WRECK OF THE JANE DOUGLAS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 170, 17 January 1912, Page 4

WRECK OF THE JANE DOUGLAS

RESULT OP THE ENQUIRY. } By Telegraph—Press Association. Nelson, Last Night. When the enquiry into the wreck of the Jane Douglas was resumed to-day, the president of the court announced that he had received a letter from Brown, a seaman, desiring that certain questions be asked. Brown, in his evidence, said he could not swear the captain was under the influence of liquor on the niglit of the wreck, but liquor was carried on .board. Ingram (mate) and Young (fireman) were called and stated there were no signs of liquor on the captain, and no on© else on board was under the influence of liquor. The court found that the night was sufficiently clear for land to be seen, and no rip or current to set the vessel out of her course. The spray was not sufficient to hide the rock, and there was not sufficient wind to put the vessel out of its course. The steamer left port well found and every one 'on board sober and lit for duty. On the facts the court could not ascribe the wreck'to an inevitable accident or even an error of judgment, but considered Captain Vendore did not use such vigilance as was reasonably expected of him, but did not render himself so culpably negligent as to warrant the suspi-nsion of his certificate. He would *be ordered to pay the cost of the inquiry, totalling £24 13s. "OUT OF HER QUICK." LETTER PROM THE ENGINEER. Of the striking of the s.s. Jane Douglas on Tower Rock, and the escape of the ship's company when she sank, further particulars have reached Wellington (says the Dominion). These are embodied in a letter received by the secretary of the Marine Engineers' Institute from the engineer of the ill-fated little coaster (Mr. G. N. Brown). Portion of the letter reads as follows; — "For the first four minutes after striking the position was hopeless, and there seemed to be no possibility of any of us seeing another sunrise. I stood by the engines until someone laid: "Come up.* They were then putting out the boat. I left the engines running 'half-astern," which was my last order from the bridge. Going to my room, I secured two wallets containing certificates and papers, and a watch and chain with inscription badge—, all as a means of identification should my remains ever turn up, as I thought that my position was hopeless. "I had picked up my jacket and lifebelt when I heard, by the sound of the engines, that either the shaft had gone, or the propeller had stripped. I threw down the belt and coat, anil, going to the 1 engine-room, shut the engines down, and eased the safety valves. Returning to my room, I put on my life-belt, and then gave a hand at the ships' boat. The position had improved', but one could see that the steamer was settling tofounder, though she righted for two minutes after coming off the ledge. "We got the boat out, and launched,, very badly damaged, but still good to .carry, us. I was at the after fall,, to 1 lower at the onto of the mate, Ingram, to whose coolness and presence, of mind we largely owed our lives. We were out of her (the Jane Douglas) quick. I sawthat there was no chance of trying to get valuables at all, and I was in a dazed condition; it was all so sudden. "We hung on as long as we could for Captain Vendore to come, but had to let go, and we picked him out of the water after the steamer had foundered. I was in the stern-sheets with the mate, and, as we made water quickly, he told me to bale, and I did so with a galvanised bucket—we had a dipper as well, but it was to the bucket that we owed our lives, as the dipper alone could not have kept down the water in a boat so badly damaged. The mate gave Fireman Young orders to throw a bucket into the small boat, and two into the lifeboat, and that was done.

'•The boat's stem was smashed, and she was leaking badly. We tried to get round Cape Stephens, but the tide 'ud turned to ebb, and we got into a rip. We managed, however, to get out of it, with the boat half full of water. We dodged on the edge of the Tip from after 1 a.m. to about 4 a.m. The tide slackened at daylight, and we got round after making two unsuccessful attemps. "We landed at Sandy Hill beach, and ■walked over to Lord's station, where we were well attended to. We landed at Nelson from the Pateena on Thursday morning.

"I came ashore at D'Urville Island in shirt sleeves and hatless. My lifebelt broke the cold wind off me to some extent, while I was in the boat, but nevertheless I suffered terribly from the cold. Still I kept the circulation up a little by spelling at,.bailing out, which operation we had to keep going., I raised an old jacket' from a 'fisherman at French Passi I finish iby saying that I thank Providence for being alive. 1 don't fret at what I have lost. I am truly thankful that I am-here, alive and fairly-well—-the shock I will get over.