THE FERRY DISASTER

Evening Star, Issue 19722, 24 November 1927, Page 5

THE FERRY DISASTER

MARINE COURT INQUIRY. EVIDENCE OF GREYCLIFFE’S CAPTAIN. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. SYDNEY, November 23. At Die Greycliffo inquiry Frank Gibson, second officer of the Tahiti, gave evidence as to the movements of the Tahiti similar to the previous witnesses. He said he saw the Groycliffe bearing in on the Tahiti, she having changed her course three points to port. He ''heard the pilot give the orders. “Stop port, stop starboard. Full speed astern,” Only a few seconds elapsed between the first and last orders. The Tahiti then swung towards Bradley’s Head. The impact occurred a few seconds after the Tahiti was put astern. The witness thought the Tahiti was doing about eight or nine knots at the time of the collision, not more. This closed the evidence for the Union Company. William. Barnes, the captain of the Groycliffe, was the first witness for the Sydney Ferry Company. lie deposed that when ho left the wharf he gave the order “Full speed ahead,” as he had a clear run ahead. He found slight difficulty in keeping the ferry boat on her course, as she had a slight inclination to swing, and he had to steady her. He was standing on the starboard side when he heard two blasts. He looked over his shoulder, but did not see anything. Then he stepped across to the port side and' saw the bows of the Tahiti right on his port quarter, a few feet away. As ho stepped across to that side he felt a wave liit his stern and swing him to port. He immediately stepped back to tho wheelhonso and pulled about two spokes of the port helm on her. Then the crash came. Porting his helm should have altered his direction to starboard, but it did not take effect. After that tho Grcycliffe swung rapidly round tho hows of the Tahiti, ami went down. -The speed she was doing was between nine and ten knots; there was no alteration at all in her speed. In reply to a question concerning which side he decided it was better to go before the impact, Captain Barnes said: “To starboard,” and ho gave her a port helm. Tho pulled the wheel to starboard, and she never responded. Had she done so tho ship would have gone to starboard. Asked what was the source of the wave that caused him to alter his course, ho said: “From the Tahiti, I suppose.” He absolutely denied tho suggestion that the .port window through which he looked was too dirty to see through. He also gave a negative reply to a. question whether ho had left the steering house after he had departed from Garden Island wharf. Witness admitted that he knew nothing about charts; ho steered by a compass, and at night by tho harbor lights._ Ho aaid that all ferry boats were erratic in steering, but the Greyclilio was not more erratic’than tho others. He suggested that tho wave from tho Tahiti threw him farther across the hows of tlie steamer. He would have_ been hit anyhow, hut the wave put him across at a greater angle. He could not have got away,' but he might have got a more glancing blow if there had been no wave. . Mr Justice Campbell directed that the diver examine the locking gear and pin of the rudder in the Groycliffe wreck.

Captain Barnes added that lie was on liis usual course, which entailed a move to the north after passing Bradley’s Head. He had to contend with an ebb tide, a south wind, and a righthanded propeller, which tended to pull the orevelitfc to port. Frederick' Jones, a deck hand on the GroyelifTe, gave evidence that lie saw the Tahiti “coming at us at tremendous speed, then came the smash.” He estimated the steamer’s speed at 13 knots. SEARCH FOR HISSING CONTINUED. SYDNEY, November 23. (Received November 24, at 1.30 a.m.) Though the Greyclilfc wreck was brought close inshore it still lies in 30ft of water. Divers are continuing to sea roll for the hodms of the missing.