MISHAP TO KOWHAI

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 265, 5 August 1919, Page 3

MISHAP TO KOWHAI

CONSIDERED BY NAUTICAL COURT

THE STRANDING ON FAREWELL SPIT

A Nautical Court of Inquiry, presided over by Mr. W. G. Riddell, S.M., yesterday investigated the causes of the stranding of tho s.s. Kowhai (40-1 tons register) on Farewell Spit on Juno 9 last. Tho assessors wore Captain W. Manning and Captain l l '. Jilack. Mr. J. Prcndevillo apeared for the Marine Department, Mr. P. Levi for the Union Steam Ship Company, Mr. S. Ivirkcnldio for the master of the Kowliia (Captain Dinsmorc), and Mr. A. W. Blair for tho first and second officers (J. R. Clarko and C. J. Anderson). Captain Dinsmore slated that on Juno 7 the .Kowhia left Onoliunga for Westport Capo Egmont, on ness was on duty v.' odd times. Cape Farewell was sight'i I before dark on | June 8. Witness was called by the chief • officer at midnight. Tho officer said that he could see the land, but could not ; make it out. Witness went on tho bridge, and told the second officer to let him know when ho • picked up Farewell Light. Tho information, was given about 1115 a.m. The' vessel should then have been twenty E.-iles off the land if the bearing taken was correct. The night was clear moonlight And they could see the land at Curious Cliff. Witness kept about till 2 a.m.,' then told the second officer to lot him know how things were at 4 a.m. At four, asked how. far she was off the Spit Light. The second officer replied, "About six or eight miles." Witness said that that was too close, and he ordered a ooiirse S.W. hy S. Witness went on the bridge, and saw that land was open on the port how. Ho went off the bridge., and returned after 4, when the chief officor was on the bridge. Witness ■ instructed tho chief officer to keep the ship S.W., and to call i witness at daylight. About 4.35 a.m. witness was wakened by the shock of the vessel running ashore. Witness rushed on to the bridge imediately, and put tho engines astern himself. Afterwards ho went to the chief officer, and asked tho latter whv he did not put tho engines astern. The chief officer replied: "T can't make it out." Witness accused him of being off the bridge, and he admitted that he had been off. After tho engines had been stopped, because they were not getting the vessel off, witness took the chief officer to the wheelhouso, and asked the latter to state truthfully what boaring of land he had on tho port bow when witness loft the bridge. The ohief officer replied, "One and a half on the port bow." Witness pnt that on the chart, and showed tho officer that if the bearing given was the correct one. and tin course he ordered had been steered the' vessel could not have gouo ashore wtero she -did. Tho vessel was pulled off some time later, and on July 14 came to Wellington under her own steam. ~ '

Questioned on tho point, witness said that the chief officer had fall authority to alter, if neoessarv, the that he

(witness) had f-et. Mr. Blair (cross-examining): Isn t it quite a common thing for a cup of tea to be left in tho chartroom for the officer who comes on duty after four o'clock, and does not the officer generally go into the chartroom, get the tea, and return immediately to the bridge?—"l admit it has been done." If the helmsman had altered tho course could tho chief officer havo failed to notice?—"l couldn't say." John Richard Clarke, chief officer, said that ho was on the 8 to 12 watch on

the night of. June 8. The course was S.S.W. When he went off .duty he was relieved by the second officer. At 4 a.m. ho was on duty again. Tho second officer gavo him ,the course, S.W. by S. The moon was down, and there was n heavy bank of clouds to tho westward. The second officer told him they would be from six to eiglit miles jgff the light. Witness could see the loom of land ahead, but there was nothing distinctive about it. About 4.5 a.m. the captain came on the bridgo and told him to alter tho course to iS.W. He gavo the necessary order to the man at tho wheol, and stood by the man to see that the latter went on 'the course. Then he reported tu the captain, who was standing on the bridge. Tho alteration brought the land about a point and a half on tho port bow, and put Farowell Spit light iust abaft tho beam. The captain went down about six or seven minutes past

four. Shortly afterwards the spare man reported that ho had made tea, and had 'put it in tho< chartroom. Witness had a look rouiid, and thought things were all right. He went down to the. chartroom, picked up a cup of tea and a niece of toast, and went straight back to the bridge. He had been away barely two minutes. About 4.18 tho vessel gavo a bit of a pitch, but witness did not think much of it, as tho weather had been fairly heavy on the voyage. Looking ahead, witness "got the shock of his life" at seeing land there. Ho was going to make for the telegraph when the captain rushed on tho bridge, and put the engines full speed astern. The captain said. "Were you down oil that tea?' and wituess, concluding that $ho captain was speaking of the time a? which the vessel bumped, roplied "No." When the second officer told him (as mentioned alwe) that the vessel was six or eight miles from land, the thought crossed his mind that that wa3 rather close; but: lie thought no >inore about the matter once tho captain had given the order for a change in the course. To Mr. Blair: Witness would say that between tho timo of his return to the bridgo (after getting his tea) and the time of the bump, about five minutes elapsed. After feeling the bump witness went to the side to look over, and tlion

he looked ahead. ,Tust at this time tho captain appeared on tho bridge. The time of the stranding, by witness's watch, was 4.20 a.m. His watch agreed with

the engine-room clock. At 4.7 a.m. the captain, on quitting the bridge, had said everything whb all right, and. witness \kad seen no reason for thinking otherwise. Tho land which tho captain had said was Capo Farewell witness had believed to bo ten or twelve miles ahead. If lie had not thought so he would never* have left tho bridge to get a cup of te.-» There was no alteration made in the course or-

dered by the captain. If a man made a sudden alteration in the wheel one could

not fail to notico it, even' if ono were

down Below. Mr. Riddell (to witness): Why did you not ask tho spare man to hring the tea up to you, instead of you going down for it?—"i thought it. was quite eafo to go and get it myself.' - It was a dark night, was it not, and after going off the bridge yon would go into a lighted room. Would not. that affect your sight to some extent?—" Yes." You say the wcathor was hazy?— "Yes. sir, over the land. I wasn't look-

ing much the other-way." Do vou lrtiow you differ somewhat from

the captain?—" Yes.'" 1 Did you sea the second ollioer'fi entry ill the log book? Hu said that at 4 a.m. the night was fine and clear. Do you differ from that'-"I am on my oath. I lmve said how it appeared to me at tho time." ' If the niirlit had been fine and clear, do vou think you would have picked jip the land sooner than you did?—" Yes." Roderick Paterson, superintending en. gincer for the Union Company, estimated tho damage to tlid Koivhia at about ■12500. , Christian John Anderson, second ollicer, said that lie was on duty from midnight of June Bto 4 a.m. on Juno fl. It was, on +ho whole, a clear moonlight night, though a cloud occasionally obscured the moon. Before ho loft the bridge heavy clouds were coming up from the west. Witness was asleep when tho ves. eel bumped, and he knew nothing of the occurrence until he wafl wakened by the captain. The case was adjourned till n odncsdtiy morning.