LOSS OF DORRIGO.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 94, 22 April 1926, Page 7

LOSS OF DORRIGO.

.MARINE COURT INQUIRY. BRISBANE, April 21. A Marine Court to-day commenced an inquiry -.'into the loss .of the steamer Dorrigo off the coast of Queensland on April 4. . -The master of the vessel, Captain Gray, stated in evidence that he had had 30 years' experience on the eastern coast of Australia. Before he left port on the' ill-fated ' voyage he noticed > nothing wrong. The Dorrigo appeared to be well stowed, and at'sea she was absolutely upright. He. said he could give no reason for the disaster. Captain Gray said ' that he was awakened at 5.50 in the morning by a seaman. There was a moderate easterly wind and sea. The Dorrigo had a heavy list to port. He saw that the water was -flush with the bulwarks, and ordered some of the seamen to throw the cases of benzipe bverbard. . He told the chief officer to get the port boat ready. The men did their best to get the boat out, but the ship was heeling over too rapidly. She got on her- beam ends, her funnel being almost parallel with the water. She seemed to hang there a while and then settled down by the stern. Witness counted everyone irt the water except one fireman. -. He admitted his son told him a fireman had said there was two feet of water in the stokehold. If that was true probably there would also be water in the engine room, and this might have caused the vessel to turn over. He expressed the opinion that if he had. been called earlier, they rmight ■ have saved the ship or at least got the boats away. He was called at the ordinary hour. . It will be recalled that Captain Gray and-his son were the only survivors of i the wreck.—(A. and K.'Z.j' '