THE HERALD AND GAIRLOCH COLLISION.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 120, 29 May 1885, Page 2

THE HERALD AND GAIRLOCH COLLISION.

Nautloal Inquiry, ",; ' (Before H. G. Seth^h. Esq r m - Captains Frater and £&> *~3 •- ««} Assussore,) oootti> Nautical A MAOISTESUL inquiry into 4K , stances under which ' £?£ *«* /' betweenthosteame^HeiiQ^ ' took place in the Manukau W^ menced this morning in the R M 0 Mr Hudson Williamson (Cro^T-' cutor) appeared for the ColCtiT i^-. Toms (Mr Thomas HillT M? $°'i Ct»'^ for the officers of the s.s HeraM CfTt': All witnesses excepting the canUin , -;- of the collieion, Mr Wiltiam«» Rivsil some laughter by the SaC**'officers of each vessel strenuoj, !, h- 6 tainedthatitwastheirparticuWo..^' was aground at the time of the J? 1{ ' that if both stories were to betfc' 86 ' was difficult to understand how t&i !t could have taken place at aUow tbOcoUteica posed that he held a preUminarvT^ 91 iuto the collision on the sth7n7 S^V produced the casualty return, £ 6" that occasion. As the result of tw * quiry, he had applied for the preZ t voati K ation to be held. VWbi -'»-'

Finlay McArthur, master ef the eta/ Gairloch, deposed that he held a NSpt land certificate of competency, No Rn«P Early on the morning of the 3rd of .M«lS^ he was coming up the Manukau H«rteS the wharf from Waitara. Itwagai^ i moonlight night. The"S'^'fewere properly fixed, the mjZSsj light being on the foretopmast ,£S< A topsail was the only Bail «& .% '■"'■ the time of the collision, Iw-ig-eail was hauled up. He kept at*>V Waiuku {side of the channel oomtoirift which was his proper side. He was O'l' on the flying bridge, from whioh the«§§: was steered. He went there from t&Sj?< house as soon na he saw the H«rald cwffiK^ round the Horn. That was about a ffilill; to one o'clock. The tide was'aboutlffipK* water. The channel is properly I*3s and the buoys were all there. WhSlf Herald came round the Horn her rdllSiW was visible, and his green light »<s«£ Been by the Herald. He put thiSw aport. The Gairlook did not open sSp green light, and he knew tkerefon S u meant to cross his bows. When hefaMi saw the Herald's light he believed Mffiii must have been J of a mile off, and4'®# going under a full head of,Bteaffli;>Sf'l Gairloch was running at a tpood of abmA nine knots. [At this stage the wllbmi^ indicated on the chart the shoo tdittßflti' collision took place, and also maftodyfit course upon it.] The Gairloch giotuHtl? fore and aft, and her head paid olj|jfe she grounded he gave the order, "eta^Jili below," then "stop." then "jlow^fljiV then "full speed astern," when hsr'tidfe paid out into the channel just cleat M&t buoy, and to leeward of it. WlnKi'.-' grounded first his red light must Juvajwi open to the Herald, and as his vessel niiß&J slowly round hor green light wonld'U exposed. After the Gairlonh wbs gtousflyte and when her engines were going f»U ; i2*-' astern, the collision tookpuoe. Hew*'; saw the red light of the Herald befjjh'M". collided. She struck the Qairloth en '$£' starboard bow. [By the aid of two I)®* the witness showed how the cellidoi^Pl place.] The Herald came down buUjft^ ' red buoy, then ported her helm, andtinij the Gairloch on-the starboard b had good way on when she struck Qib w^ loch, and about £400 damago nat tv frY salt to the latter vesac!. Tne Herald bnir\ her anchor. The collision «iruiig*tte> vessel's head down the river, ftndj»(b' steamers swung together.. The HeraltHiu" went on her way, assistance nover tehf* proferrod nor asked for. Asfer theGiitiofe:. the force of the collision brought her.hj© down the river, and she went on ;.:■'.*!•; the wharf. He was quite sum taifiilljfl?. lights were hung, for when Le first ajiittv. Herald coming round the Horn he seat lie' Chief Officer forward to Icol ifter^e""^' Cross-examined by Mr Cooper: Thojnif £' was southerly; astrongbrocze. HeclntiigC, his foresail at the corner buoy.■■•Pienay'ii to that both foresail and foretopMil «§« fi set. It was not blowing a gale, It in! blowing pretty fresh outeide, but it nf right enough in the harbour, ThiyHei»Sfs was twice the size of the GaMoeh,~aß|itf£~ built for the carriage of coal. It mold M 3J1 be a headwind for her. Ho kmw'tljW' there was a regulation -prohlblMg^ vessels from carrying a Tquanlitoij, sail within 'the harbour. 14 wi, because he saw the Hora!d oppniidiitj -, that he clewed up his eqaw c foiwft Eft *' because he was getting up to tta-{Qin>-He waa then woll in the harbour, puilMjt within ,three miles of the fCb&rf. HeM.; not see the Herald's masthead light Bluntly', aftor she left the Wharf.""[By;iifflfif; models tho witness showed tie nlita^, positions of the steamers at tho timß of "SsJ collieiou.] Tho Gairloch wan BtrocklbSol ■' eight feet from the aten. He^jai, mate of the s.e. Taupu ftjien1;™.'1 ran down a hulk at anchor in WelijtffoV harbour some six years ago, Then) wil Hi; of life on that occasion, Captain Gp7 was in command, but neither of 6mm\ censured. When the collision jUfc"*>:; Herald took place he did not ring out..- 1» j you want to drive me on to thewewt , bank ?" and Captain SavOry.did WiW'j "No; keep to your own-dae of■»«■■■ channel," ■ . ; • •> Cross-examined by Mr Hraictl Alters the collision, and when ho ottto ttoTWi he caw his mast-head light still mm brightly. He remained on the' ttB;? the wharf was reached, and if snyljP*h, been placed on the masthead »™y™' collision he would have seen it,;. flow thing was done to hie knowledra. f m had been trading in and outoftSeMM>kau for the last fifteen years, toW»f ; time he had been employed, on mutf* •■ He had been on the Charles/EdwaidJ,^: Taupo, the Oreti, the-W«nw,.»ndto» t last four years in the employ of««;;: Steamship Company. There wa! mm , to prevent the Hei^d seeing cwmifw":,;'; Gairloch was going to BtarboarJ,^fit; had never had an ««*t!W/. — never once met> with. f'JPHWJ'. Apart from thr buoys in the MbtwUJ, »., had landmarks of his own. AbootiuMW ten minutes elapsed from the .^M^i-, saw the Herairuntil1 the oilto" %," place, and it was about 1J or 2 nunoWgi Forethecollisionthat the Gairloch pom** He had (known Captain Savory toW?» , men to go in front of hisveewl >**£&.■ andguife him down the cbantoWroftß Horn to the anchorage.' .Ttot ™£fgs . two months ago. He had .also**g&r.. Oreti to be lashed in order to guide her down thertWj* and both of them to get stuck. *f am of tho Oreti, had told him so himMU. - To Mr Cooper: The two bMtffl™3 ' to had told him that they m>re eog«ff»«guido the steamer. Wjw^K' ft. Captain Robinson Oreti was coaling the Herald« W» ? down the harbour. That was abcui WtjX Smith .Itt«-S5F' not see the Herald's red W&gSffip.. less becausesheheadedforffiebMki of keeping straight UP *he <*ShfoM» i Arthur Henry Flindorft,■«Wj -B ~ and-surveyor, stated that tahri^from a Government chart, tw » r; duced and used in the Court. ,_

Thomas Wing, barbonr i«J^' Manakau for nearly ®J^AZ®\, that he himself laid the bnWf.KpW^ there and marked them^n ttd S^ v channel was nowalittledeeperttm^ former years, consequent_«P°a " of steamers lßt^*>» It!SSBS« v Cross-examtoeJby Mr Ogfe^gfl^ tide there would be from 7to«W«^ «,* over the bank at which «« "& »• place. A southerly breeze «««" . - feseen the depth of «*« on W*^ptoin Cross-examined by toHJWj^lrti Savory had run in and^out ofm > and he had thought him ventursf^ ~ B oanddoitsafety. tß . tt . Dgi] ,