THE TAIAKOA INQUIRY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 7569, 21 May 1886, Page 1

THE TAIAKOA INQUIRY

Wellington, May 13. The Nautical Committee of Inquiry into the wreck of the Taiaroa resumed its sittings this morning, when the following judgment was delivered by Mr Stratford, X.M?, and concurred in by Commander Hume R N and Captain Norric (nautical assessors) ■— ' The steamship Taiaroa left the port of Wellington ou Sunday, the 11th April ISS6, at 11.30, and steered a S. by W. compass course to 3.30 p.m., which brought her about abreast of Cape Campbell and distant therefrom about seven miles. She was kept on the same course to 4 p.m., when it w.is altered to S. % W. by the captain's orders to James West, ship's carpenter, an uneertificated officer, in charge of the afternoon watch, who immediately after the course had been altered was relieved by the second mate, to whom he (West) gave the altered course. It may be here mentioned that from the time the Taiaroa left Wellington Heads until 3.30 the wind was N.W., but shifted round to the southward and eastward about 4 p.m.—first moderately, but increasing with a S.E. swell, with occasionally a, heavy sea Land was plainly in sight on the starboard beani at 4 p.m., distant about six or seven miles to the southward of Cape Campbell. From4o'clock the weather began to thicken, with mist and rain obscuring the land, which was not seen a^ain until 5 p.m. by the captain and Gilbert Hutton (a passenger), and at 6.20 p.m. by the ship's carpenter (West), who thinks it was five to six miles off. There is no further evidence of it's being seen from the vessel tintil a few minutes before she struck, and then by the look-out man (John M'Kay), who, having relieved another look-out man at 7.5 p.m., went on the bridge at 7.10 p.m. and saw land on the port bow at 7.20 p.m. He told the- officer in charge of the watch (the first mate), who immediately left the_ bridge to call the captain, the helm in the meantime having been put over to starboard without orders. The captain came on the bridge a minute or two afterwards and altered the engine room telegraph to " Full speed astern." At that moment she struck on the starboard bilge from abreast the engine room aft. I find that the vessel was navigated safely up to 3.30 p.m., at which time the wind died away and a light southerly breeze sprang up, bringing with it a southerly swell, mist, and heavy rain. I am of opinion that the course ought then to have been altered to S. -| W.; and at 5 p.m., as the wind had increased to a smart gale, the sea also increasing on the port bow, the land being entirely obstructed by the mist, and the vessel probably making an unusual amount of leeway, owing to her being on a very light draught of water, the captain should have used the same judgment as he had on the previous occasion when he allowed a. quarter of a point for a N.W. wind on the quarter (and consequent current) in broad daylight and clear weather. He should have sailed out "at least a point in consideration of the abovementioned circumstances, combined with the fact that he must have known that he was near the lee shore, with thick weather, adverse current, wind an I sea on the weather bow, and approaching night; and as he had not entered his course, as a careful navigator would have done, he should have lessened his risk by placing a leadsman in the chains until the weather cleared off and his position was correctly ascertained. A cast of the lead at 6 or 6.30 p.m. would have told him plainly enough that he was too far inland. The captain ouglit to have taken cross bearings af Cape Campbell, in order,to have ascertained the position of the ship. His admission that he did not at any time look at the compass to see how the ship was steered, and the reasons given by him for not having done so—viz., that he thought it sufficient to have given the course to the officer in chargeof the watch—evinced a want of knowledge of his own duties and responsibilities. He ought also to have known whether then; was a distress signal-gun and Holmes' light on board. To sum up: It is with regret that I feel bound to say that the captain never did anything whatever to prevent a full-power steamer being driven by the wind and sea bodily to leeward broadside on to a beach 100 miles away from the port he was bound to; and, for the reason hereinbefore mentioned, I am of opinion that the certificate of competency, numbered 273, as a master mariner of George Ui-qu-hart Thompson should be cancelled, and accordingly is cancelled. I consider it my duty to place on record that on the occasion of the look-out man reporting land on the port bow to the first mat.i at 7.17 p.m., that officer, in my opinion, should have forthwith ordered the helmsman to starboard the helm and simultaneously have stopped the engines as an act of discipline, although it could not have saved the ship in this particular instance (a fact disclosed since) from grounding, as she was already too close to thn bottom for the water to have had any influence over her rudder. The Union Steam Ship Company have circulated ample and excellent rules for the guidance of their captains and officers and for the safety of their ships. If these were strictly obeyed the risks would be considerably reduced. The Taiaroa appears to have been properly equipped in every respect for her safety, but perhaps insufficiently manned in one respect—viz., that the services of an uneertificated officer should not have been called into requisition to take charge of a watch. I feel justified in saying that in view of the evidence of Messrs Grant, Hutton, and M'Quartier, expert witnesses, the captain did the very best thing he could under the circumstances after his second officer had reported that he could not effect a landing under the lee; that he was self-possessed, cool, considerate for others, and courageous. And with these conclusions as to his character I beg to recommend for the most favourable consideration of his Excellency that Captain Thompson shall be permitted to hold a mate's certificate for the present, and that a master's certificate shall be re-issued to him at the end of two years, provided that he shall have been at sea as a mate continuously during the interim. It was the favourable light raised by MrTravers", and supported by the evidence, together with the provisions of section 246 of the Shipping and Seamen's Act in my memory, that decided me to make this recommendation. A mere suspension would not have met the merits of the ease as it would have enabled Captain Thompson to be reinstated as a master mariner and to obtain a command without the two years' active experience, as a subordinate apparently necessary, that being the condition to be imposed to justify the recommendation"