THE LOSS OF THE AVALANCHE AND FOREST.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 1073, 5 December 1877, Page 3

THE LOSS OF THE AVALANCHE AND FOREST.

The Board of Trade inquiry into the circumstances attending the collision between the ships Avalanche and Forest in the Wreok Commissioners’ Go urt, Westminster, before Mr 11. C. Rothery, the commissioner, and the two assessors, Captain Jones and Captain Holt, li.N'., occupied several days’ sitting. The Commissioner in giving -judgment, thanked the legal gentlemen for the trouble they had taken, and said he did not think the time occupied was too much considering the amount of property and human life lost. After going through the whole circumstances of the case he said, as regarded (he complement of the Forest, she hawing only twentyone hands, his assessors told him that A merman vessels could be worked with fewer bands (.Iran English ships, as the ropes ware lighter and the blocks larger. Ea thought the Forest was better manned than the Avalanche. Looking to the fact that the Avalanche was 21-1 feet long, the Court was of opinion tint it w as not expedient for her to na% c a launch of so great a weight as fifteen tons on her upper deck. The Avalanche, swording to her tonnage, was entitled to earn thirty-four passengers,and if, ns had been stat ed, die had thirty-five passengers, she infringed r.hc Passenger Act—at any rate she was very nearly a passenger vessel, and the launch should not have been allowed on her deck. The Forest, although under close sail, could hardly, in the opinion of Dio court, with the force of the wind as proved by the Portland

Light report, hare carried in safety a greater amount of sail, considering she was so high out of the water and in ballast. It was quite dear that the Avalanche, being on the port tack, must have known, when she saw the red light of the Forest, that the Forest was also standing closehauled on the starboard tack, md that consequently it was her duty to give way. She had the option either of going ahead or astern as she thought fit. She t lected to go astern, and if a collision oc■urred she was undoubtedly primarily responsible for it, and the onus was on her of showing that she did everything she could to avoid the collision. They were clearly of opinion that the Avalanche, when she saw the red light of the Forest, was bound to give way, and that she lost a great deal of time before she did it, md that for that she was partly to blame for the collision. As to the Forest, all the master did when he saw the Avalanche was to bring his vessel into the wind, and they thought he did his duty in so doing. They did not blame him if, when his vessel came up into the wind, she fell off again, because with such a wind blowing it was difficult to keep her in (he proper course. What they blamed him for was that when he lost sight of the light of tne Avalanche he did not go or send forward and assure himself of what that vessel was doing. The course lie ought to have taken was to have lot go his lee fore braces and thrown himself up into the wind, thus deadening the course of the vessel. It was clear from the evidence that he told the man at the wheel to keep her full. They did not blame him for that, but they blamed him for doing it without assuring himself what was the other vessel’s position at the time. They blamed no one for not saving more life. In the opinion of the Court Captain Lockhart did all he could to save all the lives possible, while no blame could be attached to the coastguard. As to the position of the boats, he was informed that there would have been no danger in their being carried in such a position that they could have been lowered more easily, but in the present case they did not think more lives would have been saved had that been the case. There was also no doubt that the boats could not have got round to the lee of the Forest without being stove in. They attributed no blame to anybody for anything done subsequent to the collision. They thought the captain of the Forest was very much to blame for not having kept his eye on the light of the Avalanche. At the same time, looking to the long services of Captain Lockhart, and to tire way in which he had given his evidence, and his subsequent conduct, the assessors were of opinion, and he concurred with them that, while not cancelling or suspending his certificate, he ought to be reprimanded for not having shown greater promptitude at the moment of collision, and for not having, by throwing his vessel up into the wind, and especially by keeping his eye on the green light of the Avalanche, put himselfi nto such a position as to have been able to have avoided the collision. Dr Phillimore said that the Court might like to know that it is believed the man who was on the anchor of the Forest, and who Mr Sherrington said he thought was the carpenter, was saved. The inquiry then terminated. At St. John’s schoolroom, Weymouth, a meeting was held on the occasion of the distribution by the Mayor of the sums of money received by him on behalf of the fourteen Portland fishermen who so gallantly went to the rescue of the survivors of the Avalanche and the Forest. In the course of the evening he read the following letters : “ 7, Westminster Chambers, London, S.W., September 26th. Sir, —In conformity -with previous communications, I have the honor to forward you a cheque for £7O. I have to ask you to distribute this amount by payment of £5 to each of the fourteen men who rescued the survivors of the Avalanche and the Forest. Will you kindly explain to them that the Avalanche was proceeding to Hew Zealand, and that the gift is made to them by the Government of that colony in testimony of the bravery, ability, and endurance which they displayed r 1 I am fully aware that a mere money reward is no adequate compensation for the risks they ran. In some cases, perhaps, besides the feeling that they endangered their own lives, they may have had reason to reflect that they were also exposing to the chances of want and poverty the families who depended upon their labors. The disregard of all considerations in the overmastering desire to do their utmost to save human life showed they were of the true stamp of brave British seamen. The admiration which their conduct has evoked must be more gratifying to them than a pecuniary reward, and I hope they will look on the present gratuity as an earnest expression of this admiration. It may also serve as an incentive to others to perform like gallant acts. To satisfy the requirements of audit, I shall he glad if you will procure to the enclosed list the acknowledgment of each recipient. I have the honor to remain, sir, your obedient servant, Julius Vogel, Agent-General for Hew Zealand.— The Worshipful the Mayor of Weymouth.” It was stated in the course of the proceedings that some of the friends of the passengers lost in the Avalanche propose to build in Portland a small church in memory of the passengers and crew, and for the use of the fishei’inen and quarrvmen of the island ; that Sir Julius Vogel, the agent of the Hew Zealand Government, has approved of the design, and Messrs Shaw, Savill and Co., the owners of the Avalanche, and the family of Captain Williams, are among the promoters. The site for the building has been purchased on the seaboard side of the island, usar to two outlying villages, where a church is badly wanted, and probably almost directly opposite the scene of the collision, where the Avalanche now lies. Subscriptions will be invited from the public for this, and may bo sent to the rector. The estimated cost of the church, exclusive of the monument, is £IOOO. A sum of money has also been sent by the Board of Trade as a reward for the men’s bravery—£s for each man, and £1 to be divided among the eight men --ho assisted to launch the boats. The body ol a woman which was picked up 'if Dartmouth Harbor has been recognised as that of Mrs Ellen Lump, who shipped as Mrs lldmunson, us steerage passenger in the illfated Avalanche. The body of a man has been picked up near the Start, and interred at Stokenham ; and a third body was picked up by the Coastguardsman Sands, near Bury [lead, which from marks on the clothing, is no doubt that of Charles. Stock, also a steerage passenger in the Avalanche. A reward of £2O has been offered for the recovery of the body of J. C. Cook, a chief cabin passenger.