THE ELINGAMITE.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXII, Issue 4825, 1 December 1902, Page 5

THE ELINGAMITE.

THE INQUIRY INTO THE WRECK. THE ORDERS TO THE ENGINEROOM. EAHDENCE OF THE FOURTH ENGINEER. PEESS ASSOCIATION. AUCKLAND, November 20. Tbo Elingamilo inquiry was resumed to-day. James Niven Morrison, fourth engineer of the EliiigaiiU'.o, who was in charge of tho engine-room ut tho time of the casualty, suited tliat lie had hold a second-class engineer's cortilicato for two and a-liaif years. Ho hud been at sea for three yours, and on tho Eliugainito for twelve montlis. Ho was on watch cm tho KUngamite from eight a.m. till noon on Bunday, Oth iust. The engines were in good working order, there being no observable defect, and they were up to date. By Mr Twigdcn: The day before tho engines were working seventy-four revolutions per minute to make twelve knots. Tho telegraph was in good working order. Mr Tolo; How long would it take you to reverse tho engines f—When going slow, X should say about seven seconds.

Mr Tele; When going at full speed how long.”—-About ten seconds. Continuing, witness stated that at 0,45 tho chief engineer camo down and told him that ho was going to slow down. At 0.48 ho rang tho telegraph to the bridge notifying that he was going to slow clown, and tho bridge answered, Tho chief engineer then brought the vessel down to slow, slowing down to 44 revolutions per minute, At dead slow tho revolutions would go clown to between 20 and 25. Mr Tolo; When did you got the order, "Full speed astern” ?—At 10.45, I answered tho tolocfrnph at onco, and I reversed tho engines. Mr Tolo; How long did that take?— About ono second. It would take several seconds for tho gear to answer?-—-About soven seconds. Witness, continuing, said that tho chief engineer was then there. Just prior to tho order coming tho chief engineer said that it was all right. Ho thought wo wero past the Kings, and would go on dock. Ho was on tho fifth stop when tho order came, and ho came back and opened tho intermediate stop valve to give hoi- full speed astern. Mr Tolo; How long did he remain m tho engine-room ?—Till ho was told to oomo up. Mr Tolo: How long was that after you got the order?—Not longer than five minutes. Mr Tolo: Did tho engines work full speed astern?—They wont half a turn and then stopped. Mr Tolo: Won that the reason that tho chief engineer opened tho intermediate stop valve?—No, ho opened it in obedience to an order from tho telegraph. Mr Tolo; Did nny further order oomo?—At that timo wo hoard the scraping of tho sliip on tho. rooks. Mr Tolo; What part of the ship scraping?—lt seemed to me to he tho after part. . Mr Tolo: Did any order oemo from tho telegraph?—lt rang several times. Mr Tolo: At what interval?—A few seconds. Mr Tolo: Did you answer promptly on each occasion ?—The chief engineer ran" in answer to tho second. In answer to tho third he rang “Stop. Mr Tolo: Did another engineer come down?—When she would not stop the chief engineer applied auxiliaries. , M r Xolo: With what effect? —With no effect. The auxiliary is a low-pros-suro cylinder. , Mr Tolo: Did anyone else come down? —The chief told me to put the handle in the hydraulic pump, and. just at that moment the second and third engineers came down, , Mr Tolo: Before ;hey came did you make any further efforts to moke the engines work?—The chief was applying auxiliaries when they came, and X was fitting the handle to the pump. X then wrote the order " Full speed astern ” on the blackboard. , Mr Tolo: W r as any other effort made to get tho engines to go?—The chief engineer then tried to move tho engines ahead when they would not go astern, but she did not move. Mr Tolo: Why did she not move? Was it anything outside the ship or the machinery?—Outside the ship. Mr Tole: Something that stopped the propeller?—Yes; that’s what we put it down to, ... Mr Tole : The engines went all right from Sydney?—Yes. Mr Tole: Everything in perfect order? Yes, but the starboard bilge plunger was broken in tho neck on Thursday. Mr Toie: Did it remain iu that condition till the accident? —Yea. Mr Tolo: Would that affect the machinery?—No. Mr Tolo: Was there any want of steam? —Wo had any amount of steam. Mr Tole: Was there any hammering in-the engine-room?—No. No hammers touched the engines at all. ' Witness then gave evidence as to the landing of tho boats. Mr Haselden; Do we understand than the engines were in perfect order—that they exhibited all tho power they had, but tho propeller must have been held in tho rocks, and so prevented tho force of the steam causing it to revolve?— Yes, Mr Haselden: Do I understand you to say that if the engines had worked there was no time to got her off?—lt was too date then. Mr Haselden: She had actually struck when tho order came to go astern?— About tho same time. Mr Haselden: Consequently there could not have been two lengths’ distance clear?—Not from wliero she struck. Mr Haselden: There would not be two lengths’ distance when tho order came below?—Tho order camo almost instantly with the scraping of tho vessel on the rocks. Tho inquiry was then adjourned until 10 a.m. on Monday. At the inquiry yesterday Captain Atwood stated that the last occasion when ho ordered the engines to be reversed was before leaving Sydney on the last trip, and the order was then readily responded to. In a previous report exactly the contrary was erroneously stated. THE SEARCH FOR THE MISSING BOAT, AN UNSUCCESSFUL CRUISE. Tho Premier has received from Caprain Worsley, dated Auckland, November 2Glh, his report on the Government steamer Countess of Ranfurly’s second cruise in search of the Elingamite’s missing boat. The report states that tho vessel left Mangonni on tho I9th nit., and on tho following day searched the Great King, hut found no signs of life or recent occupation. A small

cairn, apparently ton or fifteen years o-Id, ivas found on tho top of the neck dividing north-west- and north-east bays. Tho Western Kings wore also examined under difficulties of tide and current. Tho vessel then proceeded eastward, with tho intention of searching to iho south-west of Capo Maria, but was prevented by wind and currents from doing so. At noon on the 23rd, :vhen north-east by east of tho West King, tho barque Gogoburn, from Newcastle to Callao, was boarded. She had passed thirty-three miles north of tho Kings, and had soon nothing. Tho captain promised to keep a look-out for tho next 100 miles to the eastward. Tho Countess of Raufurly thou zigzagged back to Auckland, haviug covered 1923 miles in tho whole search. Tho captain considered the only hope now was that the boat might lurvo been picked up by a ship bound east.