INQUIRY INTO THE LATE COLLISION.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1664, 20 June 1879, Page 3

INQUIRY INTO THE LATE COLLISION.

A preliminary inquiry into the collision between the hopper barge Sumner and tho barque Emit J was held yesterday forenoon in the Government Buildings tit Port. Tho Collector of Customs (A. Bose, Esq.) presided. Th'ore were also present, as nautical assessors—Captain Peek (ship Waimate) and Captain Bowie (ship Eed Gauntlet), Mr C. H. Williams (secretary to the Harbor Board) and Mr B. Eutland (representing the agent of the Eialto, MrC.W. Turner). m . .. . The Collector said that it would only be fair that Captain Galbraith and Captain Wood bo present, as they were pre.-mmably concerned in the accident, and might wish to nsk questions during the mJ. 6. Williamson, sworn, said—l am master of the barque Eialto, of London, official No. 5399.., register tonnage 1105 G 9 lOOfchs. I hold a certificate of competency as master. No. 96237. On Monday, June 10th, on a voyage from Newcastle to liytteiton with 1050 tons coal, I arrived off the Heads at 2 a.m., when tho pilot (Captain Galbraith) boarded. Anchored thero, there being no wind. Soon alter daylight the tug Lyttelton came, and, takiug us in tow, proceeded up the harbor. When attempting to enter the basin the ship touched on tho bank. It was the first two hours of flood of the tide Ino ship was drawing 10ft. Gin. forward and 19it. 10m. aft. While towing astern to clear the bank 1 saw the steam barge Snmnor approaching tho ship's port side, stem on. I hailed him thrice, asking, "Where are you coming?" The third time ho answered, " I can't help it," and immediately after the barge struck the ship on the port side, nearly amidships, and rebounded from the ship. The distance of tho barge when I first hailed hor was only ' her own length and a half from my vessel. I ordered the chief officer of the ship to lower himself over the side, and he found the first submerged plate damaged its whole width, so as to admit of the insertion of the end of au iron bolt. Tho Eialto is owned by the Merchant Shipping Com- . pany (Limited), 60, Gracechurch street, Tendon. . X immediately reported to the pilot the damage, sounded the pumps, and found lin more of water amidships than is usually m the well, manned tho pumps and lowered a boat, sending hands into her to stuff oakum into the leak as far down into the water as they could reach. Half an hour after starting the pumps I sounded again and found llin of water, and one hour afterwards found M-Jm of water. Meanwhile Captain McLellan, the Harbormaster, had come on board and summoned the barge Heathcoto to assist in towing the ship alongside the wharf. He also supplied a gang of men to work the pumps, the ship's crew, under his instructions, being engaged mooring the ship. On sounding tho pnmps again, found that they were just keeping the ship free. We succeeded in getting considerable oakum into the leak. When I hailed the Sumner I was standing at the helm. I was in charge of the helm. Six of tho hands were laid up. Tho vessel was afloat. She was just outside tho entrance, and was nearer to the western mole than the eastern. Captain Wood asked how long the vessel wa3 on the bank. Captain Williamson replied five minutes. Also, the master of the barge Sumner offered assistance, and ha was told none was needed. Captain Wood said he wished that to bo reported, ns it might be supposed from the newspaper reports that he had gone right on to Camp Bay without offeriug assistance. In answer to Captain Wood as to where the vessel was being taken to at the time of the accident, witness said he did not know what the intention of the pilot was. I presumed it was to go off and wait until the tide was higher. Captain Galbraith said he had no question to ask the witness. , ~ , The evidence was then read over to witness and signed. Charles Johnson, chieE officer of the Eialto, was sworn, and tho evidence of the previous witness having been read over, he stated that it was in ull particulars correct. [At the request of the nautical assessors witness pointed out what he bolieved to be the position of the vessels at the time on a chart produced.] The distance of the Eialto from the western breakwater was about 150 ft. In reply to a question from Captain Wood the witness said he couldn't say how long the vessel was aground, her motion being slight just before and after she wa3 aground. , Captain Wood expressed surprise that the chief officer was unable to answer the qnestion, but the Collector called Captain Wood's attention to the fact that the Eialto was in charge of the pilot, and it was not surprising that the chief officer had not paid any particular attention to the movements of the vessel. Neither he nor the captain was in any way implicated in tho accideut. The evidence was then read over to the witness and signed. J. W. Clarke, master of the steam tug Lyttelton, sworn, deposed that he held a certificate of service as Master Foreign No. 73 of Victoria. The tug u belongs to the Lyttelton Harbor Board. lam also a certificate pilot for Lyttelton harbor. I remember tho collision now the subject of this inquiry. I was towing the Eialto. When towing I am subject to the directions of the pilot, who is in charge of tho vessel being towed. Tho Eialto slightly hung on the mud bank. She was there ■ nerhaps ten minutes ; not longer. When I saw her she hung on the bank, and was not absolutely stuck or aground. I was not in a position to say whether the vessel was stopped or not, my bearing being continually chauging towards her. I would think it perfectly safe to bring a vessel drawing 19ft. ICin. into the inner harbor at two hours' flood ; the depth of water in the channel at the entrance is said to bo 22ft. at low water, I cannot say how the Eialto was lying at the time of the collision. ~ Captain Wood asked if Captain Clarke would explain how, if there was 22ft. of water there, the vessel was in the position pointed out on the plan. Captain Clarke said it was because the vessel was in course of being taken out into the stream to be anchored, an order having been given to take her bock. I was going to bring her in, but an order was sent to me, brought by Pilot Eeid, to take her hack. The vessel never lost headway at all. She was always under command of the tng. When I said she hung in the mud, I simply meant that she may have dragged in the mud, but I had no difficulty in turning her. When Pilot Eeid came with the order to take tho Eialto back the tug was just . inside the Moles, the Eialto beimr still some distance from the entrance. Pilot Eeid brought off the order to Pilot Galbraith from the Harbor Master. . ~ ~ ~ In answer to Captain Wood, witness said the towing hawser was always on the starboard bow. Captain Wood said ho merely wished to know whether any timo had been taken to change the hawser from one side to the other. No change had, however, been made. In answer to Captain Galbraith, witness said— When I saw Pilot Eeid coming off I informed Pilot Galbraith, who then instructed me to slacken speed or ease off. I hold a certificate from the Lyttelton Harbor Board as pilot for the port of Lyttelton. I have held a general pilotage exemption certificate since 1871. I have been ten years in McMeckan Blackwood's employ as master of steamers. Captain Wood asked whether Captain Clarke ever noticed the tide, in going out between the mole 3, affected the vessel in turning quicker when the tide was ebbing than flowing, and so as to affect tho The witness said—l have not noticed it. The steamers would always go out at full speed. As I always commanded largo steamers, it would be more easily perceptible, subject to tho rate of speed, in a large vessel than in a small one did it oxist. , .... The evidence was then read ovor to the witness ■and signed. An adjournment then took place till a quarterpast two o'clock. Upon resuming, Alexander Eeid, harbor pilot, was called and sworn. He deposed to being a certificated pilot. I received orders from Captain McLellan to go off andtell the pilot not to bring the Eialto in, but to run no risk in taking her out. If Captain Galbraith thought there would be any risk in taking her out, to make her fast to the transporting bnoy. I went on board the Eialto, and she was then on the mud. She was stopped. Her headway was stopped. In my opinion there was no risk in taking her back to an anchorage in the stream, and Pilot Galbraith at once ordered the tug to take the ship out. The vessel, owing to the fresh wind blowing out between the gap, and the action of the tng, was carried astern Just about the time the vessel had gone out far enough astern, she was struck by the hopper barge. The tug wa3 going ahead, but had not entirely checked tho barque's sternway. I suppose the Eialto was heading in about a line with tho lighthouse, eastern mole. The stem of the Eialto was at the timo of tho collision to the westward of mid channel. I did not see the barge until she was closo to tho ship. They were putting a cork fender out when I saw her. She was perhaps thirty feet distant then. I was at the Eialto about fifteen minutes before the collision took place. The order to take the vessel out had nothing to do with her getting on the mnd. She would have touched anyway owing the action of the wind and tide. I think the average depth at low water is between 18ft. and 19ft. In places it is deeper. This is at the entranco; just outside it is much deeper. This depth is at low water springs. The rise and fall is from sft. to 7ft.,.50 that at two honrs' flood thero should be 2ft. more water or Sift.

To Captain Wood—As pilot T never bring a vessel into the inner harbor unless I hive received orders from the harbor master. That is from the presont harbor master, Captain McLellan. I have no remembrance of a vessel of the size of the Kialt j having been brought to the entrance of the bay, and then to be ordered away. Vessels have come right iu and shackled at the transporting bnoy. To the Collector— l don't know whether had Captain McLullan's authority been asked to bring the Eialto in his consent wonld have been given. To Captain Galbraith—There was sufficient room tinder tho stern of the Rialto for the hopper to have passed. From tho time I saw the barge coming there was not time to avoid the collision by steering her. To the Collec'. or—There was no sudden movement of the Eialto to cause the collision. There was plenty of room between the western breakwater nnd the stern of tho barque for the hopper to have passed, even though the ban.u) was moving astern, and allowing for the drift of tide and wind. I have been in the pilot service fifteen years. The evidence was then read over to tho witness and signed. Henry Zaohray Nichols, mate of the barge Stunner, sworn deposed—l hold a certificate as master mariner. I remember the collision. Captain Wood was steering the Sumner at the time. I was on the look-out some time before tho collision. The way I took it, the reason wo collided was becanso we wore shaving her too close. Her course was shaped too close to go rotiud tho stern of tho barque. That is to say that we didn't give her a wide onough berth. There was any amonnt of room botweon the Rialto and the western broakwator to pass. I think between 800 and 900 foot. The ship was outside tho breakwater. She was about opposite the middle of the entrance If tho master of tho barge had had his eye on the head of the barge he wonld have seen that tho Rialto was shifting her position. I could sco she was, and had I been in charge of the barge I should have given her a wider berth, and not bo taken aback. _ She was not liko a vessel at anchor. She was shifting all tho time, more or loss. Had tho barge not beon checked about a rniunto before she struck by reversing tho engiuos, tho two vessels wonld have collided heavily on tho quarters. It was the action of the engines going astern that brought the barge's stern in to tho ship. It was barely a minuto before whon Captaiu Wood gave the order to go astern. To Captain Peek—Those hoppers, when loaded and checked by the engines going astern, sometimes throw their head one way and sometimes tho opposite. To tho Collector—Had tie order to go astern not been given, I don't think she would have knocked a hole into tho Rialto. Some of the Bialto's boats might haro been smashed, and she might have done some other damage, but I fool flare no hole wonld have been knocked in her. To Captain Wood, through tho Collector—The hopper barge, when she has (headway on her, and the engines are then put astern, her head is as likely to go one way as the other. That is when she ia loaded. There is no dependence which way she will cant her head under such circamstauces.

Captain Wood said that after that answer he would not ask the witness any more questions. Witness continued—As tho bargo was going from the dredge, Geo. Agar's waterman s boat passed her, and Captain Wood, when the boat got astern, spoke to someone in it, thereby taking his attention off tho head of tho barge. At this time the barge was coming to, and I sung out, "Look out, sir, we are coming- (very close." Captain Wood observed mo and put the holm hard aport. By that time the barge was in snch a position that the collision was inevitable. There was no danger to the waterman's boat. It did not cause, in my judgment, any embarrassment to Captain Wood. Eobcrt Brown, engineer on tho hopper Snmnor, sworn, deposed—l have a first-class certificate (prodnced). I remember tho collision. I received an order snddenly after leaving (he dredge to go astern. It was about throe-quarters of a minute before the collision took place. Tho order was "Stop," "Full speed astern." I at once reversed the levers. No doubt but the way on tho vessel was partly checked by this. There was not enough time for the vessel's headway to be completely stopped. To Captain Wood, through the Collector- I have been on deck when the engines have been reversed in the way they were at the timo referred to, and tho head of the barge by so doing has invariably canted to starboard. Tho cause is, the Sumner has a right-handed propeller. Tho evidence was read over to the witness and signed. , Hugh McLennan, Harbor Master, sworn, deposed—At the time of the collision between the Eialto and barge Sumner I was on No. 2 intermediate jetty. I saw the hopper close to the ship with a cork fender over her stem. I did not see the Sumner leave tho dredsre. She was backing astern from tho barque. I did not know that they had collided. The tide was then about two hours and a half flood ; between two and two and a-half. The wind was N.E., blowing fresh, about strength of To Captain Wood, through the Collector—l should think that tho vessel, lying at the entrance as she was, would cause an eddy or tide rip round her bow and stern. I have no doubt the tide was checked bv the vessel to a degree. To tho Collector—l don't think, though, that the eddy was of snch power as to affect tho tide sotting in in the inner harbor. Thero was plenty of room for the barge to have passed tho Eialto astern. The ship's head from where I stood appeared to be more towards the lighthouse, or I could not have seen the fonder put out on the Snmner. I have had to do with screw steamers, and I know thero is an amount of uncertainty as to which way the head of a screw steamer will cant when tho engines are reversed suddenly. With the helm hard aport, going at full speed ahead, and the engines then stopped and put at full speed astern, the vessel shonld cant to port, but it is uncertain. It is generally expected that they will cant that way. It greatly depends when the helm is moved amidships, and. to the amount of way the vessel has on In reply as to why the Eialto was brought in when she was, Captain McLellan said that for two weeks previous the wharves had been bare of shipping, and he had notified Captain Galbraith that any colliers arriving, and several were overdue, lie might bring them right in from sea ; and had informed him that tho Eialto, when she arrived, might bo taken to the berth occupied some time ago by tho Stad Haarlem at No. 4 Wharf. The night before the Eialto arrived, however, several smaller vessels had come in, some of which were put at the wharf named, and it was for that reason that he sent word off not to bring the Eialto in. Then inquiry was |then (6 p.m.) adjourned until this morning, at eleven o'clock.