Tho night was squally, and t'lio lights woro obscured at times. When ho got to tho Heads ho could see tho lights of a steamer—but not tho vossol herself. Ho could render her no assistance owing to the state of tho sea.- If ho wero coming up to tho entranco and lost the Somos Island light ho would not go on, providing ho had room to turn. To Mr. Myers: It was clear enough .for him to go out, and clear enough for-vessels to como in._ Tho weathor was moderating all the time. A master might possibly go on after losing tho wlute Somes Island light, if ho had been sailing along it for some timo. He would not do it himself without knowing how. far ho was from the land, and unless it was absolutely nccessary. Ho was not prepared to express an opinion whether it would bo better to havo a revolving light on Falcon Shoal, to distinguish it from the Somes Island light. A Hint of Trouble. Mr. Myors recalled Captain Caunce, who produced a plan showing the courso ho had set. Ho had brought his vessel well within the white soctor. Ho did not engage tho services of a coastal pilot far tlio trip from Auckland to Wellington—as ho was not bound to do—but while he was in Auckland he received a letter from a coastal pilot offering his services for tho trip at a fco of £21. Mr. Macassoy objected to this evidence, but Mr. Myers insisted that tho matter was an important one. Div M'Arthur said that he.oould not nee tho importance of the matter. Tho pilot had not been on board at the time. \ Mr. Myers: No, your Worship. Ho was not on board, but iio mijjht bo where his opinion would be of great weight in the decision of this matter. Mr. Myers told tho president privately what his reason was, and his Worship said that tho question was not ono for liini, but for representation to tho Department. Mr. My era said that tho n'atter was a rfiost serious one, and lie should certainly mako representations. Dr. M'Arthur ruled that tho evidenco could not bo admitted. The Danger Foreseen. Captain David James Watson, master mariner, secretary of tho Merchant Servico Guild, said that Captain Caunce

was not a member of the Guild, and ho (witness) was not in any way interested in him. He was a member of tho Wellington lfarbour Board. Ho knew tho position of the Falcon Slioal light, and lie had always had the idea that somo such accident might happen as that which tho officers of tho Devon had described. Thero could havo been no inistako had the light been a revolving light. Tlio Guild had approached tho Harbour Board somo timo ago, requesting that all navigating lights in tho harbour should be made revolving light's. Ho had himself foreseen the danger of the Falcon Slioal light being mistaken for the 'red sector of Somes Island, should tho latter be obscured. In porting when ho thought he was in tlio red sector, Captain Caunea had done the right thing—the only tiling ha could have done.

To Mr. Macassey: Had he been in eucli a position a-3 Captain Caunce, lie would havo cone on. • A master would bo quite justified in going on if he had any expectation that ho would pick up tho light again, on the passing of tho squall which had obscured it. To Mr. Izard: Ho had never navigated in Wellington Harbour as master. This concluded the calling of evidcnco. Mr. Myers's Address. Mr. Myers, addressing tho Court, said that it was all very well for them to sit there in Judgment upon, a set of circumstances which it was impossible to -reproduco. The position was ono in which each and every member of tho Court—and especially tlio assessors— should endeavour to put himself in the . place of Captain Caunce, and roniember that in tlio circumstances tho utmost promptitude was demanded. The Devon had been < brought into exactly tlio position slip should havo been in. It had been' suggested that when Captain Caunco lost tho whito sector of tlio Somes Island light, ho should havo gono back, but ho had really done what any prudent master would do in tho circumstances. Ho had mado tho correct turning to bring his vessel from tho red sector, whero ho thought ho was, into the whito sector, it could not be suggested that there was anvthiug wrong with tho' navigation of tho ship. Ho was not laying a complaint against the Wellington Harbour Board, as the matter was purely ono of opin- ™ oro could bo no doubt that it tlio Falcon Shoal buoy had had a revolving light tho accident could not possibly havo happened. Tho red light had not been seen until the whito sector was lost, and it was not unreasonable that tho officers should havo conchided that tho light was the most powerful. of tho red lights in tho harbour. It could not be said that in these circumstances the master had been negligent. Thoy had got past the davs when the loss of a ship must mean the ruin of tho career of a master or of his officers, Tho days wero past when captains- ran thoir ships on the rocks for fun or profit, because there was neither in it. The Court must presume careful navigation. Of courso thero was a inistako in taking tho red light on Falcon Shoal for the red scctor on Somes Island, but in tho circumstances tho mistake -was by no means unreasonable. Talcing all tho circumstances of tho caso into consideration, the Court could not hold such an error of judgment to bo such a serious matter as to involve even tho paying of costs by tho captain, or his censnroi The caso was purely ono of accident, which might'happen to any master in liko circumstances, no matter how careful ho might be. Tho Court will deliver judgment at 9.45 o'clock this morning.