THE WRECKED DORRIGO.

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXI, Issue 2261, 22 April 1926, Page 5

THE WRECKED DORRIGO.

MARINE ENQUIRY.

CAPTAIN'S EVIDENCE,

(Press Association.—Copyright.) (Received 9.45 a.m.) Sydney, this day. At the enquiry into the sinking of the coastal steamer Dorrigo, Captain Gray gave evidence. He said he was awakened at 5.30 in the morning by a seaman. There was a moderate easterly wind and sea. The Dorrigo had a heavy list to port. Ho saw the water flush with the bulwarks, and ordered some of the seamen to ihiow the benzine cases on deck overboard. He told the chieC officer to get the port bont ready, and the men did their best to get the boat out, but the ship was heeling over too rapidly. She heeled over on her beam-ends, the funnel being parallel with the water. She seemed to hang there a while then the steamer settled down by the stern. Witness counted everyone of the crew in the water except one fireman. He admitted his son had told him a fireman had said there was "two feet of water in the stokehold. If that was true probably there would be water in the engine room that might have caused the vessel to turn over. He expressed the opinion that if he had been called earlier they might have saved the ship, or at least got the boats away. He was called at the ordinary hour.