DANGEROUS LOADING OF VESSELS.

Wairoa Bell, Volume V, Issue 194, 21 April 1893, Page 2

DANGEROUS LOADING OF VESSELS.

Since our leader on this question was written we have had abundant testimony as to the dangers to which seamen are exposed by the overloading of timber carrying vessels; and, until something is done to prevent the piling on of every log or flitch for which room can be found, we shall continue to draw attention to the experiences of sailors on the matter. At the inquest on the body of Thomas Campbell, master and owner of the scow May, who was killed by being jammed between two logs while his vessel was labouring in a heavy sea, one of the witnesses said, “that the logs were chained, with the exception of the forward one, which caused the death of the captain, and that was chocked with stones. It was impossible to secure that log in any other way unless the vessel had been specially built for it.” Here evidently one log too many was carried for there was no means of properly securing it. “ The Auckland barque Wenona which arrived at Sydney on the 7th inst. from the Kaipara encountered a heavy gale from N. W. on tb« vcyage over. During the gale seas washed over the barque, and the deck cargo teas adrift .” Here again amid the dangers of tempest and sea the sailors were hampered by loose flitches and other timber on the deck, The movements necessary tor the safe working of the vessel must have been impeded by the loose timber, and those who had to move about the decks were exposed to the injuries that overtook Captain Campbell. Captain Rive of the Chitoor also reports that on his last trip the deck cargo broke loose and a portion of it had to bo jettisoned to ensure the better safety of vessel and crew.