MISHAP TO A BARQUE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15650, 2 July 1914, Page 9

MISHAP TO A BARQUE.

JOSEPH CRAIG ACCIDENT. EVIDENCE AT . INQUIRY. STRUCK BY SUDDEN SQUILL.' i COURT RESERVES DECISION. As inquiry was held yesterday into the circumstances surrounding .the accidcnt to the barque Joseph Craig, which struck a rock in Rangitoto Channel on the morning of June 21, when inward bound from Melbourne. Mr. C. C. Kettle, S.M., pre- | sided, tho nautical assessor being Messrs. W. J. Reed and W. Robertson. Mr. Selwyn Mays conducted the case for the Marine Department. Mr. M. G. McGregor appeared for the captain of the barque, and Sir. R. McVeagh watched the proceedings on behalf of the Huddart Parker Company, owners of the vessel, and the Auckland Harbour Board. Samuel Dalrymplo, surveyor of ships, said that on June 26 he inspected' the ship in Calliope Dock. No damage was found on 'the starboard half of the bottom, but on examining the port half, a dent was discovered and a fracture of a plate in the garboard strake, extending almost vertically, about five or six inches. It was sufficiently large to allow the forepeak to fill with water in a very short time. The collision bulkhead on the afterside had held, and was watertight. The nature of the damage was such as could have been caused by grounding on soma hard substance while under way. Captain Describes Accident, , . The master of the vessel, Geoffery William Airey, said that he was in charge of the ship when the accident occurred, and had been in charge all night. The . nkht was fairly clear, but just as the ship got abreast of Rangitoto Beacon a | j very heavy squall came down, and shut | out all the lights. All hands were on i deck at the tiu-> shortening sail, which was a difficult undertaking in the cir- ; cumstances. In the thick of the squall ' the vessel was making about 12 knots. | The chief officer was on the forecastle I head getting the anchor ready for letting go. Just as the worst of the squall was i over, a buoy was resorted on the starl board _ about half a snip's length ahead, j and witness ordered the helm up. Almost ' immediately tho ship started to take the I ground. She was then making about four knots and had travelled about two miles since the squall struck her. Immediately before tho sighting of the buoy, the lead showed six fathoms of water. It was about 1 a.m. when the ship grounded, and she remained fast until 3 a.m. Signals lor Assistance. Witness then sounded the wells, and found no water in them. All sail was then taken in. Finding that tho forepeak was filling, witness put out the ( boats in case the bulkhead did not hold, • and sent up rockets for assistance, but tho vessel came off with the rising tide. The Harbour Board's pilot launch was the first assisting vessel to arrive, and I the barque was towed to the King's Wharf, where sho was discharged and then docked. Before the squall came down, the ship was heading between the two light buoys, and Rouirh Rock, where she struck, was about 1000 yds to windward of the original course between the buoys. He could only account for the deviation by assuming that the flood tide had set him further to windward than he had allowed for. He was relying upon the lead, and the lasfcast had given him perfectly safe water. He had never had a previous mishap. Precautions Taken. In reply to the Court, the witness said that when the squall struck the barque two men were put on the look-out. Under the circumstances he could do nothing but continue trusting to the lead. Ho was of opinion that the mishap was caused by the squall coming down at a good pace, and the ship becoming unmanageable for a time. The precautions he had taken wore putting two men on the lookout, reducing sail, and keening the lead going. The jib-sheet was carried away m the middle of the squall, which would account for tho ship carried to windward. Evidence of the drew. In the course of his evidence, which was of a similar nature to that of the previous witness, tho chief officer of the barque, William E. Sanders, expressed the opinion that nothing more could have been done under the circumstances. He had no time to go aft and report tho carrying away of the jib-sheet, which' ho thought the second mate would have dono. Jf"ies Jacob, who was at the lead when the mishap occurred, gave evidence as to the severity of the squall, and stated that he never at any time during the night obtained a depth of less than six fathoms. Thomas Doyle said that when the squall struck the barque he received an order from the master to put the helm hard up, which. ho did, and kept it hard up until the vessel struck . The ship failed to answer the helm, but kept running up into the wind all the time, and he could not keep her from going to windward. "Gould Not Have Done More." Richard G. Holmes, master of the barque Mannrewa, said that under the circumstances the master of the Joseph Craig could not have done more than he did. Arthur Young signalman in the employ of the Auckland Harbour Board, who was on duty at the signal tower on the King's Wharf at the time of the accident, gave evidence as to the severity of the squall, and stated that he had seen the sitrnal rockets from the barque at aly .c 2.45 a.m. C. R. Brown, night officer of tho Auckland Harbour Board, also described the weather.

On conclusion of the evidence, Mr. McGregor briefly addressed the Court, which will give its decision at a later date.