LOST STEAMER MYSTERY

Grey River Argus, 6 December 1938, Page 9

LOST STEAMER MYSTERY

DISAPPEARED WITHOUT TRACE. Three alternative theories to account for the loss of the steamy Anglo-Australian, 5456 tons, whlcn disappeared in mid-Atlantic with a crew of 38 last March, were pttf forward at the renewed Board of Trade inquiry at the Institute of Civil Engineers, London.' . The Inquiry was conducted, by the Wreck Commissioner, Mr K. S. Carpmael, K.C., who sat. with four assessors, Mr G. St. Clair Pilchei K.C., for the Board of Trade, stated that the alternatives were:— (1) Failure of the structure..; or equipment of the vessel; , (2) Internal damage by boiler explosion or gas explosion in . bunkers; and (3) Contact with some external object or being overwhelmed by bad weather in phenomenal seas. The ship left Cardiff bn March 3, and the last wireless message received from her was on March 18, iwhen she was passing the Azores. She gave her position, and concluded her message: “Rough weather. All well.” ''yX..

“Nothing has been seen or heard of her since,” said Pilcher. ' “One must find a cause of the loss of the vessel, which was so swift and overwhelming that she never succeeded in getting into wireless communication with any of the vessels which were in a fairly near vicinity.” Mr Pilcher described «■ the possibility of coal-gas explosion as “extremely remote.” Even if there had been an explosion, it seemed Iniprobable that the ship would have been lost without being able to call assfctapce. It seemed Improbable, though not impossible, that ship struck a drifting mine. , Pointing out that mines had been laid off the coast of Spain, he explained that it would take a mine, under the most favourable conditions, at least 100 days to travel from the coast of Spain to the spot whj|re the Anglo-Australian was lost, 2,000 miles away. Statements made by the officers and members of the crew .of the Greek steamer Mount Kjdlene, which broke in two on April 9, about 200 miles from the spot where the Anglo-Australian was last heard of, were read by Mr Pilcher. The chief ocer of the Mount Kyllene described a losing battle; against the waves. There was a tertific noise, he wrote, and the ship sagged in the middle. After aboiit 14 minutes she broke in two, leaving some of the crew forward and some aft. A lifeboat was lowered, but was smashed and lost. Then other ships came to their help. ' Referring to the theory that the ship might have broken in two when poised by stem and stern on the crests of two waves in heavy weather, Mr L. A. Brannan, -who served as third officer in the AngloAustralian betwteen 1931 and 1935, stated that he had noticed a ‘‘distinct wave” ,in the shelter, deck, practically over the midship line. This “waviness” was more noticeable bn the port side, but definitely it was on both sides.

Mr William A. Beer/ a pilot,.who took the Anglo-Austbalian . out of Cardiff on her last voyage, stated that he remarked to one of the officers that she looked like , a new vessel. She handled splendidly, and her engines and steering fewr were all in order; Mr H. J. a Bulford, nattttaal surveyor., stated that in bad wether a heavy sea might waSh a -drifting mine right on board a v0»el. He thought the possibility of her breaking her back was the most likely cause of the loss of the ship. The hearing was adjourned.