CABLE NEWS.

Evening Post, Volume LXIV, Issue 47, 23 August 1902, Page 5

CABLE NEW S .

[BT ELKOTMO TBLIiaiUriI.— COPYRIGHT.] • THE DRAYTON.GRANGE ENQUIRY

A DEFENCE OF THE SCOTTISH HORSE.

CONTRADICTORY EVIDENCE.

[PBKBS ASSOCIATION.]

SYDNEY, 22nd August. At the official enquiry into the circumstances attending the voyage from South Africa of tho troopship Drayton Grange several company and other offloors .were examined. All agreed that the Drayton Grange was overcrowded. They generally contradicted the alleged insubordination, and claimed that the men did their best under the circumstances to keep the vessel clean. Captain Innis, commanding the Scottish Horse, whose discipline Colonel Lyster had referred to as lax, said the overcrowding was so great as to prevent the proper cleaning and airing of the ship. He- thought «. hundrod and twenty a fair estimate of 'the number of stowaways — his men told him there were two hundred. Colonel Lyster, noticing thoir dirtiness, said he thought they belonged to the Scottish Horse, near whom they wore quartered. Cnp* tain Innis said he challenged Colonel Lyster to get any other officer to corroborate his statement. For the credit of his regiment he came there to refute the statements, after calling at Colonel Lyster's club and informing him that he intended going as a witness. After I explaining that ho rose from the ranks, Captain Innis said, " Colonel Lynter's reasons for making a personal attack on myself and my men I will leave to the Commission." The Shipwrights' Surveyor to the Department of Navigation 'gave evidence to the effect that there, was sufficient room on the Drayton Grange's deck to exercise two thousand men. According to emigration regulations there was sufficient air and exercising space, but there was not sufficient sleeping accommodation on board.

The chief carpenter of the naval depot at Garden Island said he had inspected the vessel. He considered there was enough room for three thousand men to march round the -decks. -ue sleeping, messing and exeroising accommodation was according to regulations. If he had the ship to fit out he would put qnite as many aboard. Another witness stated that the Drayton Grange had 10 per cent, more hospital accommodation than emigrant ships. The Commission has adjourned till Tuesday, when it will take evidence .in Melbourne.