THE CLANRANALD WRECK.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 10, 5 February 1909, Page 2

THE CLANRANALD WRECK.

THE CAdTAIX'S CONDITION. A TOP-HEAVY VESSEL. UlV'Elt TO EXAMINE THE HULL. Adelaide, February I. The Marine Hoard of Inquiry into tile wreck of the Clanranald lias opened. Mr. ltose, chief officer, luiml"d in a report that the vessel suddenly listed to about 4."> degrees and became uuuavigabte. She was allowed to drift ill-shore to within a mile of land, where the starboard anchor was let go ill 13 fathoms of water. Eventually Xo. 5 hatch -tailed, and was washed adrift. The vessel set, down oil her broadside aad Mink stern lirst. He lias no idea what, caused the ship to list over and eventually founder.

Examined hv the president, the wit-uc-s said that the ship VMIS oil the bottom the day before leaving port. She had a list of three to four degrees to sliirhoard on having. When the pilot left the ship the captain asked willies* to look after the navigation, us he was not well. Pressed <m the point, the witness -aid lie thought that the captain had been drinking heavily. There was no indication that the vessel struck anything, lie, with the second officer and a Liscar. tried to clear the bout ill which the captain had been placed, but it fouled with the rigging and they hail lo abandon the attempt. The vessel had neither collapsible boats nor service rail'-. The best behaviour obtained among the officers and crew. The president asked 1 : What was the i.iptain doing'; Witness: We found liini lying on the Horn' of the cabin in ji dazed condition. Continuing his evidence, witness said that evidently the sudden list, jerked the captain out of his bunk, lie was sensible, but. seemed frightfully weak. Witness helped him on deck and put him inside a boat abreast of his cabin, lie was too weak to take command. Witness believed that the vessel would have ridden through but for the hatch cumin# oil' and letting water below. All the boats were free when the steamer sank. He could only account for the accident by the vessel being top-heavy in the seaway through currying seveiitv tons of coal on the turret diAk. , The inquiry at this stage was adjourned. A diver has been despatched to examine the hull of the sunken steamer.