THE INQUIRY INTO THE WRECK OF THE STEAM TUG SAMSON.

West Coast Times, Issue 58, 17 October 1865, Page 2

THE INQUIRY INTO THE WRECK OF THE STEAM TUG SAMSON.

(continued prom otjb last.)

By Mr South — I was looking out for the signal — it was part oi" my duty. When I first saw the Bruce she was on the Samson's starboard bow. We were then half way from the outer break, between the entrance of the spits. I saw the Bruce about an hour and a quarter previously, lying at anchor with her steam blowing off. The Samson would go at a much less speed than the Bruce without a tow. Immediately after I first saw her she went ahead of us. It was just about the point of the south spit that she slackened her speed. Supposing that the Bruce had slackened speed when I first saw her, it was quite possible for the Samson and her tow to have gone ahead, and for the Bruce to have followed in her wake. Had the Bruce not been ahead of us we should have put the helm hard a-porl, and set'the staysail ; that would, in niy opinion, have brought in the Samson and her tow in safety. Had the Samson put her helm hard a-port, the Bruce being the position before described, a collision must have taken place. I got orders from the Captain to keep clear of the Bruce ; I then gave her a few spokes to starboard, and a very few moments afterwards the Samson strnck. I supposed that the signals were intended for the Samson. I attribute the wreck of the Samson to the fact that the Bruce came across our bows. I have had seven years' experience at sea, arid have beeri connected with the Samson about three years. I think her steaming qxtalities were suitable to such a port us Hokitika. I was on board the Samson, on the occasion of her towing two vessels out on the 28th and 29 th September. I was at the helm on both occasins. A sharp turn has to be made in rounding the south south spit cither in going out or t/ornitig in. The S mison wviti oul' v/itliout diiliculty; >3lie touched iue ground on the south spif on goiftg om on the

28th of September, when towing out the Crett'of fhe Wave; this was caused by the Sanison answering her helm almost, too,readily. Edward Price Houghton was called, who said : — I am a shipjring and commission agent, carrying on business in Hokitika. I reccollect the circumstances of the Samson towing in the John Bullock. I went out in the screw steamer William Miskin on that day ; after leaving that steamer I went on board the Bruce in company with the harbor master in the WilliamMiskin's boat. The engines of the Bruce were, I think, going slowly at the time that the boat got alongside. I saw the Bruce under weigh before we got alongside. When I got on board, Captain's Hepburn, Malcolm and Kerley went below, but I went on the bridge.- "Very shortly after Captain Hepburn left the Bruce, and the Captains Malcolm and Kerley came on the bridge. After they came on the bridge the order was given to steam ahead. I could not say who gave that order ; the chief officer of the Bruce was at the wheel I did not notice any one else at the wheel ; the vessel's head was turned towards the entrance of the river, and she went t ful! speed. When the Bruce's head was pointed towards the entrance I observed the steam-tug Samson with the John Bullock in tow on the port bow of the Bruce. The Samson was some distance ahead of the Bruce at this' time. My opinion is that the Bruce was about a nijle and half from the shore when I first saw the Samson. It was about high water ; the head of the Samson was also pointed towards the entrance of the river. I could not say if she was steering a parallel course with the Bruce ; the Bruce was going a little faster than the Samson. I judge that she was going faster by the time that it took the Bruce to overhaul the Samson. As soon as Captain Malcolm saw that he was gaining on the Samson, he said to Captain Kerley, " Now Kerley, if we are going to humbug ' Johnny' I had rather you slued the Bruce round now in the breakers," those are nearly the tvords which were used they were substantially to that effect. Captain Kerley answered, "Oh ! that be hanged ;• we are going three knots to his one." I do not recollect that anything else passed on the subject. The Bruce was still kept on her course. Captain Kerley gave the order to the man at the wheel. By order, I mean that he motioned with his hand in his usual mauner. I cannot say that I heard Captain Kerley give any verbal orders. I did not hear Captain Malcolm give any orders previous to entering the break, nor did 1 see him make any signals to the man at the wheel. It might have been done without my seeing it. The Bruce passed the John Bullock shortly before the Bruce entered the break. I think that the Brace passed the Samson in the first break, that is to the best of my recollection. At the time that the Bruce passed the Samson abreast of one another, the two vessels were so close that I could recognise Mr M'Glashan on the bridge of the Samson. He was standing against the port paddlebox, and I remarked to Captain Leys at the time that the Samson went ashore, " It is a good job for Captain Robertson, that the owner is on board." I did not know previously that Mr M'Glashan was on board the Samson. When the Bruce passed the Samson, the Samson's course was more to the southward than the Bruce's course. That is my opinion. It was almost immediately after passing the Samson that the Bruce rounded the south spit. When the Bruce rounded the south spit the engines were going at full speed. lam not aware that the Bruce touched on the south spit. I did not feel her touch. I did not take notice of the beacons on shore. As we were nearing the spit I looked for the small 'flags, but did not see them. Coining up from the southward as the Bruce was,, her course would be vely nearly' stem on to the north spit. I think that' the Bruce shot across the channel a good way before she answered her helm. I did not take notice where the Samson was at that time. I thought that the Bruce was in the way of the Samson as the Bruce was coming into the channel. I thought the Bruce was in the way of the Samson because the* Samson's bow was pointing towards the Bruce's quarter. I knew that on that day the channel was very narrow ; the circumstance was especially pointed out to me by Captain Hepburn. I don't know how far the Bruce was from the Samson when the Samson's bow pointed across the Bruce's quarter. They were nearer at that time than at any other since they had commenced to steam in. I thought that the Bruce was going too fast for a smash to take place. ■ By Mr South — Had the Bruce and the Samsou continued their courses without deviation, I do not think there would have been a collision, because the Bruce r was- going too fast. The Bruce must have shot nearly across the channel before she could get stem on to the current. I should think that the Bruce shot two-thirds across the channel. Ido not know whether the Samson's course was altered at all in order to avoid the Bruce. It is my opinion that the Samson's couise was shaped sufficiently to the south to enable her to avoid the north spit. I certainly thought that Captain Kerley was in charge of the Bruce. If Captain Kerley has sworn that he did not, in any way, take charge of the vessel on the 29th of September, and did not con the vessel in, it may be true, and it may be false. I object to answer the question, (nthor in the affirmative or ncgativfi. [Mr South, however, here '.•;>- Y<eved the witne-s iiocu ilte position be seemed i'o ±mfih r,.0 objer}. fc, br wv;n<-i

that the evidence of other witnesses had already convicted that gentleman of being *an intense liar, which he (Mr South) did not hesitate to slate publicly.! James Leys was next sworn, who said — I am a master mariner, holding certificates of competency from the Board of Trade in England, and the Marine Board of New Zealand. On the 29th of September last, I was on board the Bruce, which was then lying off Hokitika. She came into the river that day and weighed anchor between three and four o'clock in the afternnon. She remained outside a short time drifting. After weighing anchor a boat from ihe William Miskin came alongside, Captain Kerley and Captain Hepburn were in the boat ; they came on board the Bruce ; I was on the bridge at that time. The boat might have been ten minutes alongside, and when Captain Hepburn left, I think Captain Malcolm ordered the engines to go ahead. Captain Kerley told Captain Malcolm to bear a hand if he was goiug in, aud I think Captain Malcolm the gave the order to go ahead. I was st'll on the bridge; Captain Kerley, Captain Malcolm, Mr. Houghton, two men at the wheel, and Jt were on the bridge. One of the men at the wheel was Mr. M'Gill, the chief officer of the Bruce. Captain Kerley conned the vessel in. I am quite certain of it because I heard him give orders, and saw him make signs with his hand. One of the orders which I heard Captain Kerley give was when the Bruce was passing the Yarra. He said " Keep ter as she is going" ; he said " the Bruce was on her right side." I saw Captain Kerley make the usual signals to the men at the wheel ; both the ordeis and the signals were attended to. As a nautical man, I say that the vessel was being piloted by Captain Kerley. The Bruce steamed towards the bar of the Hokitika river, and passed the Samson on the starboard side ; the Samson was towing in the John Bullock; it was outside the break that the B?-uce passed the Samson — as far as I can reccollect about a length and a half or two lengths of the Bruce. The vessels were ■ not steering qaite parallel courses ; they were converging io wards each other as they approached the entrance to the river. The Bruce was coming rather from the southward, and the Samson was steering straight in, or perhaps coming to the northward a little. It would be about 300 yards from between the two spits where the Bruce passed the Samson. The Bruce passed into the channel just over the point of the south spit ; I thought she just touched, but I could not swear to it ; she did not shoot far out into the channel ; she was steered so as not to go far across the channel. Before we rounded the spit, and when we were, abreast of the Samson, Captain Kerleyi gave the order, " Put the helm hard a-port." The helm was not put quite hard to port, because Captain Kerley directly afterwards gave another order, which was to put it hard over ; he also said "Up with your staysail, now ;" it was done. I think that Captain Malcolm repeated the order to hoist the staysail. There was a northerly wind, and the effect of hoisting the staysail would have, been to cant her rouud into the channel. Ido not know whether the Samson was driven out of her course by the Bruce or not. I did not observe the Bruce across the Samson's bow. It was from three to five minutes after the Bruce entered the channel that the Samson went ashore. I saw that the Samson's wheel was starboarded when the Bruce had just turned round into the channel; as nearly as I could tell the Bruce at this time was from forty to fifty yards from the Samson. I could distinguish the people ou board the Samson. The Samson would be about 50 yards off the north spit at that time. Before coming to the bar I thought there might be a collision between the two vessels, because I thought that both vessels might be close to the bar at the same time, which would have been very dangerous in the state in which the channel was. Tbe channel was very narrow indeed. I examined it the next morning .at low water. At high tide there could not have been more than from 60 to 80 feet of water between the two spits sufficiently deep for sucn vessels as the Samson and John Bullock. When the vessels were close together if a heavy sea had struck the Bruce it might have thrown her close to the Samson. Under those circumstances I think there might have been danger of a collision. I took notice of the shore signals that day. I saw the north yardarm up, which means — keep to the northward — after Captain Kerley had given the order " hard to port." Before we passed the Samson I could see the signal-station ; tlie arm was up and down, which means " as you go.(' When two or more vessels are going in over the bar, the leading vessel is piloted by the signals, and the others follow in her wake ; that is a rule, of the port. After the Brace passed the Samson the Bruce had command of the signals. According to the rules of the port the Samson would have to be guided by the Bruce. I do not think she could have been so guided on that occasion, because they were close together — one vessel was on one side of the channel and one on the other. Had the Bruce followed the signals on the staff at the time she would have kept farther to the northward. That signal was not suitable for the position of the Samson, and yet the Samson had no guide at that time excepting the Bruce and the beacons. I do not know whether the staysail of the Bruce would shut out the leading signals from ihc view of the iSamson. or nor.. I I "Tin... 1 '*■•}!•• podthvh hi. en,-- - r i'.

might have been indirectly the cause. By indirectly, I mean that the Samson might have put her helm more to starboard than she would otherwise have done in order to get out of the way of the Bruce. If the Samson could not see the leading beacons it would have a very great effect in causing a wreck. If I had been in charge I do not think I would have gone in at the time in case there might be an accident. I would give a vessel having a heavy tow the preference of going in first. Ido not think it was prudent to have taken the Bruce in at that time. I have been at sea since 1848, and have had a good deal of experience in taking ships in and out of harbors. By Mr South — When "the Bruce was steering in towards the bar, Captain Malcolm said to Captain Kerley, "Do you think we will get in before her (meaning the Samson), Kerley? — (I know that he meant the Samson, because he was looking at her, and she was then steering for the bar) ; — because if we don't get in before her, or if we get anywhere near together, I would rather stay outside, as I do not want to get near her in any way when I get near the bar." To which Captain Kerley replied with an oath, "We are going three feet to her one ; we will drive along." • Captain Malcolm said, "I don't think we are going as fast as that, Kerley." To which Captain Kerley replied, "It is all right ; let her go along." He then referred to Mr M'Gill, the chief officer, who was at the helm, who said that the Bruce was going- faster than the Samson and would go past the Samson easily. The courses of the vessels were at that time converging. If they had kept on the same courses they would have come into collision. j At the time the Bruce and the Samson were apart about fifty yards from each other they were distant about 300 yards from between the two spits. I observed her at that time fall off to the northward a little ; that would be by stai'boarJing her helm. I could hear a voice from on board of the Samson, but I could not say whether or not it was the voice of the officer in command ; it was at this particular time that the Samson starboarded her helm ; in my opinion the Hvo vessels would not have pome into collision even if the Samson had not starboarded her helm ; but it was too near for any unseen circumstance ; if the Bruce's helm had not been ported, and had the sea been very hsavy, the Bruce would have run across the Samson's bows, Ol- would have run into her. The Bruce coming the course she did, in my opinion was the cause of the Samson getting the starboard helm j I could see the Sam- son's head fall off ; it appeared so from on board the Bruec. My opinion is that, giving the Samson the starboardhe lm would cause her to catch the fresh and so cause her to go on shore. To the best of my belief Capt. Kerley was sober at the- time he made use of the obscene expression. If Captain Kerley stated that he did not con the vessel ai it would be utterly untrue. Thomas Francis Kennelly. sworn — I am agent for the steamer Samson. I recollect the 29th of September, on which day I was on board the Samson. She was under Captain Robertson's orders, steering a straight course towards the bar of Hokitika. I was on the bridge. There were also on the bridge Captain Robertson, the mate, Mr Corniskey, MrFisher,Mr M'Glashnn (the owner), and myself. To the best of my knowledge the nearest proximity of the Bruce and the Samson, at any time, on the passage in, was from 100 to 150 feet. At that time the Bruce was crossing the bows of the Samson. The Bruce was going in a northerly direction ; at that time the Samson had the guiding beacon in a direct line. I took particular notice of that. I said That d d Bruce will be the cause of our ruin." It was with a view of avoiding running foul of the Bruce that the helm of the Samson was starboarded. It was after crossing the Samson's bows the Bruce ported her helm. She was then on the Samson's port bow. The Bruce then went up the channel, and the Samson did not go on shore immediately, I noticed a sort of hovering motion in the Bruce immediately after she passed the Samson. It appeared to me that the current of the fresh was too strong for her. It seemed as though her way was stopped, and the Samson was coming on at a steady pace, and I saw that a collision was unavoidable. I then made another exclamation similar in effect to the last, In other words, "Good God, we shall run into the Bruce." I was on the starboard side of the paddle-box when I made this exclamation. I attribute the Samson's going stem on to the spit solely and entirely to the Bruce. Almost at the moment that we first touched the north spit, I turned to the mate, and said " Why did you starboard your helm ?" to which he replied, "To save the lives of the lot of us." Edward M'Glashan was then called, and said — I usually reside in Dunedin. On the 29th of September last I was the owner of about three-fourths of the Samson. I had some time previously given instructions to my Melbourne agents to effect a partial. insurance of the Samson ; but I received notice about four days ago that they had not been able to effect it, but hoped to do so j , since that time I have received no instructions': , The letter was dated 30th September. I was on the bridge of the Samson on the 29th of September, the day that she was wrecked. I should think that the nearest proximity of the Bruco ana Samson on that day was about 100 feet. At that tira rt the Brace was ! app'irpnMv omi'ss; a >ri!- i? th- j

I told him not get excited. I have no hesitatipn in saying that except the Samson's helm kadbeen starboarded or had she continued her course, considering the manner in which . the Bruce seemed to hang, we should have run her down. The price of the Siamson to me was £4850. I bought her cheaply; she was valued in Dunedin at £60001 In addition to that, fitting her for sea, as directed by the Marine Board, and other disbursements connected with the vessel amounted to £650 more up to the date of her coming to Hokitika. I beliere that the boat in the Hokitika trade would have cleared herself in three months. I may state that the Provincial Secretary of Otago, in consequence of a deputation of the Chamber of Commerce, agreed' to put a sum orl the Estimates as a bonus for keeping the Samson in Otago. The machinery was in first-rate condition, the boilers were nearly new, and nine months ago about £3000 was 1 aid out on her for new boilers and general repairs. This concluded the evidence of one of tbe most protracted and, to the public of Hokitika, one of the most inteiresting investigations into the causes of our spit being so redundant with wrecks. At the rising of the Court Mr South begged to thank the Magistrate on behalf of Mr M'Glashan and himself for the courtesy which he had displayed throughout the inquiry, and for the copious depositions he had taken. Mr M'Glashan w?s also understood to say that he purposed taking further advice on the matter.