THE HERALD-GAIRLOCH COLLISON.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 123, 2 June 1885, Page 3

THE HERALD-GAIRLOCH COLLISON.

Nautical Inquiry.

I Hon H. G. Seth Smith, R.M., and (jp-jins Frater and Scott, Nautical iwaors.. Bits Savory, of the Herald, who was to» evidence when we went to press (isdny, deposed that on tho date of the [jaoa'-e left Onehunga Wharf at ten sits-past twelve, bound forGreymoutb, ting just ten minutes after high water, mon the flying bridge when off Capo mm... when he sighted a^vessel about two Afe on his starboai-d bow. For about a seconds he saw her green light, and «_e saw her red light, but no other & was visible. He gave the order to ■tvhen at the black buoy off Capo Horn — i tejsel, which was drawing oft Cm fljrd and 3ft alt, being steamed aft for silerquicknesß. As he was going round (buoy he saw the Gairloch's green light, jifce immediately ordered his engines full «d .stern, in consequence of which being tithe Herald came to a dead stop. The irtoc-, which took ono minute to change icoarse, camo on nt considerable speed, ttf__ ber foresail and topsail, and ran « lato tho Herald. Tho head of the nJd was knocked the othor way by I collision. He kept his engines _I astern for about five minutes, wing the Gnirloch to pass under tho mof the Herald. At the time of the Hon he was well down on iho north it of the channel; all that had been said mt iiin going in::.... ti -■ 1 '>-■ ',; - tafl; his mate was on the forecastle Idling the Gairloch. As soon as he saw iflairloch's green light, he know that Blunted to cross tho Herald's bows, and Httordingly had the engines revoraed at Bft_ The only damase done to bis steamer Kthe breaking of the anchor stock and Bike of the hawser pipe. There was Hi dent in her bow which would cost BVJto take out. In el•0!"i3-e.•{aln-nat-On_by jH''_.Bketh, witness Eiiid tho collision Harred about eight or ten minutes after Egg the Gairloch's light. When examined Krethe Collector of Customs he did not |j_t. that he saw the Gairloch's green Et, but bad since recollected seeing it for

iwondortwo. Ctotain Savory continued his evidence ..morning. From the time ho first saw ie light to the timo the vessels were in iffisarawos four or five minutes. When iltated "ten minutes" yesterday after_nhe was confusing the time with tho ta-eby which he passed the black buoy, to he got a glimpse of the green light .thsQairlochshowas ju.t bolow tho red ijjr-r, He saw tho red light for two or tree minutes ; that indicated that a was keeping to her own side if the channel. He ported hi_ helm 11 two minutes, and then gavo the «_sr"Hard a-port." Ho still saw tho red Mt, hut did not see enough of her broadSetosatisfy him. She appeared hedging iwirr-s him. He thon flaw the (. airloch's •ran light, and telegraphed " Full speed litem," He did not at any time see the Wrlooh's two lights. He ought to have .athem if her sails did not obscure them, The vessels' lengths separated the two tamers when he saw the green light. The (der "Bard a-port" was given nearly I fepeminuteß before the collision. At the -M ql'the collision tho Herald had lost taway, he having given the order "Full ipied astern " fully two minutes beforo tbo bDWod. She, however, had not got stern ny on when the vessels collided. He had Vigit his vessel almo.t to a dead stop. Uiwaaon the bridge all the time. Bonner, Itomate, was on the forecastle at the time teOrtirloch was sighted. He had reason taWievs the Gairloch's foro_ail ob.curcd te green light. He was positive ho did Bt-uetake her position. It was true that Bene dark night he took two men down to-low him the narrow channel. It was so fak that ho could not sco the landmarks. -gave the men £1 for the service, They Kted as pilots. The only mishap he had pnriiotisly was the capsizing of a sailing weloff Tiritiri, 10 years ago. At Groymtmth, some time ago, he ran into tho »i-f. That was through the wheel chain eagfoal. On that occasion he did not h_ head ; nor did he admit to the Greyinpnth Harbour Master that he fod made an ass of himself. He W once run into a ship's jibboom. "tLyttelton, but that was while his vessel ■Win charge of tho pilot. Mr Brown, 4ia(engineer of tho Herald, was also part '■r-erof the vesael. He complained about 1~-_.r at Lyttelton, but that was tho only •who complained The second mate was tithe wheel at tho time of the collision. As ton as ha saw tho Gairloch crossing his tow he gave the order to go astern. Tho jatecalled called out: " Ho's starboarding "ilfllm. Starboard captain and go to *ifaward of him." This was about a Monti before the order to go astern was IN Witness replied : " No, I'vo given tworder to go astern." „By Mr Cooper: Witness brought the B«atd out from England, and had not o oaglo mishap, and had been in command of «8 ever since, sometimes trading on the m Coast and sometimos on the West WMtsinco November last. When ho first '•ptedthe Gairloch he only saw her light, ** her hull. Ehe appeared like a *>i. vessel, as thero was no mastm light visible. Ho did not discover !*-'to be a steamer till she was Wngiide. From tho black bnoy to whero W collision took place is about a quarter «stDile. When tho collision took place J* thought ho was on the northern side of J«» channel, and gavo the order to heave Ijjlead, He was thus quite sure he was J* on tho southern side. The vessel did Wttonch ground at any time. At the time ? the collision the Gairloch's sails were ■•wing. The injury done to tho Gairloch I" by her running into the bluff of the ««mld'H bow and anchor. The sterns of *» two vessels barely touched. On SaturW evening last a company, with Captain rWchwl, had made a series of soundyptonndthe buoy off which Captain Me- ' *™« says the collision took placo. A ffi-* the eke of the Gairloch would require Pp.aJOfeet Inside the buoy to ground at 51 »ater; 300 at high water. The soundWWara taken at the same state of tho S2-" when the collision took placo. ?«fss had heard the evidence that tho .wloch had grounded fore and aft. J>3 Mr Williamson: At the time of the S_n ha took the soundings because ho SP** to make sure where the vessel was. I 2J _wnot think that he was on the south- . £ wk. He did not hear the reply of the _™-_f> heaved the lead. H« did not W tho lead because be thought he was ■|^the red bnoy. The ve-el's speed ; *22W,8.»fac knots that night, lie was in ff_"a of tho ves.cll during her pass a*?© •^Scotland

By Captain Frater: Ho had known of the foresail obscuring the side lights. He boli ved it would do it on hi-i own vessel, as t flights were high upon tho flying bridge IL' could not account for bis not seeing tiio Guirloch's light except by the canvass. He did not look at tho compass at all that night.

By the R.M. : Tho Horald was tho first steamer ho had charge of, but ho had been in steamers off and on for two years prior t. t his as dock hand. Ho could give no reason for his not seeing tho masthond light. By Captain Scott : Up to the timo of Iho collision ho thought tho Gairloch waa a sailing vessel, and thought sho would tako the weather sido of tho channel. Witness's mate drew bis attention to tho fact that he was on tho lee side.

William Bonnor, first matoof tho Herald, was examined at length by Mr Williamson. His evidence was corroborative of that of Gap'nin Savory. Ho waa crens-examined by Mr He-keth, and was under croseexamination at I! p.m.