WRECK OF THE S.S OTAGO.

Evening Star, Issue 4303, 11 December 1876, Page 2

WRECK OF THE S.S OTAGO.

An official inquiry into the wreck of the steamship Otago was held to-day at noon in the Resident Magistrate’s Court, before Mr J. Bathgate, R.M., Capt. Thomson, Harbormaster, Dunedin, aud Capt. Logan, Nautical Assessors.

Mr Haggitt appeared for Capt. Calder, of the Otago, and Mr Hackworth, Collector of Customs, conducted the inquiry. The different officers of the vessel handed in their certificates to the Bench.

George Cakler : I am master of the steamship Otago, and hold a Melbourne certificate No. 61. We sailed from Port Chalmers on the 3rd inst. about 4 p.m., bound for the Bluff. We cleared the Heads about 4.40, and I did not go below until we were abeam of Victor Bay. I gave instructions when nearly abeam of Cape Sanders, about 6 p.m., to keep her S.S.W., corrected by standard. After giving instructions to the chief officer I went below. The weather was cloudy but clear, wind light and variable, sea smooth. Came on deck occasionally between that point and Nuggets. We sighted the Nugget light a little after ten o’clock, steering S.S.W. We kept her in a little bit to clear the Nuggets, about five or six miles off, and about midnight the Nugget light was a little

abaft the beam, about the same distance. I We steered various courses, from S.W, by S. to r.W. by W, $ W., corrected; and i ■when Long Point -was abaft the beam, at 1.45 a.m. on the 4ih mst., I saw the high laud at the back of Long Point, distant about six miles. From thence I shaped my course from S.W. by W. to S.W. by W. £ W, corrected by standard. I told the second mate to steer that coarse, as that was a good position to clear all the dangers along that coast, and to call me immediately if the weather set in foggy or thick. He neglected to do this, and apparently kept the ship running for twenty minutes in a dense fog. I barned afterwards it was foggy; it was clear when I went below. Had been below about three-quarters of an hour, when I heard the second mate run aft from the bridge and sing out to the man at the wheel, “ Hard up !”or “ Hard over 1 ” I knew something unusual was the matter, and ran on deck, and the first thing I saw was the rocks overhead on the starboard beam. The ship immediately struck. I went on the bridge and put her full speed astern; ordered the pumps to be sounded, and got the boats ready. I then saw she could not come off, and hardened her up on the rocks to save life. The water put out the fires. It was halfpast two a.m* when she struck on Chasland’s Mistake. Put all the passengers in the boats safely. By the Magistrate : The rocks where she struck loomed through a thick fog. I had no notice of the change of the weather. Examination continued; The Otago is a steamship, her official number being 48,543, and tbe port of registry Melbourne. M‘Meckan, Blackwood, and Co. were the owners. She was insured for about L 25,000; consider her value about L 30,000. She had a general cargo of wool, flax seed, &c., and about 4,0000zs of gold. I steered the same course on this occasion that I always do. I have been at sea twenty-five years and master sixteen years, and have never had an accident attributed to me. Have been on this coast since 1861, and master of this company’s boats nine years. The second mate was in charge. He has not much improved since he has been with me. Sometimes I had to talk to him severely as to his negligence in steering, &e., but as long as he carried out my orders he was right. On this occasion he did not fulfil my special order, which was to call me if the weather set in thick. He was not what I consider a competent officer, but he is a temperate man. I have been served with a copy of the report upon which this inquiry is made. Br Mr Haggitt: I mark on the chart the position of the vessel when I went below, and the place where she would have been had my course been adhered to, [Chart handed in.] The second officer had been with me fifteen or eighteen months, and took his watch on deck on this occasion as he always did. The owners appointed the second officer. I consider him not a competent officer, because when I have on other occasions ordered him to call me he has neglected to do so, and I have generally given him written orders to give to the first mate. There is great room for improvement in him, and he has not improved since he has been with me. When I spoke of going below, I meant that I went to my cabin, which is on deck. I did not undress, but was ready for going on deck. I had not been asleep after gi ing into the cabin when the second mate rushed aft. I was not called at all, but came on deck when I heard the seebnd mate come aft and sing out. When I got on deck I found a thick fog on. There was no appearance of it when I went below, or I should not have left the deck. There is no noise of the sea breaking on the coast. I think the fog was coming down the coast. The difference between the standard compass and the one the man steered by was 2£ or three points. I always shape my courseby the standard compass, as the other is sluggish. The best course given by the after compass would be about W. by S., but the other compass is so unreliable that 1 seldom look into it, and it is only a guide to the helmsman. The vessel is a total wreck, but the gold has been saved. My general orders since I have been commander of the vessel are to call me whenever the weather becomes thick. The standard compass is the one on the companion, and was adjusted about twelve months ago, I always mention the word “standard” when giving a course. The ship was swung on the 22nd October, 1875, and I have always found the standard compass correct. By the Magistrate : I did report to Capt, M'Meckan last time I was in Melbourne, that the second mate was not to be relied on, and the Captain told ms, in sailor fashion, that he had talked to him like a father.

By the Collector of Customs : I engage all the seamen, but the officers are put on board by the owners, subject to my approval. I have no power to discharge an officer except for gross negligence, without reporting the matter to the owners; The second mate had done nothing in any way previously which would cause me to dismiss him. It would be better if masters had the power to appoint officers.

By Mr Thomson : I have always found the standard compass correct. i here is a compass on the bridge, but we rely on the standard. The second mate should have visited the standard compass occasionally to correct the course. From the course I have corrected by compass to the position where she is, the course made must have been about W. by N. i N. As soon as she touched I ordered the engines full speed astern. By the Magistrate : There was a look-out on the forecastle-head at the time. When I came on deck the fog was so thick that I could see nothing but rock ahead. By Captain Thomson: There was no iron on board to affect the compasses. • By the Magistrate : There is no tidal influence at that point to send the vessel into the land.

By the Collector of Customs : I hardened her on the rocks because I wanted to save life and knew she never could be got off. By Capt, Thomson; Whenever a dense, fog sets in it is my invariable practice to haul the ship off the land. The watch was on the deck at the time.

An adjournment of half-an-hour was made at this stage. Upon resuming, The evidence of William Donaldson was taken. He said : I was chief officer of the Otago, and held a Melbourne certificate of competency, No. 18. I have been served with a copy of the report upon which this inquiry is instituted. The Otago sailed from Port Chalmers bound to the Blnff on the 3rd instant. It was my watch from four to six o’clock. I handed charge of the vessel to the second mate at six o’clock, when the wind was light and variable, giving him the course S.S.W. by standard compass. I went below then till eight o’clock, and took from the second mate the same course. I continued steering S. 8. W. until ten o’clock, when we were about seventeen miles from Cape fcauuders. About ten o’clock saw the Nugget light bearing three points on the starboard bow. I gave orders to the man at the wheel to “ port.” The captain came out of bis cabin on hearing me give the order, and asked me if I had seen the light. I replied “ Yes,” and he (the captain) told him to “Steady South.” We steered S.S.W. it S. until 11.30, when the captain hauled her a little more to the southward. We passed the light at 11.50, distant five or six miles. The weather at that time was hazy over the land. At five piinu'tes past twelve the second mate relieved me. 1 gave him ub particular cbursb

—we wore steering no special bourse th«u I pointed out the position of the 'light. 1 Jointed out tbe captain to the second mate, gave up all charge of the deck to the second mate, ifnd tola him to he c&reful and see the man at the wheel did not “ b+i» too far in shore.” I went below and soon afterwards turned in. About 2.30 a.m. I was aroused by the ship striking heavily. I got up and went on deck undressed, and when 1 got cn deck I saw the rooks overhead on the starboard side. The order I heard the captain give was “ Clear away the boats.” I repeated the same order. The captain was on deck when I got there. The engines were stopped, and reversed, I believe—though lam not sure— on purpose to harden her on the rocks. The ship now lies a total wreck.

By the Magistrate: I could not say how the weather was when I came on deck. I confess 1 was a little excited. The morning was just breaking, and I could see the rocS above us.

By the Collector: I could see the rocks close and the land ahead. I produce the log-book with the courses marked. [Logbook produced.] As a general rule 1-men-tion to the second mate to steer by the standard compass. 1 have no reason to believe that compass to be wrong. The vessel was well found in everything,'’and had a large quantity of general cargo and some gold. The second mate has been in the ship ever since I joined her, and I have no reason to complain of him. I object to say anything as to his competency. lam not aware of his having neglected his duties in any way, and as far as I know he is sober and attentive to his duties.

By Mr Haggitt: The same course was steered in my watch as on ordinary occasions. The standard compass is, I believe, right. I have often seen a course given to the second mate in writing. The general orders op board the ship were to call the captain in case the weather came thick or any sudden change. By the Collector: Did not hear any special order in this case.

By Mr Haggitt; There is a small inlagfl about three-quarters of a mile to a mile from where the vessel struck—to the N.E. of Chasland’s Mistake. I asked the second officer if he saw the laud before the ship struck. He told me this island was the first he had seen. He told me it bore about 2i points, on the starboard bow. He also made the remark at the time that if the helm was not altered the ship would run into this rock. In my opinion, irnlaqa the vessel was heading right on to the beach, there would have been time when he said he first saw the rock to have cleared the vessel of the point. The Otago, being a long ship, was sluggish on her helm. Had I been in charge, I should Have stopped the engines directly I sighted the rock, and reversed if necessary. By the Magistrate: In thick weather we had always a lead-line handy, and generally use it on making the land in thick weather. It is an established rule to “slow” the engines when near the land during a fog. The Magistrate here intimated that the second mate might, if he chose, ask questions of this and the previous witnesses. Captain Calder, in reply to questions by the second officer, said: The course I gave you on the bridge on the night in question was S. W. by WJ. W., by standard compass. I gave it to you on paper. I did not ask you, after the vessel struck, to alter the course given you at 1.45 a.m. I gave you, after the striking, a paper on which was written the course I had given to you, telling you at the same time that it would be wanted in a court of justice. I knew my position from the distance run. Thomas Grierson Palmer, sworn, said: I was second officer on the Otago, and hold a Board of Trade certificate. No. 31,661. I relieved the chief officer at twelve o'clock on the night of the disaster, when he told me to keep the ship clear of the shore. He told me where the light was—about two points abaft the beam. They were abeam of the light at a quarter to twelve. The mate pointed out the captain to me, and I understood the was in charge. The captain went on the bridge and then came down on the quarterdeck to the man at the wheel. The weather became rather hazy, and he (the captain) tunied the telegraph handle to “ Stand by r We lost sight of the land, and he kept directing the man at the wheel, altering the course frequently. Sometimes we could see the land and sometimes we 'j two ° the captain went to the standard compass, and " steadied" the Jo • by the standard compass,' and be 1 0,7: , 1 continued that course uutil I sighted the small island near Chasland's hrinfayfov Directly I saw this land I sang out “ Hard a sterboard the helm! and Jumped down to assist the man at the wheel to heave the helm over. Just as we got the helm oyer, the look-out shouted out Breakers ahead J and I jumped upon the bridge at once, and when I got there I found one of the watch had got on the bndge before me. He aaid “What shall I dop" I said stop her 1 and he turned the telegraph ™h? he f“ gmes S? re barel y stepped whence “bore. The c aptain came on deck directly and took charge. Before he went below ho pive me os course W S.W., and said “ This course will take you clear of everything.” He gave me no Sert” ™!’ atever Rs him before be left the deck. There was a little fog at the time he west below, which increased, but I did not conceive it to be “y, d . at y Jo «ul him The chief officer cautioned me not to let the vessel go too close in. I kent the course given me by the master until the vessel struck, and saw no land after the last course had been give to me. It is an understood thing to call the master in ease of fog coming on, bnt he had left the deck so recently that in the absence of spemal orders I did not think it necessary to call him. I have been at sea since 1869, andhave been an officer of the Otago for two years. I have often had charge of the vessel on the coast. The ship was going full speed up to the time she struck. It is not usual to travel full speed in a fog The fo ? was more dense close to the land, but not so thick as to render it necessary to “slow” the engines. The lead was not hove. The captain being so certain of his position I did not *hinV there was any danger. By the Magistrate: The rock seemed almost directly over the vessel when I starboarded the helm*

• , B y ; Mrßaggitt: I did not tell the mate that the island was 2J points on the starboard bow. Thehelm was altered, and the vessel answered so far wo cleared the rook by a close shave. The helm was still kept a-starboard. It was about four or five minutes after I altered the helm that the pW struck Directly I left the wheel I jumped on to the bridge! and gave orders to stop her, which order was obeyed. We saw the island right a-hoad, but most of it on the starboard side. As toon as we saw it we put the helm a-starboard. I had just time to' run from the wheel on to the bridge after I had starboarded when the ship struck. She was travelling at the rate of about nine knots at the time. I had just left the wheel when the called out •• Breakers ahead 1 ” I saw the <roin the bridge, but saw the island tost- T the bridge at that time, and there was « ward on the look-out. but I tew When I rushed to the wheel Slew left on the bridge. I did no” tte captain because the danger was inm,w there was no time. ttie striking awoke the captain. I yraa on fb« deck when theory of ** breakers " was made. Up to the time of stoking I had not seen the captain at when I came on deck that the course given was by the standard compass, Iv ig not my business to navigate the ship; my duty is merely to steer the course given me. On that night we could see the moon through the clouds nowand Uien, and when the haze lifted could see the i*wd L I had my chart with me on the bridge, but the wm. ther was so, thick that I could not reooealM any of the points. When the captain was on deck with me he had charge, and looked out for the land with mo. The captain did not make any remark about Long Point, or any other I*M. •< rPaw The words he used were W.S W. by the standard compass will take you clear of everything. By Mr Haggitt: I believe I have lost in the surf the piece of paper the captain gave me wit* the course on it. It was owing to the fog that was on that the captain turned the telegraph to "Stand by- The was kept th? sake up to the time I sighted the island. up un By the Magistrate s i looked twice into the standard compass after the captain went below I number of points the ship’s bead altered when the helm was starboarded. 9 Tb« examination of this witness had not concluded at five o clock, when our reporter left.