Egypt Disaster.

Hokitika Guardian, 5 September 1922, Page 3

Egypt Disaster.

———■».». THE COURT’S FINDING. kXSTIIAMAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION.

(Received this day at 9.50 a.ra.) LONDON, Sept. I. The Egypt judgment stated it. Has* essential -tlit? edminnntler and all officers take part in boat drill. Tlio system had failed. The commander, chief officer and crew failed in the Court’s view. A great company like the Peninsular would do well to take a lesson of the unhappy disaster, and J(fct itself a higher standard of care and y efficiency in future. There seemed to have been a slackness and lack of discipline, which, when the hour of trial came, prevented proper use being made of the boats. Dealing with the conduct of the Lascars, the Court said some of the crew panicked, hut it did not think non-Europeans treated the passengers with violence. Possibly the non-European crew could hav* been kept in more effective control, if the European crew had gone with alacrity to the allotted boats. It appeared a fact, that if properly handled, Lascars were reliable servants. The apparatus for lowering the boats was in order at the time of the collision. More should have been got away. The lack of order and discipline was attributable to the captain and officers giving no definite orders at the time of the collision, which largely contributed to the loss of life. The Court recommended the same protection as to safety of life afforded to emigrant ships, through the Hoard oi Trade. Supervision and inspection

should be extended to all foreign going passenger ships. They found no evi- ,,, deuce showing the passengers were instructed to put ou life jackets. Prompt a fid proper measures were taken by the commander to avert the collision. The Egypt was at ail times navigated with proper, scamaiilike care, having regard to the prevailing conditions.

A SERIOUS FINDING. (Received this day at 9.50 a.m.) LONDON, September 4. The Court of Enquiry into the loss of the Egypt found that the less of eighty-seven lives was mainly due to default on the part of the Master and Chief Officer, in failing to take proper measures to save life and failing to cxcl’elsc authority to ensure good order and discipline at the time of collision, rind failing to make the crew efficient. The loss of life was also due to the failure on the part of owners, through their officials and servants, to take proper and effective measures to ensure compliance with the regulations and good discipline. The Court suspended the Master for six months and severely censured the Chief Officer.

After making every allowance, the Court was driven’to the conclusion that had the boats been properly handled a great loss of life would have been aver, ted. It was noticeable that in no case did tlio allotted officer and crew go to their proper boats.