GLADIATOR-ST. PAUL COLLISION.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9122, 23 June 1908, Page 5

GLADIATOR-ST. PAUL COLLISION.

COURT'S DECISION

Received June 22, 8.53 a.m. LONDON, June 21. Sir J. Gorell, giving his decision in an action in the Admiralty Division of the High Court, decided that the cruiser Gladiator was alone to blame ior the collision with the American liner St. Paul on April 25th las'.

The collision occurred off Yarmouth (Isle of Wight) in a snowstorm. Twenty-three of the warship's crew were drowned. In the House of Commons on April 29th, Mr 7 Menzies asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if it were necessary, in his opinion, for the efficiency of our navy, to patrol the sea in. mimic- warfare during the night without lights, breaking the articles of mercantile law, and becoming such a danger, not only to merchant ships and their crews and passengers, but also putting the lives of his Majesty's sailors in extreme danger. Mr McKer.na, in reply, said:—"lf our fleet is to maintain its high efficiency an amount of risk mast always be taken, buc the Board of Admiralty may be relied UDon to prevent unnecessary risk being run in the war training of the fleet, and to issue any such fresh instructions as may be necessary from time to time to minimise the risk. I may also point out that these exercises are undertaken hundreds of times, and the number of accidents that occurs is remarkably few."