Wreck Inquiry.

Patea Mail, 26 April 1882, Page 3

Wreck Inquiry.

CAUSES OF THE STRANDING.

A magisterial inquiry into the stranding and wreck of the steamer Patea, while entering the Patea river on the 11th inst. was opened yesterday’, and continued today, in, the Court House, before bis Worship the Mayor and Mr H. S. Peacock, J.P.’s, with Captain James Lees as nautical assessor.

Mr Lundon, Collector of Customs, conducted the inquiry on behalf of the Marine Department. Mr Barton, solicitor, appeared on behalf of the captain. The charge against the captain was read, alleging that he crossed the bar with not sufficient water at. that time of tide, thereby endangering the ship and cargo and the lives of passengers ; also that bo did not keep the beacons in lino, nor obey the repeated instructions of the harbor master to keep more to the south ; and further with not attempting to get the ship afloat.

Mr Lundon stated the nature of tho evidence he would call, and said ; There is a slight discrepancy between the master’s and mate’s testimony. The master will tell’you that he had (ho leading beacons in line. The mate will tell you that he had not. It will be for the Court to say whether that was the cause- of the disaster. The following evidence Was then taken. THE CAPTAIN’S EVIDENCE. Captain Edwards was called for formal evidence, and being asked to band in bis certificate said he held a certificate of competency from the N.Z. Government, but the certificate is in Wellington. He added: I was master of the Patea steamer, bound .from Nelson to this port on the 11th instant. We arrived off the bar at 5 o’clock morning; low water ; the almanack record of the high tide being 2.44 p.m. We faid-to off the bar until the signal (four balls) went up at 1 o’clock to take the bar. 'The -directions were to come along until the beacon's 'were, in a line. I came from the south' until 1 got the beacons in line, and then I ran over the bar. The vessel touched twice .aft, without stopping (he vessel's way. She was drawing sft aft and 4ft forward, her draught being lighter; than usual, with only 20 tons of general cargo and IQ tons of coal. When the vessel struck I had the beacons in line as nigh as I could keep them, the sea surging each way. (Question repeated.) Yes, the beacons were in line. I did not heave the lend before taking‘(he bar, nor while on the bar, nor after she ceased bumping; The vessel’s way was not stopped on the bar, and I did not signal to the engineer to alter the' engines. ’ I am positive' the engines Were not going astern! I saw the beacons distinctly. I saw the pilot waving to keep further to the south, and I did so. The beacons' were then opc-n a little north. They wore dead on when ! steadied (ho vessel again. I entered the : river, and he still waved to me to keep closer to the groin ■ (breakwater),-and I tried to do so, but the vessel then touched on the other side. I got inside the breakwater between 50 and” 60 yards’-before she touched fits! on the port quarter, and stuck there for a time. If I said on a former occasion that I got inside the breakwater 80 yards, that would be an error. It would be between 50 and 60. A strong fresh that was running over the spit, setting out, prevented me from getting near the breakwater. The vessel stuck between 5 and 7 ryinutes, while I got the boat with a line to the breakwater, putting three men in the boat. I had stopped the -engines, and put a inch line to the breakwater, and fastened the line to the steam winch for dragging the stern off the ground. Two men pulled the boat across the stream in a direct course to the breakwater, and handed the line to the pilot about 50 yards from the end of the breakwater. The pilot made the,, line fast to the end of the wall. Heaved in the line by the steam winch, and ordered both engines to go full speed astern. The vessel’s keel was fast all over at this time. I knew where the deep water was. The vessel then came off with the engines going full speed astern and heaving in the line. When she was afloat, the harbor-master sung out “Let go the line.” The stern then went outside the wall, to the south-east, the engines still going astern, and her head being, towards the west spit. I then set the mainsail to swing the vessel out to sea, the wind being south-east, and the stern was also south-east. I wanted to bring the windl qn to her port quarter to 'turn her head to sea. It commenced to slew her round, and in doing so I stopped the port engine and went full speed ahead on the starboard engine. She was then abreast .with the wall-end, and twenty yards- away,.with- (he ship’s head canting towards the south,, hut not square to go out. After the vessel had slewed to seaward, I went full speed ahead, think-ing-do: iret over the bar, but in changing the engines she lost way-and fell to the north-west, and -touched-the spit with heist arboard propeller, and stripped the blad.es..off. This, made her .perfectly: helpless. I then stopped her port engine. After stripping the blades she was not off the ground again.,; When! saw the vessel was drifting on to the rock I forged her ahead with the fore stay’sail and gib to get her on the sandy beach, clear of the rock, thinking to save life and propertyI did not let go the anchor while she was forging ahead, as I was afraid of the anchor making a hole in her bottom. She stopped about 10 feet from the cliff. I trieiLeverytide to get her off, but failed because there were no appliances at the port.* The vessel is now a total wreck.

I could not have landed the passengers where the vessel first stuck, without a groat risk, there being a fresh, and she might not have stuck (here.

Mr London asked him to explain how it was that the outward current was so strong as to prevent him from entering the river near the breakwater, as signalled to him, and yet the current was not so strong as to prevent a boat crossing from the vessel to the breakwater with a line at right angles.

Captain Edwards said the set of the outward current at the end of the wall carried the vessel over to the west spit, but it was easy for a small boat to cross' towards the breakwater after the vessel grounded. Was there sufficient water on the bar for you to come over with safety that day ? Captain Edwards : I don’t think so, because of the vessel grounding in coming over. I think the signals were given too early to cross the bar. If I bad come in later I don’t think the current flowing outward past the end of the wall would have been so strong. I attribute the mishap to the signals being put up too early on the tide, I have been an officer in the Anchor line of boats on the West Coast of the other Island. It is usual to cast the lead in crossing a bar, if the harbor master requires it; mostly in going out. It has been done in going but of this harbor occasionally. We are completely at the mercy of the signal-man. In answer to questions put by Mr Barton, the captain slmwed the course taken by the steamer by indications on a plan of the '■ river.* He said : After the vessel grounded, the harbor master gave all instructions, ami they were carried but. The last order I heard was, “ Hoist the mainsail, slew the vessel, and put out to sea,” Had I not put up the jib-sail, she might have struck on the separate rock near the west head. 1 " : ■

Mr Lundon said he had made a preliminary' inquiry 7 into the cause of the wreck, and finding that Captain Edwards was to blame, he bad made specific charges against him before this Court. Mr Barton. wished to put questions showing that the captain had exercised good -seamanship , in guiding the steamer on to a soft beach instead of letting her drift on a rock ; and he w’shed also to show, by tile captain’s evidence, that the steamer might have been got off from the sandy beach with proper appliances. The captain said the anchors and other gear which he tried from the 11th to the 15th were not sufficient to get her off. The Harbor Board lent him three small anchors, and the harbor master assisted. He tried to get heavier anchors, but could not. Every tide-helped;her further up the beach. With proper anchors and hawsers I could have got her off 1 by the next tide. The fresh was running-out of the river at the rate of 24 miles an hour. A man could scull a boat across a current flowing at 2 miles an hour. The steamer was put in Captain Bendall’s charge when the heavier anchors arrived. After crossing (he bar, I could not have turned back with safety' after the vessel touched. Replying to Mr Lundon, the captain said : 1 tried to turn back to sea because the harbor master ordered me to do so.

Are you aware that, while in charge of a vessel,, you have complete control of her ? •

• Captain :Am I not to do what a harbor master tells me ?

The Mayor : The question is, arc you aware that y r ou are not exonerated from responsibility’ by any orders which a harbor master may give ymu in managing your vessel ?

Captain ; 1 am not aware of that. Mr Lundon : When yon felt the northerly 7 set of the current, before grounding, what precautions did you take—did you stop the starboard engine and work the port engine, to keep the vessel oyer towards the breakwater ? Captain : No. The Mayor : Then did you go full speed ahead with both engines until y r ou struck on the spit ? Captain : Yes. The tide was too strong to allow any room for stopping the starboard engine and going ahead with the port to turn her more quickly towards the breakwater. Mr Barton wished to ask as to her not answering her helm. The Mayor : We have nothing in evidence yet showing , that tho steamer was unmanagable. Your question assumes that the steamer did not answer her helm. Mr Barton : When lie got the signal to keep nearer the breakwater, did Import his helm ? Captain : Yes. Mr Barton : Then did the vessel answer the helm ? Captain : Yes, she answered the helm, and brought the beacons in a line. That was outside the bar. After passing the end of the breakwater, I received instructions from the pilot. I then ported the helm. Did she then answer the helm ? Captain :: No, she was then on the ground. She came in on the ground. Between the time of scraping and becoming "stuck fast, there was not time to reverse one of the engines.

Mr E. C. Horner, manager of the Patea S.S. Company, was allowed to put some questions to the captain. Did the captain not think he would be acting against the interest of the company, and running a risk of losing the insurance, if he had not acted according to the harbor master’s orders ?

The Court disallowed this question. If the captain had to decide upon his own account, and not under the instriic-

tions of the pilot, would he have remained where the vessel first struck ?

Captain: Yes, I would have remained (hero.

When the vessel was aground under the north cliff, did the captain inform me (the company's manager) that it was necessary to get further appliances? Captain ; Yes.

The Court put the following ques tions ;

Arc you well acquainted with the bar and the river.

Captain : Yes, I have been running here 17 months without cessation.

Where did you first touch on the bar ? Captain marked on the plan two placcs_ just outside the end. of the breakwater. As to the time of high tide, 1 trusted to the signals. Was it compulsory that yon should take the bar when the signals were first hoisted ? Captain : No, it was not compulsory. I knew the tides were neap. The wind was south-east, and that wind keeps the tide back.

Taking all these circumstances into account, do you think you were justified in obeying the signal as soon as it was hoisted ?

Captain : I thought the fresh would have given more water in the river. I maintained the engines at about 6£ miles an hour until I got on the bank in the river.

How was your helm when you stuck fast ?

Captain ; The helm was about midships. The ship was steered from aft. Was the weather clear or hazy ? Captain Quite clear. I. could sec every thing plainly. Two men, Brown and Briggs, were at the helm. They were -always employed in steering her in and out. I was on the bridge. The harbor master ran out a line,to the breakwater on his own account, ;■ I did not order it. , - ENGINEER’S EVIDENCE. David Braide, engineer on the Patea, and holding a second-class certificate, said : The sea was pretty smooth when wo arrived off the river on the, morning of the 11th. We crossed the bar soon after one o’clock. In crossing the bar she struck twice, the second time rather heavily' ; and after that she did not seem to be off the ground at all. No orders came from the bridge after she first struck, until after she struck a second time. I got orders to reverse the engines, but I don’t remember exactly. After repeatedly trying the engines, the starboard propeller being broken, the captain said the other engine was no good to him.By Mr Barton : It is usual to come over; the bar at full speed. The vessel has touched in crossing the bar on one or two occasions while I have been in her during two months. The Court adjourned till next day T . SECOND DAY. George Cave, butcher at the Boiling-; down Works, described the fixing of the line to the breakwater. There seemed to, be a fresh in the river that day. Was the current very strong ? Witness : I could not say whether it was strong or not. The boat that crossed from (he ship to the wall was carried down about, five yards by the fresh.

MATE’S EVIDENCE. WERE THE BEACONS IN A LINE?

George Baldwin, mate of the steamer having a certificate of competency, said ; We steamed for the bar when the signals were hoisted ; the beacons being in a line,.’ with a fresh wind from the south-east. When tho steamer got closer in, she was a little to leeward of the beacons. When closer in to the outer break, I saw the flag at the leading marks directing the vessel to keep to the south-east. I don't know what the captain did, but the steamer was hauled up in the trough of the sea to obey the signal, until the beacons were nearly' in a line. She steamed on that course until she touched on the west spit—tail end of it. When the vessel struck, I say’ distinctly the beacons were not in a line. The two posts were not in a line, but the triangle on one post.and the square on the other w r ere connected.

Court : In the preliminary inquiry y T ou said the beacons were not in a line ; that they were somewhat open to the nor’ad. Witness : That is right. They' were not in a direct line, Tho vessel was northward. The steamer dragged 80 or 90 yards inside the end of the breakwater, and then grounded on the west spit._ A boat was lowered, and a lino coiled into the boat. While heaving her off, the bow kept striking, and working to the westward. When'the bow got clear of the spit, her head canted to westward, with the outward current from the river. The vessel brifted bodily to seaward, until within 50 feet of the breakwater-end, when orders were given to ship the line. The mainsail was pulled up to assist in canting the bow seaward, the vessel’s head being nor’-west. With the south-east wind blowing, the vessel grounded on the west beach. She went forging along the beach, until the starboard propeller got stripped, then she drifted towards the west head. Were the beacons in line in crossing the bar? Witness : One was not directly behind the other. They were not in line. When we touched on the spit, the beacons were not in line. Do, you know that by keeping the beacons in line, you could not have touched the spit ? Witness : If the beacons were correct. Are the beacons improperly set ?

Witness : I cannot say’. The slight fresh then running out would make no difference with the steamer’s steering, at the pace she was going, provided there was plenty' of water. The beacons in line would bring the vessel on to the breakwater.

Cross-examined by Mr Barton : The beacons were not in line when crossing the bar, and 30 feet to the southward would have put us in line. (Court left sitting.)