STRANDING OF THE INGA

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 195, 13 May 1920, Page 6

STRANDING OF THE INGA

-4 NAUTICAL INQUIRY , VESSEL OUT OF HER COURSE An official inquiry was held yesterday by Mr. W. G. Kiddell, S.M., who had with him as assessors Captains E. B. Atwood and IV. J. M. Tate, into the stranding of tho s.s. Inga ofl the Taranaki Bight on the morning of April 30. Mr. J. Prendeville, of the Crown Law Office, appeared for the Marino Department, and Mr. T. Young for the captain of tho Inga. Tho Captain's Statement. John Henry Bull, master of the Inga, stated that the steamer was built of steel, 569 'tons, and was owned by .the, Inga Steamship Proprietary Company of Syd tiey. The vessel was on' a voyage from 'Newcastle to Wanganui with a cargo of coal. The ship came iit sight of the (tape Egmont light oil the night of April 29. Witness was on watch and charted the position at. about 14 miles away at 11.30 p.m. The course was continued east-south-east. Tho light, when first sighted, was east by north, three-quarters north. Witness left instructions: "Call me when you eight Cape Egmont light, or at 2 a.m., or earlier, if you getr close to land, or immediately If the weather gets thick or hazy." This was .iust prior to sighting the light. The third officer was instructed to continue tho course E.S.E. Before going below witness wrote further ( orders for the chief officer coming on at 4 o'clock. The orders were: "Call me when you sight Patea light, or at 5 a.m." This was read over to the third officcr, who would hand over to the second officer at midnight. The night was beautifully clear with moonlight; there was no sea, but just a light swell. Ho was not called at 2 a.m., but at 3.4G a.m. ho heard the vessel grate against something, and instantly got out of Bis bunk, ran to the and found the vessel had still"way'on her. It was then clear, but dark. Witness ordered all handß on deck to get the lifeboats out. Soon afterwards tho chief officer told liim that tho water was coming up the airpipe of the aftey tank. The boats were got out and lowered to the rail. The vessel was bumping, but was still afloat. Soundings showed 4 to 5 fathoms from forward to amidships, but the vessel was bumping aft. She drew 13ft. 6in. forward and 15ft. 7in, aft on leaving Newcastle. 'Witness steamed ahead dead slow to clear tho obstacle and found ho had Ave fathoms Of water all round. He then dropped anchor and waited for daylight to see If it would be safe to go into deep water. Land was quite clearly in sight. When he found that the 6hip' was not making moro water ho decided to proceed. At the timo of striking, tho land was barely a mile ofl and perfectly clear. Cape Egmont was abeam at 1 a.nf., and from thero to the placo of stranding ho estimated the distance at about 22 miles. The normal speed of tho vessel was about 8 knots. The ship,steered well,-and there was nothing iij the oargo (which consisted of coal and timber) to affect the compass. To Mr, Young: Tho ship struck about five miles from the course he had -Jet. At this stage Mr. Prendeville called attention to the fact that tho second officer, who was affected by the iuquirv, was not represented by counsel, which appeared to be an oversight, Tho Magistrate said ho would adjourn tho proceedings to allow the second officer to acquaint the secretary of tho Merchant Service Guild with his position and socuro the services of counsel. It wai decided before adjourning to hear evidence as to the insurance of tho vessel Charles Eawson, superintendent of tho Inga Steamship Proprietary, said that the ship jwas insured with tho Batavm Insurance Company for about £24,000 Ihcre was no. insurance on the cargo.' It was impossible to ascertain the damage to the ship until she. was docked. Tho Court adjourned until tho after; noon. On resuming, Mr. K. Kirkoaldio said that ho appeared for tho second officer captain Bull, continuing his evidence and in answer to Mr. Youug, said that at 1 a.m. the vessel was, according to tho second officer s calculation, 11 miles oil Cape Egmont. Ho had been on tho run from Newcastlo to Wanganui for tho past seven years. On the previous trip he steered the same course, and thero was '£?. wS, , As cam c out from his bunk when tho vessel bumped ho lnet the second officer coming down to , 1 I " m ' .Tho second officer said he had been peeping tho veEsel three-quarters of a noiut out to Ho did not consider it safe to go into .Wanganui after tho mishap so he brought the vessel on to Wellington. To Mr. Kirkcaljlie: He went below about 11.30 p.m. and the ship was then going all right. On the course set land should have been visible all the way down, If the second officer kept; the ship out threequarters of a point ha erred on the side of caution. To Mr. Prendevillo: After ho got tho vessel oil, tho chief engineer said she was malang water, and that he could not keen the water under with the pumps. First Officer's Evidenco, Donald M'Donald. first officer, said'that his duty began officially at 4 a.m., but h'e came on at 3.40 a.m. when the 'vessel hy-ncd. . The weather was clear and the coast .was visible. While the vessel was at anchor ho saw logs passing, carried bv the l current .westward .towards Egmont. , To Mr. Young: When the vessel bumped she was about throe-quarters'of-a mild from the land. The, captain could have done nothing moro than ho had Mane. To Mr. Kirkoaldio: When ho camo on deck ho could see the coast, but could not mako out any object on land. The Third Officer. Robert M'Kenzie. third officer, said he was on duty on the night of the mishap from 8 to 12 p.m. He steered E.S.E. Tho weather was clear with a light breeze during his wateh. They picked up Oane Egmont light at 11.25 p.m. Tho was on the bridge from 11 p.m. to abo'ut 11/.30 p.m. The entries in tho log were made by the captain. To Mr. Kirkcaldie: The course laid down would carry the vessel about two miles ofl the Otumatua Point. When tho second officer came on to relievo him, ho told him' that the first lino of • tho captain's order was cancelled because thev had picked up Cape Egmont light, but. the rest, of the order held. Slj/cond Officer's Evidenco Jesso Archer, second officer, said he held a flrßt mate's certificate, ne came on dutv at midntght on April 29-30, relieving tho third officer. Tho latter gave him the course and told him that Cape Egmont light had been sighted. At 1 ! a.m: the Egmont light was abeam, and the vessel was then about 11 miles off. The land could be seen, but not distinctly. To tho Court:'Ho worked out tho distance at 1 a.m. Continuing, witness said tho eourso Bet was E.S.E., and he checked it several times and found no variation. He worßed his position on tho chart at 1 a.m. He instructed the steersman to keep a little outside the course. The point wnere the vessel struck was off Otumatua Point, some considerable distance inside the course set. Comipg down from Cape Egmont ho was able to see the land, bu<„ not distinctly. He was unable to pick up Otumatua Point. Mr. I'rendeville: How do you account for- getting into tho bight? Witness: Tho only way I can account for it is -that there must have been an abnormal current. Continuing, witness said ho did not notice any current on the way down from Egmont. He never left the bridge except when the vessel struck. Mr. Itiddell: Tho land was only two miles off! Did it not strike you tfiat you were getting close in? Witness: We wore Bteering our right course. Continuing, witness said that the shin was about two or three miles off Otumntau Point, hut ho could not pick up the point; M'Lean wp,s on the lookout from 12 midnight to 2 n.m. 4 wlien he relieved •Tohansen at the r'lieol. The lookout was on'the port side, the side, nearest the land. To Mr. Young: At. 1 a.m. ho marked tht chart "11 miles abeam Capo Egmont." lie did not call tho captain at 2 a.m. Mr. Kiddell: Why did you not call him f at 2 a.m.?—"l thought it had been can;' celled, the vessel having sighted Cape Efmont light." | To Mr. Young: The instructions were: "Call me when you sirbt Capo Egmont, or at 2 a.m., or earlier, if yon get near land, or if the weather Ms thick and hazy." He instructed tho steersman not to go Inside tho coufso set. The vessel was about three miles off Otuniafuo Point, Mr. Young: And seven miles further you were aground. How do you account for that? Witness: I can onlv account for It bv nn nbu'irr'al current. The course was kept and the steersman waß told to steer southerly and not to go inside (he eourso set. nnti the steersman carried out instructions. Othor Witnosscs, Malcolm M'Leod. third engineer of the Inga, Baid ho waß on watch from midnight to 4 a.m. on tho night in question; the engines wero running l steadily right throughout tho watch.