NAUTICAL INQUIRY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22346, 18 February 1936, Page 12

NAUTICAL INQUIRY

RANGATIRA MISHAP f , CAPTAIN EXAMINED ERROR IN POSITION NAVIGATIONAL METHODS RELIANCE ON SOUNDINGS [BY TELEGRAPH OWN CORRESPONDENT] ■WELLINGTON. Monday The full story of tho mishap to the inter-island express steamier Rangatira when she struck near Wellington Heads Ghortly after six o'clock on the niorii- , ing of Sunday, February 2, was told to a magisterial Court of Inquiry to-day by the master of the ship, Captain W. D. Cameron, and the officers who were on watch at the time. It was shown that while the land which suddenly loomed up out of the rain squalls in the early morning was thought by tho captain and the chief officer to be Taurakirae Head, some mjles to the east of the entrance, it was in fact Sinclair Head, almost as great a distance to the west of the ship's proper course. Captain Cameron was under examination and cross-examination in tho itness box for three hours. The Rangatira had at tho time of tho mishap 693 passengers and a crew of 100. The vessel was got off under her own power and safely berthed about 31 hours laterj Questions for Court The Court was presided over by Mr. £. D. Mosley, S.M., who had associated with him as nautical assessors Captain W. marine superintendent for tho Shaw, Savill and Albion Company, Limited, and Captain H Hollis, marine superintendent for the Commonwealth and Dominion Line, The five major points which concerned ■the Court were outlined by Mr. Mosley .as follows t- — j(l) What was the cause of the mishap? j(2) Whether the stranding was caused or contributed to by the wrongful act or default of the master or any of his officers or crew. ((3) Whether'subsequent to the stranding there was any neglect or omission of duty on the part of tho master or officers, including tho wireless operator. (4) Was the master justified in assuming that the land sighted at 6.2 а.m. was Taurakirae Head? j[s) What was the cause of the difference between the actual position at б.2 a.m. and that estimated by tho master?

Mr. N. A. Foden, with Captain G. P. Hall r of the Marine Department, in jin advisory capacity, appeared for the Marine Department; Mr. E. K. Kirkcaldie appeared for Captain Cameron; Mr. C. G. White appeared for the fnion Steam Ship Company; Mr J. F. 0. Stevenson appeared for the Wellington Harbour Board; Captain F. A. MacIndoe. watched proceedings on behalf of the Merchant Service Guild; and Mr. F. fc. Walsh watched proceedings on behalf tif the Seamen's Union. The Captain's Evidence

William Donaldson Cameron, master bf the Rangatira, said he was a mariner of 35 years' experience. On this occasion he" left Lyttelton at the usual time, l-fe.35 p.m., on Saturday, February 1, for Wellington. He set ,a course North 16 degrees East by the standard compass. The deviation was one degree East. The log was set at zero at Godlev Head, fcnd the engine revolutions were 162, Vvhich represented a speed of 16.7 knots. The vessel's full speed was 22 knots, there was a light north-east wind, and it was cloudy, line and clear. "I set a course to take me 9.3 miles off Cape Campbell," continued Captain Cameron. He did not see Cape Campbell light, and assumed the ship was on her usual course. "The echometersounding apparatus was working at frequent intervals, and the soundings recorded showed the vessel to be making her course. Mr. Fodeji said he found it difficult to justify the assumption that

the vessel was on her correct course. From the soundings taken when com--1 pared with those on the chart, it appeared possible that the vessel might have been closer in to Cape Campbell. Soundings were not a reliable guide. Mr. Mosley: That appears to bo evident. Captain Cameron: We have alwayi? found them reliable. Mr. Foden: Is it correct to say you fixed the course* of" the ship pn two assumptions —first, that you followed the course you had followed on previous occasions, and secondly, that thi» soundings in your opinion showed von to be on your usual course? Was that the position at Cape Campbell ?—Yes. So that from the time you got abeam of Cape Campbell until 5 a.m. yon were steering on an assumed course?— Yes, ratified by soundings. Past Experience , Captain Cameron then left the wit-neis-box for the purpose of explaining to the assessors the details of the course he thought he was on and the course which it subsequently turned out ho was actually on. He also referred to tfie soundings which had been taken. Mr. Foden: From that examination of the soundings on the assumed course and on the actual course, I think you will admit that it is rather difficult to reconcile the conclusion that you drew from the soundings. Captain Cameron: Well, it is all born of past experience. What wak tho state of the tide? — At about 4 a.m. tho ebb tide commenced in Cook Strait. Do you state that from actunl knowledge or from presumption?— From tho tidal predictions. Books published for the guidance of mariners indicate that the tides are erratic and irregular in Cook Strait? — Yes. Land Suddenly Sighted "From fc>ast experiences," added the captain, "I expected a strong ebb tide and allowed for it, but not seeing anything, I went on the assumption that our position when off Cape Campbell by the log and soundings was correct, and the ship, griping to the eastward, was making an easterly course. "At 6 a.m. I assumed that we were getting into the vicinity of Taurakirao Head and that we would soon pick it up. At 612 a.m. land suddenly came into view." r Captain Cameron continued that .'lie assumed the land to bo Taurakirao and fe., distance to bo from one to two ®lt was four or five points on tho

starboard 'bow. ■He did not slacken speed, but brought the ship to the north-west to bear up from Pencarrow Head. Mr. Foden: You asked the chief officer to check the course? — and it was in the act of his saying, "North 23 west" that we saw rocks. Meantime the vessel was still going at full speed?— Yes. You told the look-out man on the bridge to try to pick up Baring Head lighthouse ? —Yes. Up to this point there was nothing to show that the vessel had not made her ordinary, normal course, continued Captain Cameron. At seven minutes past six the vessel was still swinging from north-west to west. Two or three rocks showed breaking, well out on the starboard bow. The engines were immediately put full astern, and the helm hard a-port. At the same time a small rock was sighted ahead, slightly 011 the port bow. At 6.8 a.m., before sternway could be obtained, the Vessel struck, slid up and stopped. The engines were still going full astern. The wells and tanks were sounded at once and emergency signals were given to boat stations. Captain Cameron said he frequently manoeuvred the engines from stop to full astern, and at 6.18 a.m. the vessel came off the rock. Water was making in Nos. 1 and 2 holds. The pumps were started, the water-tight doors were closed and all precautions necessary for saving life were taken.

Mr. Foden: What actual orders did you give the wireless operator?—To send out signals to ships in the vicinity of Baring Head, and also to send ashore to the Union Company to send a tug, as we had struck something in the vicinity of Baring Head. When we came off tho third officer and the wireless got our bearings from Tinakori radio station. " Hard to Believe Position "

At what juncture did you make use of the direction-finding facilities? —Immediately after we came off. That was the first resort you had made to that facility?— Yes. And that intimated to you that you were in Sinclair Head locality?— Yes.

"The first bearing I got I doubted," said tho captain. "It was hard to believe we wore off Sinclair Head, and then when I got another wo had to believe it."

You could have .resorted to these facilities at an earlier stage 011 your way across? —We could have, yes.

Mr. Foden said that the rest of the captain's evidence dealt with the measures taken to bring tho vessel safelj" to port.

"There is no suggestion that any but commendable skill was displayed in bringing the vessel up the harbour," said counsel. "There is 110 question arising out of it, as far as I am aware."

Mr. Mosley: It may come under this heading: whether subsequent to the stranding there was any neglect or omission of duty on the part of tho master or officers.

Mr. Foden proceeded to rend portions of the captain's evidence given at the preliminary inquiry. Mr. Foden said that at 7.22 a.m. the Pencarrow fog signal was heard on the port bow and at 7.25 a.m. Pencarrow Head was sighted. Mr. Mosley: Still steaming ahead? Mr. Foden: Yes, sir. Entered Port in Gale

The vessel, continued Mr. Foden, was now down at the head and not answering her helm. The bow rudder was fixed and the engines were put hard astern. A southerly gale was then raging; there was a heavy sea and thick, heavy rain. The vessel passed through the heads at 8.5 a.m. and reached Clyde Quay Wharf at 9.28 a.m. Her draught on arrival was approximately 27.6 ft. forward and lift. 6in. aft. The forward holds were flooded. Following further reference to soundings in Cook Strait, Mr. Foden asked witness: Have you ever received instructions from the Union Steam Ship Company to make port in scheduled time ?

Captain Cameron: Never. Is that left entirely to the discretion of the masters? —Yes.

You, captain, I think, have aimed at the reputation of being a punctual man with your ship?— Not any more than other ships.

Supposing you reached port on a number of successive occasions late, would that prejudice you in your employment ? —No. Mr. Kirkcaldie then examined Captain Cameron as to the accuracy of the log and the reliability of the soundings. In answer to a question, Captain Cameron said that in his 20 years experience on the run the weather was never such as to lead him to expect any interference with the ebb tide. The vessel had been carrying from five to ten degrees of port helm, which was quite a lot. He could not give one single fact that suggested to him at 6 a.m. that the vessel was in danger.

In reply to Mr. Kirkcaldie, Captain Cameron said he had been with the Union Steam Ship Company for 33 years. He became master in 1911 and went on the Wellington-Lyttelton run in 1915 as captain of tho Mararoa. Safety of Passengers Mr. Mosley said the Court had to be satisfied as to whether there was any neglect or omission of duty on tho part of tho master or officers, after the stranding, regarding the safety of tho passengers.

Mr. Foden: The information I have, sir, does not indicate that there was any palpable omission of duty on tho part of tho master. Air. Mosley: Well, I would like to be satisfied on that point, if you would not mind asking a few relevant questions.

In reply to Mr. Foden the captain 6aid that after the vessel struck he gave orders for boat stations to be taken, ajid the passengers were grouped on deck by the second and third officers, and were all supplied with lifebelts. When the ship entered the Heads the passengers were told to go below and prepare their luggage for landing. The ship was not making more water at that time. Captain Cameron said ho had no complaint to make against any of the officers, the crew or the passengers. He was prepared to commend the conduct of everyone concerned. Louis Adrian Hudson, the wireless operator, said tho wireless instruction came from the third -officer, who as far as witness could remember said: "Wo have hit something. Captain Cameron requests you to send out a distress call and advise them." "Them" # was understood to be the Wellington ra'dio station, which would advise the head office immediately. He immediately called: "C.L.W., C.Q., 5.0.5., Rangatira vicinity Baring Head, visibility bad." In reply to Mr. Foden witness said that if there had been any ships in the vicinity keeping wireless watch at that pa; *icttlar time he would have expected to k ;et an answer. He did not follow the procedure laid down by the Washington Convention, but after sending tho distress call and the general call and the master's instructions, lie concentrated on getting a message to the owners. Witness admitted that he had not given tho alarm signal, which would have sounded automatically in the wireless cabins of ships when their operators were not on duty. Leslie H. Steele, radio inspector, of the Post and Telegraph Office, said a distress call must lie preceded by tho alarm signal. If tyic operator had not sent tho alarm signal there would bo no chance at all of an operator on another vessel hearing tho distress call that would foPow unless tho oporntor happened to bo on duty.