THE DRAYTON GRANGE

New Zealand Mail, 27 August 1902, Page 21

THE DRAYTON GRANGE

EVIDENCE AT THE INQUIRY. MUTINOUS SPIRIT AMONG THE TROOPS.. OFFICERS AT VARIANCE. SYDNEY, August 19. At the inquiry into the circumstances connected with the troopship Drayton Grange, the chief officer gave evidence to the effect that troopers prevented the putting up of berths intended for tho sick. They seized the timber and threatened to blanket him. He had the greatest difficulty in getting them to clean their quarters. Sometimes they were not touched for days, and the commanding officer’s aid had to be obtained. There was great lack of discipline, and the men used filthy and abusive language to the ship’s and their own officers. The chief steward’s accounts disclosed heavy consumption of liquor on the part of the officers. Colonei. Lyster, commanding officer on the Drayton Grango, gavo evidence that the ship was duly inspected when the troops were shipped by the transport authorities at Durban. He was not. furnished with a report by the Examination Committee. He had, he said, sufficient officers to maintain discipline, and they made every attempt to fulfil the regulations, but it was impossible to carry out all the details. Owing to exceptionally heavy weather for a week after leaving Durban, nearly all the troops were seasick, and he could not ask them to do regular duty. The regulations were for fine weather, and not for such as they had.

The witness considered the upper deck accommodation totally inadequate. Owing to tho crowding, it was impossible to keep the decks clean, of to properly exercise the men. His unprofessional opinion was that a great amount of the sickness was due to measles being allowed aboard. Want of exercise and uncleanliness would probably conduce to tho spread of sickness, but he could not say it had done so in this caso. Dr Gillies, one of the medical officers aboard the Drayton Grange, stated in his evidence that- the principal medical offioer was only appointed on the night the ship sailed from Durban. Nobody had any authority to do anything. Witness found a bare supply of medicine, and the hospital accommodation was poor. Dr Gillies pointed these matters out to the medical authorities at Durban, and requisitioned for more. They replied that the men were all healthy, ajid would not require more. Witness had no instructions and no power to enforco his demands. He refused to allow several men suffering from measles, who were passed by the embarking officer, to go aboard. He believed the infection of measles and influenza was amongst the troops before they embarked.

Witness endorsed the opinion that the uncleanly habits of tlie men had increased the sickness. The walls and floors of the hospital were plastered with expectoration. Tho want of systematic exercise and the laxity of discipline had also contributed. The number of doctors aboard was insufficient, but they could have done more with a better supply of medicines. Some lives would have been saved if tlie sick had been allowed to land at Albany. Dr Gillies admitted that there were strained relations between tlie chief medical offioer and ono of the three doctors aboard. SYDNEY, August 20. Colonel Lyster, who commanded the troops on board the Drayton Grange, in his evidence before the Commission which is inquiring into the circumstances connected with that troopship, made many statements conflicting with previous witnesses. Ho upheld the conduct of the troops, aud laid stress on-the point that irregulars should not be controlled by the rigid regulations under which discipline is enforced on trained soldiers. Ho stated that ho went round and inspected the decks with tlie captain every morning, and found them beautifully clean till the vessel got near Syd~ ney. He characterised the statements alleging insubordination as absolutely untrue.

Tho Colonel said it did not occur to him that the ship was overcrowded till she got to sea and he saw men lying about siok. Ono thousand five hundred uritrainod troops were plenty to carry. There was considerable illicit drinking.

It interfered with discipline, but all efforts to find where the drink was obtained failed. Witness did not think the regulations applied to the conditions aU m, tried to apply common sense. riie admitted that he had asked Dr Shields to alter his report, because lie thought it extreme and exaggerated, the result- of the doctor’s inexpenence. After reading Dr Shields’s evmence • before the Commission, lie thought he ought to have beeu a verv different man on the ship to what lie was.

Surgeon-Captain Fullerton, one of the medical officers on the troopship, iu liis evidence, stated that he considered there were sufficient doctors. There was no lack of essential drugs up t.o the time they reached Albany. The point was that they had had a phenomenal outbreak of sickness, and had a lot of good luck in having only twelve deaths. If they had been ablo to isolate tlie cases it was probable there would have been less sickness and fewer deaths, The primary cause of tho sickness was infection bring brought aboard amongst such a largo body of men.

It had never struck Captain Fullerton that tho vessel was particularly dirty, though she was not a clean ship. The men were not a very clean lot. During the voyage there were between six and seven hundred on the doctors’ hands. The witness considered Dr Shields took too many duties upon self. . He declined the offer of ~ other dootors to relieve him. He (witness) did not think any good would have been done by lanumg the sick at Albany. . -•

Colonel Lyster (commanding officer on the ship), who was recalled, said tho men had made every effort daily to keep the decks clean. He had formed the opinion that Dr Shields was nervous, and unable to meet the extraordinary condition of affairs. He had the same opinion about the captain of the steamer, who hurried away from Durban before time. Ho had no time to go into affairs, and only realised that the ship was crowded when they got to sea, Tho shortage of drugs was not reported to him till a couple of days before reaching Albany. Lieut.-Colonel Carrington, commanding the Third Bushmen, gave evidenoe. He said the conduct of his men - aboard was excellent. It was absolutely impossible to oarry ciut regulations owing to the want of deck space. Nothing could possibly he better than their discipline. Dr Shields was incorrect when expressing the opinion that lack of discipline and drunkenness were caused by the ship’s people supplying liquor. After the second day out none of the troops were able to get above the regulation beer except through tlie military authorities.

Other officers commanding units gav© similar evidence, and denial of insubordination. They also declared that tha men regularly and effectively cleaned tho decks.

Two more deaths have occurred amongst the Drayton Grange troopers. SYDNEY, August 21. At the Drayton Grange inquiry several non-commissioned officers wore examined. They complained about tlie sickness on tlie troopship, much of which they attributed to overcrowding. They declared that in addition to over two thousand troops on board, there were a large number of stowaways, one witness estimating tho number as high as a hundred and twenty. There were no facilities for stowing or airing blankets, swinging hammocks or for exercising.

Tho witnesses denied the statements made with reference to the filthy condition of the decks and insubordination. Every effort, they said, was made to keep the decks clean. The latrines were small and insufficient, and though a number of tlie men were guilty of objectionable practices, they could not, under the circumstances, be blamed. The discipline, the witnesses stated, was good. The officers attended to their duties, and the men obeyed their orders in all essential matters. As a set-off to the charges of drunkenness, all complained of the bad duality of tlie regulation beer supplied to the troops. It was so had that much of it ivas thrown overboard. They admitted there was much spitting about 1 decks, but no cuspidors were provided, and as so many were suffering from colds, and they were so crowded, they Were compelled to do it. Tho men had to sleep anywhere they could. It was further alleged that when the blankets were given out they were dirty and overrun with vermin. Washing and bathing accommodation was insitfficiont.

Another cause of complaint, the witnesses said, was an evil smell arising from a ton of bad cabbage in the hold where the meat v-as kept. Eventually, after complaints, tho cabbage was thrown overboard.

One witness declared that whatever drunkenness there was was due to liquor issued outside the regulations. Tlie whole medical attendance was badT The men could not get medicine whoii they wanted it. One man was nec seen for hours before he died, and when the doctors did visit him J ;0 was cold and stiff.

Several troopers were examined They all agreed that tho Drayton Grange was badly overcrowded, and that the accommodation generally was in-

sufficient-. An Imperial soldier experienced in trooping said ihe considered a thousand men sufficient for the steamer to carry. The statements varied regarding the officers. On the one hand, it was stated that they did their duty thoroughly, while on the other hand it was said that the inspections were anything but thorough.

The ventilation was condemned. It was alleged that the crew were in the habit of closing the portholes. Some of the portholes were screwed down with a wrench.

The troops came straight aboard after days of marching, with no change of clothing or anything else. The witnesses advanced many theories as to the causes of illness, including the coldness of tho iron decks and the sick parades. During the latter they had to wait for long pexio#~ in the cold, and for this reason hundreds of the men did not report that they were sick when actually needing medicine.

SYDNEY, August 22. At the official inquiry into the circumstances attending the voyage from South Africa of the troopship Drayton Grange several company and other officers were examined. All agreed that the Drayton Grange was overcrowded. They generally contradicted the alleged insubordination, and claimed mat the men did their best under the circumstances to keep the vessel clean. Captain Inn is, commanding the Scottish Horse, whose discipline Colonel Lyster had referred to as lax, said the overcrowding was so great as to prevent the proper cleaning and airing of the ship. He thought a hundred and twenty a fair estimate of the number of stowaways—his men told him there were two hundred. Colonel Lyster, noticing their dirtiness, said he thought they belonged to the Scottish Horse, near whom they were quartered. Captain Innis said he challenged Colonel Lyster to get any other officer to corroborate his statement. For the credit of his regiment he came there to refute the statements, after calling at Colonel Lyster’s dub and informing him that he intended going as a witness. After explaining that he rose from the ranks, Captain Innis said, “Colonel Lyster’s reasons for making a personal attack on myself and my men I will leave to the Commission.”

The Shipwrights’ Surveyor to the Department of Navigation gave evidence to the effect that there was sufficient room on the Drayton Grange’s deck to exercise two thousand men. According to emigration regulations there was sufficient air and exercising space, tut there was not sufficient sleeping accommodation aboard.

The chief carpenter of the naval depot at Garden Island said he had inspected the vessel. He said there was enongli room for three thousand men to march round on the decks. The sleeping, messing and exercising accommodation was according to regulations. If lie had the ship to fit out he would put quite as many aboard . Another witness stated that the Drayton Grange had 10 per cent more hospital accommodation than emigrant ships. The Commission has adjourned till Tuesday, when it will take evidence in Melbourne.

MELBOURNE, August 22. Twenty-five of the Drayton Grange’s invalids have been discharged from hospital.