THE COLLISION BETWEEN THE P.S. FAVORITE AND THE P.S. DISPATCH.

West Coast Times, Issue 678, 26 November 1867, Page 2

THE COLLISION BETWEEN THE P.S. FAVORITE AND THE P.S. DISPATCH.

The adjourned inquiry into the collision between the p.s. Favorite and tli'e p.s. Dispatch v\ as resumed yesterday, at noon, before the Resident Magistrate, the Collector" of Customs, and Captain Turnbull as nautical assessor. Mr South nppcared for tho Captain and owners of the Favorite, and Mr Rees for tho Captain and owners of the Dispatch. Win. Adorns deposed — I am a master mariner, and hold a ceitificato from tho .Marino Board of New Zeuland. lam master of the steam tug Favorite. On tho 13th November I left tho river to tender the

steamer Otngo. After doing so I returned and met the Dispatch coming down the river with a tow. The Favorite was then just outside the bar. I stopped her until tlia Dispatch and tow got over the bar, and then went into the river, up to the wharf and landed the passengers. 1 afterwards took the ketch Lloyd's Herald in tow and went down the river with her. When I was abreast the wreck of the Gratitude. I saw the Dispatch.coming in ; she was just outside the break. lat once blew the steam-whistle and eased the engines. I steered the Favorite as near the North Spit as the water would allow me to do. At that time I had no idea that a collision would take place. "When abreast of the lagoon stream tne Dispatch seemed to take a yaw, and come down bodily upon us. She was then on our port side, and on the south side of the channel. She appeared to steer very badly, and -was yawing about a good deal. The current was running strong out of the lagoon, and I think that got hold of her and bore her down on to the Favorite. She struck us on the port sponson, carrying it away and part of the paddle-box, and the" wheel was also damaged} so much that I could not "work the engines. Afier thr collision, I sang out to the master of the Dispatch to take the Favorite Hi tow, as she was disabled ; he took no notice, and went ahead full speed up to- the wharf. I did not sec the Dispatch before I left the wharf with the Lloyd's Harald. After the collision I made every endeavor to mend the wheel, but did not succeed, and drifted on to the North Spit, and lay there until next tide. The damage we received would amount to between LBO and L9O. The Lloyd's Herald also struck on the beach at the North Spit. I saw the Dispatch very shortly after I loft the wharf. She appeared to be then just outside the break. It was then impossible for me to turn back. I am sure I was as close to the North Spit as the depth of water would allow. I could see that the water was very shallow. At the time of the collision our helm was hard-a-portj after the blow was struck I put the helm hard-a-starboard to clear the Dispatch with our quarter. I did not carry a starboard helm going down the river. The helm would I necessarily be a starboard at some time. The vessels struck each other about a foot inside the sponson. The port bow of tho never struck jjthe Dispatch on the port side. At the tisie of the collision the Favorite's engines were eased ; I cased them at the time I blew the whistle. I t-.-innofc say wli.it is tho width of tho channel. The leadman had not reported the depth of water ; he was standing by with the line ready to take f lic soundings on the bar. The engines of the Dispatch were stopped about a second, before the collision. At the time of the collision the port-wheel was not going astern. Ido not know whether the starboard one was doing so or not. By Mr South. — When I first saw the Dispatch she was, as near as I could see, just about the edge of the break. I cannot tell the distance we were apart. I did not notice the signal stalF. I do not know whether the flag was flying or not. I first saw the Dispatch when I was abreast of the Gratitude. She could then, in my opinion, see the Favorite, and then I blew the whistle. The weather was calm, and there was no great sea on the bar. At the time the whistle blew the Dispa eh could have ensily gone outside. When I first saw the Dispatch she was about 500 jards distant from me. After the collisiou I heard the order given on board the Dispatch to go ahead. By Sir Rees. — One of the crew blew the whistle. I believe it was the cook ; any person could have heard the whistle a mile off. I think we were going down the stream with the fresh about four or five miles an hour. Beforo I saw the Dispatch I was going full speed, when I saw her I blew the whistle, and went at half speed. The Favorite, at full speel, goes about eight miles an hour j it was just about high water, and the fresh was pivtty well checked at that time. ■> It was a few seconds beforo the collision took place when the helm was put hard-a-povt ; if I had ported -my helm a quarter of a minute before the collision, I should have gone on to the North Spit, for tho ship answers her helm so quickly. I know this because I saw shallow water under her starboard paddle-box. The port bow of the Favorite never touched the Dispatch at all, three stanchion's and the rail, the -bulwarks and covering board were carried away by the Llloyd's Herald after the collision. It was a very short time after I first saw the Dispatch that the collision occurred, perhaps three minutes. James Leys deposed — I am mate of the Favorite. lam a master mariner, and hold a certificate from the Marine Boar.l. About a quarter to twelve on 13th November the | Favorite made from tho whavf, Hokitikn, with the Lloyds Herald in tow. Wo steamed down the river, and just as we were nearty abreast of the Wharf Hotel I saw the Dispatch's smoke over the top of the house. As soon as we saw the smoke in sight the captain gave the order to blow the whistle and ease the engines, which was done. We then steamed down easy, hugging the North Spit all the way* Immediately after we passed the Wharf Hotel the Dispatch was m sight, steaming towards the bur. She seemed steaming up ulong the South Spit; then she took a broad sheer, and her bows seemed to point right to the northward. She was then over the bar i:i a bight along the South Spit. Captain Adams remarked to me that the Dispatch was putting the helm to starboard. Captain Adams at the same time took off his hat and waved it for the Dispatch to go the other side. ' I went j on to the edge of the bridge, close to the paddle-box. The Dispatch was then about I 200 or 300 yards from U3. I then saw the captain of the Dispatch run over to the wheel, shouting, " Hard-a-port." After that lie stood with his back to mo, talking to tho mate. The Dispatch seemed to take another sheer over to the starboard, and then he hauled the wheel again to port. The master of the Dispatch then turned round, and I was close enough to hear him give the order to stop her. In a second or two after she struck us just before our port sponson ; her paddle-box and the Favorite's came together. I asked the captain of the Dispatch what he meant by running into us." I could not make out what his reply was. I hailed him to see if he would give us a tow up to the wharf. Captain Adams a\so hailed him immediately after. Tho captain of the Dispatch paid no attention. I asked him to tow us, because our wheel was "disabled by the Dispatch running into us. We then let go the anchor, and set to work to clear the broken floats out of the wheel. We cleared the wheel, but were driving on to the North Spit all the time the anchor did not hold. The Favorite was striking at times on tho bank, We cleared away tho cable to the bare end, but still the anchor kept dragging home. The Favorite then went aground. Wd got her off the next tide. I cannot state with, certainty what the width of the channel was where the collision took place. It was right opposite to tho lagoon. There is a good currant running out from the lagoon. There was from twelve feet to fifteen feet of water in the channel. The water was shallow where the collision took place. I could see t!*e end of tho North Spit defined by the surf. By Mr South — I have been about eighteen or nineteen years at sea. We had just passed the Wharf Hotel when wo sighted the Disp itch. Tho tide had then just commenced to ebb. There would then bo' a knot and a half or two knots of current in. the river. The Dispatch was then just outside the break. It was just before that our whistle BOtinSed, in fact I believe it was sounding then. It was a fine day. There was 'nothing to impede tho hearing of tho whistle at a proper distance. The Dispatch was not out of hearing of tho whistle. At the time the Dispatch heard thnt I believe she could have turned round and gono outside. We could not have gono back, having a vessel in tow. When I first saw tho Dispatch sho was heading to tho southward. Sho then altered her course, and took a sheer right across the channel. She might have taken that sheer without hor helm being starbouvd, if a sea had caught her. It was

not the water of the lagoon that drove her across. Tho Favorite wa3 ahont 300 yaiOs from the Dispatch when Captain Adams took off his hat. Then the Dispatch took another sheer up to the southward. The mate was steering the Dispatch. When I waved .my hat to the Dispatch her captain was .standing on the starboard side of tho wheel. Ho then altered his position, and the Dispatch took a sheer over to the northward, and it was then j the captain ran over,- took hold of the wheel, and hove it hard down to port, and that is why I came to the conclusion that they had let it run over. I heard the captain of the Dispatch give the order to stop her. After the collision, I heard Iho order given by him, "go on' a-hcal, full speed." I did not hoar him give the order to disconnect <he engines I did not hear him give the order to "go astern." The Favorite steers very well. When the order was given on board the Dispatch to stop, our helm was a-port. The captain of the Dispatch made no sign that I saw. I did not see him wave to us to port her helm. I did not see the slightest sign from any one on board the Dispatch. If Captain Dearo has sworn that at tho time he made (he sign we were starboarding our helm, but on his making the sign -wo ported our helm, it is not true. I did not hear what Captain Deavo said when I asked him to tow us up tho river. He gave some sort of air answer. Ido not know what it was. When j the Dispatch's engines wer§ stopped, she was right abreast of the lowermost entrance of the Jagoon. The Dispatch had way upon her when she struck us. She had not stern way upon her at any time before tho collision. I thought it was a very wrong thing for the captain of the Dispatch to run with us when he had plenty of room the other side, and therefore I asked him why he did so. I think, with ordinary care on the part of the Dispatch, that the collision might have been avoided. By Mr Eecs — I should think it is about 200 yards from the wreck of tho Gratitude to the lower channel, where the collision took , place. A vessel with disconnecting engines could have turned in the channel at that time. When the Favorite parted from the Dispatch she went to the westward a little across the s( ream.- •Wo went one or two feet. It was about half or three-quarters of an hour after the collision that we touched the ground. The collisiou look place on the north-west side of the stream. Ths Favorite was nearer to the Worth Spit than the Dispatch was to the South Spit. When the vessels were touching, the main body of the river was to tho other side of the Dispatch. The current fro-n the lagoon forced her on to us, because it affects the current of tho rirer. Ido not think the current of the lagoon would force a ship that had way on her into the middle of the river. The Dispatch would have gone cloar of us if her engine had not been stopped. One foot would havo cleared her. I cannot say whether we could have gone a foot nearer to (he starboard ■without going ashore on the North Spit. Captnin Adams was at the helm of the Favorite all the way down. Tho holm was a-port all the way down. After the collision, we were tending towards the North Spit. Captain Adams gave the orders on board the Favorile. When I first saw the smoke of the Dispatch, I should say she was steering in for the beacons outside the break; At that time it would take a vessel about a quarter of an hour to cross the bar and come up to the Wharf. It would tike the Dispatch about seven and a half minutes to do that distance. Jumes Stewart deposed — I am the engineer of the Favorite. At the time of the collision I was in the engine-room at my duty. When we started from the wharf, the first order was "go ahead." Very shortly after, the order to ease her was given. Immediately after, the captain sang out to blow the whistle, which ■was done. I saw it and heard it. Shortly after, tho collision took place. Just before that, the order was given to stop her, which waa done. The holding down bolts of the plummer block of the shaft were loosened by the collision. The spokes of the" wheel were driven into the ship's side, aiid the foresponson was broken by the collision. By Mr Reo3 — I think about five minutes, more or less, elapsed from the time the whistle sounded to when the collision took place. I am not certain how long time elapsed from tho time I 3iopped the engines to the time when the collision took place, and so I won't say. Jairies Trice depose! — I am signal-man at Hokitika. On tho 13th instant I was at the signal-staff; there was a good channel that day. I did not see the Favorite start from the wharf ; I first saw her at the end of the houses abreast tha flagstaff, she had tho Lloyd's Herald in tow. About tho same time I saw tho Dispatch j she was then inside tho South Spit, inside tho weather break ; she was hugging the weather break. The Favorite coming down tho river shut the Dispatch out from view. I saw them pa?s each other. I did not see any collision. I nest saw the Favorite ; she hacl one paddle-box j smashed, und she appeared lobe disabled ; in about five or ton minutes I saw her come ashore. A quarter of au hour or more might have elapsed from the time the vessels passed each other to the time the Favorite went on shore. The Favorite coining down kept tho north side of tho Disp-itch. Tho Dispatch was to the south of the Favorite. I made no signal to either of the vessels other than the tide signal. I did not see the F.ivorito eased as she waa coining down the river. I s.nv the Dispatch sl.icken her speed over the ground. By Mr' South —I have been a signalman for a considerable number of years. The red (lag wa3 at the mast-head at the time I saw the vessel, that is the signal to take the bar. When I first saw the Dispatch she was considerably outside the break shaping for tho bar. If I had known the Favorite was leaving the wharf it would havo been my duty to have hauled tho red flag down, in order to have allowed ono of tho vessels to got out of way. The custom is when a vessel is shaping for the bar, and sees one going out with a tow, to give way. to her. I did not hear tiro Favorite's whistle at all. It is not the rule of the channel for a vessel without a tow to make room for a vessel with a tow ; each vessel ought to port hor helm and keep the starboard side. I act on instructions from the Harbor Master. By Mr ltees — If tho Dispatch had .been outside tiie break when I first saw tho Favorite I should havo hauled clown the red Qag. This concluded the inquiry.