THE WAIKARE WRECK

Otago Witness, Issue 2914, 19 January 1910, Page 17

THE WAIKARE WRECK

NAUTICAL INQUIRY. THE OFFICIAL STORY. On the 12th inst. an inquiry, ordered by the Minister of Marine, was held concerning the wreck of the s.s. Waikare .n Dusky Sound on the 4th inst. Air H. A. Widdowson, S.M., presided, and the assessors assisting him were Captains Sundstrum and Post, Mr W. Sibbald (Collector of Customs) and Captain Beaumont (Superintendent of Marine) conducted the inquiry on behalf of the Marine Department, The former stated that the department sought to ascertain whether any "blame was to be attached to the officers or to the company for sending this steamier into the Sound. FORMAL EVIDENCE. Norman Beaumont, Superintendent of Mercantile Marine in Dunedin, produced the ■ official avid only chart of the West Coast Sounds. This was corrected, as far .-is he knew, -tip to the date of last issue—March, 1900. The chart showed Dusky Sound, with all soundings marked in fathoms. 1 Captain Robert, Strang, marine superintendent for the Union Steam Ship Company, gave formal evidence touching the cruise of the ship Waikare, number 101,450. William Joseph Newton, was master and held the usual certificate of competency issued by the Board of Trade, Liverpool. The Waikare belonged to the Union Company, was schooner-rigged, was registered at Dunedin, and her registered tonnage was 1901 tons. She was insured in outside companies for: £15,000. She was now a total loss. Captain Newton had been in the service of the comp any since 1856, and the comnany had every confidence in him. THE CAPTAIN’S STORY. Captain Newton (produced his master’s certificate, and stated that for 19 years he had been in the service of the Union Company as master. He look command of the Waikare on December 29, ami was ordered to take, her the following day on the usual excursion to the Sounds. Ho had been eight times to the Sounds—six as chief officer, once (recently) as passenger, —in order that he might refresh his memory of the Sounds—and once as master. His last trip as chief officer was 18 years ago, but ho still remembered the Sounds very well. On Monday, January 3, the Waikare started on her return voyage from Milford Sound. They entered Breaksea Sound at 5.25 a.m. on January 4, and at 6.44 a.m. they anchored in Wet Jacket Arm. They hove the anchor at 9 a.m., entered Dusky Sound, proceeded to the top, came back, and at 21 minutes past noon, when a couple of cables distant from Indian Island, the vessel struck something. Contact - lasted about five seconds, and shortly afterwards the engineer came on to the bridge and reoorted that water was- entering the stokehole and engineroom. He stopped the ship and lowered all the boats, and at 12134, when the engineer reported “lower fires under, water.’ ’ all the passengers were in the boats. He decided to beach the shin at Stop Island, being the only place he. could reach in the tivne at his disposal. He did so at 1 p.m., laying her broadside on to the island. After grounding, the vessel listed from starboard to port, end at 10.30 p.m on 'Wednesday she capsized on to her si dp. Water was making rapidly in all the Ikgßs and she was slowly filling. All the passengers followed the vessel to the island, where they were made, comfortable with such appliances as were at hand. When water commenced to com© in all (pumps were put into action, and the connecting watertight doors-were closed. At 5 o'clock in the afternoon he despatched the launch, with a boat and boat’s crew in tow, to Puysegur Lighthouse with a telegram to ihe" owners giving particulars of the accident. Mr Appleyard, who was in charge, had instructions to reach the lighthouse Before 8, when the telegraph offices closed, and he had further instructions to lose the boat he had if necessary in order to .permit of his reaching the lighthouse m time. - Tho was fine and dear all that day, but previous to that it had besn rainy and misty. Next day he look some on ladies to more comfortable quarters a*fc f house lately occupied by Mr Henry, th© Resolution Island caretaker, but before ho could get a second lot away tho Pioneer aorivod—about 3 o’clock. The Pioneer took th« passengers aboard, while the steam launch returned to Pigeon Bay to bring back the ladies referred to. All the pasaen„er3 and a portion of the crew were taken 1 board the warship, whioh convoyed them to the Bluff. The Waikare had capsized, a nd could not be salved. The depth under her agow was five fathoms, abreast the foremast

to heave tight the ropes which were taken I ashore, and this had to be clone by means i of tackle. SEARCHING FOR THE ROCK. He traced on the chart the track pnr- ! sued from Supper Cove down the Sound, and the track it was intended to follow after passing Indian Island—that was, a mid-channel course, avoiding all points of land and : rocks as far as possible. The vessel struck off the north-west portion of Indian Island, on which they placed a white paint mark. On the morning after the accident he proceeded to the locality with a steam launch and: two boats with lead lines, and after half an hour’s sounding the bo’s’n, in hauling in his line, found' the lead grating on a rock. It suddenly slipped off. They searched in the vicinity for an hour without again finding it, and also the following morning he and Captain ; M‘Donald searched) the same place for over an hour, but unsuccessfully. The white paint mark on Indian Island was S. 83d0,g. E. There were no soundings shown in that locality: any that had been attempted had been unbottomed. The rock touched by the bo’s’n was in the vicinity, apparently of where the ship struck, and, so far as could be judged, the obstruction wa.s from .15 to 20 feet under low water. The ship was drawing 15ft 9in forward and 17ft 4in aft when she struck, and it was about low water at the time. On the way to Pigeon Island with the launch ho found two rocks, which were not marked on the chart he .was using. So far as be knew, all the tracks pursued by_ steamers in the Sounds were clear —he had heard nothing to the contrary. AN UNSUSPECTED OBSTRUCTION. To Mr Sib bald: The Waikarc was going full speed when she struck the rock. The rise and fall of the tide there, according to the chart, were—spring, 10ft; neap, 6ft. He was trying to follow out the programme of the previous trip, and there was only a few minutes’ difference between the time the Waikarc passed through the Sound that day and the time she passed the week before. Of course it was high water the previous week at that time, bat the depths in the Sound were so considerable that the tides did not enter into their consideration. He was on the bridge, examining the chart, when the vessel struck. Ho followed as near as possible the course —a midchannel one followed bv Captain M‘Donakli the week before, but was of course steering by the island. The rock was uncharted. Mr Sibbald: Then you think a vessel could go through there and not touch? Captain Newton: Well, the fact remains, that vessels have been going i iirougu theie for 30 years without accident. Do you think the Sounds are imperfectly surveyed?—That is not for mo to say. The water is so deep in the place that you j would want to make a sweep to get an ] accurate survey. If the survey was to be j a close one it would take about 20 years. Could you take a vessel through there again safelv? —Yes, I took marks which would enable me to clear this place. He went on to say that from observations | which he made he considered that the ; vessel had been struck almost exactly j amidships. The Waikare had double j bottoms, exceot under the engine-room. | where the water first came in. Had her I double bottoms protected her there would j Tiav© been no difficulty, and be could have j brought her on to Dunedin on the Bluff. ) Do you. think, after thiertecident. that it is safe for any vessel to goth-rough there without bavin"’ a double bottom? —-Well, it is an act of God. If vou were told that there was only a double bottom to save vou. you would not "fit much pleasure out of the excursion. The companv wou’d not undertake these excursions if it thought there was any danger. Continuing, Captain Newton said that there was boat accommodation, for double the number of people. The place, ho : wanted to beach at wa.s Duck Cove, five miles away, and there was another equally good place four miles and a-half away, hut the engineer said he had no more steam than would carry the ship a. mile. Stop Island was the onlv spot near by where there were soundings. Everything was got 'out of the ship. About 10 days’ provisions were landed. There was no- confusion in getting the people out. He was surprised at the way the men managed to rig up tents ashore. At the time the vessel struck she was favouring the Indian Inland side so as to' avoid the islets oir the other side. If the vessel had not taken that list he would have tried- to reach one of the harbours. If she could have gone on full speed for 10'minutes he would have saved tiie ship. To Captain Beaumont: Dusky Sound was not like Milford! Sound, which, free from rooks, etc:,’ was a "“clean ” Sound. It was considered safe to Work the Sound at full ■

one bearing on to the rock: they had been unable to secure a cross bearing. ] GENERAL MANAGER’S EVIDENCE. ( Charles Holdsworth, general manager of 1 the Union Steam Ship Company, stated j that he was aware that Captain Newton ! was in charge of the Waikare on the last j trip, and that he was a master in whom j they had the utmost confidence. The Waikare was properly equipped with life-saving j appliances, and was insured in various | companies and Lloyds for £15,000. The ! company provided everything on board to meet all possible emergencies. When news of the wreck was received stops wore immediately taken, to do everything necessary to bring the passengers to the Bluff. He detailed the steps taken. AN EXPERT’S STATEMENTS. Captain Colin M‘Donakl, assistant marine superintendent, stated that ho had had 14 years’ experience as master mariner, I and had been 21 years in, the service ot the company. Ho had been seven times in charge of excursions to the Sounds — six times on the Waikare and once on I the Talune. He bad been in charge of the Waikare on her second last trip. Each of his trips had included Dusky Sound. Captain Newton had accompanied him on his last trip as a passenger. Witness had always followed the track through Dusky Sound between Indian Island and the Passage Isles, which had been marked by Captain Newton as having been followed by him. In these journeys lie had never taken the tide into’ consideration: he might have passed there during low tide. The Waikare, on her last trip, was on the same draught as on her previous trip. He had not looked upon passing through these Sounds with a ship with a single bottom as being especially dangerous. Witness added (in reply to a question as to what measures should be taken to safeguard navigation, in those waters) that a good deal could be done in surveying Dusky Sound, Wet Jacket Arm, Doubtful Sound, and Thomson Sound, if the Admiralty would lay down on them an approved track or course. The cost of such a survey would not be much, and it would' enable people to make the trip to this beautiful scenery free of doubt or fear. “ I have the feeling myself,” he continued, “ that meet of these places are perfectly free, but Dusky is a place that shows signs of being broken up at the entrance, though farther up it shows bold headlands.” He had made a search for the rock in the vicinity of where the Waikare struck, but had found nothing. It was part of his duty to sec that the ship was properly manned and equipped, and this was done. She had last been surveyed by the Government in October, 1909, and had been inspected just prior to each of her last trips. She carried 86 of a crew and 141 passengers (including the band); had 407 lifebelts, and accommodation for 471 adults in her beats and launches. He and Mr MTntyre, repair superintendent, went together in the Moura to the scene of the wreck and decided, after inspection, that the Waikare could not be salved. Ail the gear that was salved was taken aboard the Mourn, and Mr MTntyre, Mr Appleyard, two carpenters, two A.B.s, and a cook were left behind at the wreck. Their instructions were. to salve everything possible, and pile it on the rocks near the wrecked vessel. The Moura then returned to Dunedin. No definite instructions were given to the men remaining behind to try to locate the rock. Mr Sibbaki; We have heard something about these Sounds not being properly surveyed?—l consider them almost as well surveyed as the New Zealand coastline, but I do not consider that properly sur- j veyed—far from it. I feel that, as 1 have said, it would be better to survey a track through certain of the Sounds. This would remove any uneasiness, and save the expense of making a complete survey. With the knowledge that you have gained lately concerning Dusky Sound', j would you care to drive your ship at full I speed through that passage? —No, I don’t think I would. Mr Widdowson: You have heat’d the evidence of Captain Newton. What, in your opinion, did the Waikare strike on? — I could not offer an opinion. Did she, in your opinion, strike a rock? —lt must have been a rock, your Worship. I do not know what els© it could' have been. | Captain Newton: I took my bearings i when the vessel struck. Therefore I would i be prepared to go full speed through there | at any time. Continuing his evidence after the ! luncheon adjournment, Captain M‘Donald detailed the insurances on the vessel. There were a number of small amounts scattered over many offices. Lloyd’s held a xiajc of £6270. A PASSENGER’S' EVIDENCE. Andrew Todd, manager of the Otago Co-operative Association, who

was then about a quarter of a mil© from Indian Island. The first indication j of the accident he had was that the 1 vessel seemed to lift up, and she bumped j twice. He went forward, and they were ■ sounding on the port side. A man called out “Dry ship”: then'they tested the starboard side, and called “ Dry ship.” Ho returned to tell his friends that there was no danger, and noticed passengers : with lifebelts! on. Within a minute the boats were being got out, and then he noticed S that the vessel was taking a list to starj board. The passengers got into the boats ; in a very orderly manner: there was a total absence of panic of any sort. No man got into the boats before the ladies were all out of the ship. Within the short time available most excellent provision was made for the comfort of the passengers on Stop Island. So far as he could see, there appeared to be officers and men distributed over the boats, which were, well equipped with water, , etc, THE MEDICAL OFFICER. Dr Roberts, who was medical officer on the Waikare during the : excursion, said he had not particularly noted the position of the vessel, but had the impression that she was nearer the shore than he considered was usual in the Sounds. Still, he would not say that they were lees than a quarter of a mile from Indian Island. It was his fifth trip to the Sounds. When she struck he noticed only a vibration, which lasted a few seconds. The vessel seemed to strike in the forepart first, but kept on an even keel. He at Once looked at the captain (he was on the bridge at. the time), and heard the captain remark that they “had struck something not marked on the chart.” He noticed people running up from below and officers come to the bridge and reported something to the captain. The boats were lowered in a. remarkably short time, and ho got into the last boat but one. He saw nothing in the way of panic or disorder., All the boats but one kept near the steamer, and followed her to Stop Island. To Captain Beaumont; He could not say for certain whether the ship was in the centre of the channel or not. v THE CHIEF OFFICER. James Gerald Doorly, who had been chief officer on beard the Waikare, produced his master’s certificate issued by the Board of Trade. He was in the pursers office when the ship struck. It was not hie watch on deck. He felt throe bumps, and told the purser they had struck a rock. He blew his whistle, told the carpenter to sound the wells, and went to the captain on the bridge. The captain pointed out that there was nothing on the chart to indicate a rock, and in less than three minutes afterwards the ship listed. The captain gave an order to clear away the boats, and this was done promptly. The passengers were then ordered into the boats, each in its turn being filled and passed on. There was no confusion or fright among the passengers. There were not more than 12 or 15. of the crew loft on deck after the passengers were got away. They proceeded under steam as fast as the ship would go, and beached her at Stop Island. Approximately, the vessel was in the middle of the channel. He had been six times on tiie Sounds trips—five times as first officer, once as second. Ho believed that the second officer was on the bridge with the captain 'when he went up there after the accident. Each boat was sent away in charge of members of the crew. The captain took charge of tire vessel at 9 o’clock that morning, when they left Wet Jacket ■ Arm, and was in command when she ' struck. Very little of the passengers’ luggage and effects was lost. THE STEERSMAN’S STORY. Angus M'Lean said he was steersman when the Waikare struck a rock just after noon on. January 4. S.W. by W. was the course he got when he took the wheel. The land on either side seemed to be equidistant, and the captain was standing near him, giving him his course. The captain was on the starboard side, beside the compass, from the time witness went on duty to the time of the accident, and the second officer was on the port side alongside the telegraph. Shortly before she struck he got an order to alter the course half a point to the south. This kept her in midchannel. He heard the captain say that he had struck something that was not on the chart. Ho got an order to put the helm hard a-port, which headed the ship for' Stop Island, where she was afterwards beached. The ship wag then stopped, and he was told to go and sec that everyone was at boat stations. He left the ship in one of the boate. To Captain Newton: He heard I he whistle blow for boat stations. He was steeringthe ship when she passed there the previous week, and thought they were not so

> former trip, having heard the passengers i remark on it. | I THE ENGINEER’S EVIDENCE. , I Patrick James Hickey, who was chief j engineer aboard the Waikare, said he was , | standing on the deck just previous to rho , 1 accident, but did not particularly note the I position of the vessel. He rushed h-dow as :■ -on as she struck, and gave orders to put i the pumps into action. Water was coming; :n ragely under the starboard boiler. Ho j should say that the outer plating of tho • Waikare was at least half an inch thick,. , J but the result of the collision depended j upon the rate at which the ship was travelling and the character of the object enj countered. He had the watertight doora , closed, and reported to the captain that water was coming in freely. The boat was ■ stopped, and the passengers wore sent | away. He reported that the lower; fires, about 3ft above the bottom of the vessel, were put out, and when he (the captain* learned that there was sufficient steam to carry her to Stop Island he gave the order to go full speed ahead. There, was 4ft, of water in the engine-room when the boat was beached. The fires had then been out six minutes, and she was travelling under the steam in the boilers. They shut off' Steam i, then, he and the second engineer being the I last men to leave the engine-room.- , 1 To Captain Eaumont: The watertight doors and pumps were all in satisfactory working order. To Captain Newton: He did not remember stating that the vessel could not I reach Duck Cove, five miles away, but did recollect saying that she hail, just steam enough to reach Stop Island, one ; mile and a-half away. John M‘Arthur, second engineer on Iward the Waikare, said that ho was in the messroom when the. shin struck. He went, to the engine-room, and got orders to close the watertight doors, put on ilia bilge injectors, and get the pumps into action. His next order was Stop.” and from 10 to 15 minutes afterwards, lie got 1 “ Full speed ahead.” Water was coming in freely, and the boat took a heavy ■ list to starboard. She had 2tt of wakr on the front platform when the ship i started to go ahead. j Alexander Invera.rity. fourth engineer on the. Waikare. stated that he was in i the engine-room, in charge of the engines,, when the ship struck. He gave corro- , borative evidence. i To Captain Newton: As there was 4ft of water over the engine-room plates, and I the latter were 2ft above the tank, the.r» must have been 6ft of water in the ship. > William Lowson, who bad been. a. fireman on duty when the Waikare struck, gave corroborative evidence. 1 SOME FURTHER PARTICULARS. 1 Captain Beaumont, recalled, stated thai | the Waikare was surveyed by the Covem- ! roent Surveyor at Port Chalmers on October 28, 1909. and by a. representative of , the Inspector of Machinery, who granted i a certificate for a year. Oti her last tup ‘ she had 10 boats aboard. Captain Newton (recalled) stated that Mr Appleyard, who was on the bridge with him when the vessel struck, and the boatswaini, who located the rock, were still at Dusky Sound. Mr Appleyard left | the ship (after the accident in charge of , one of the boats, and he (the captain) steered the ship himself to Stop Island. He was with the boatswain when tha latter’s sounding-line got fast on to something, and' saw the tine tighten up and then suddenly drop. The Chief Engineer (P. J. Hickey) recalled, gave further particulars of tha j expedition during which the boatswain struck the rock. The Second Engineer stated that he was watching the boatswain. He saw tlio latter hauling in his line, which waa slack; he hauled in about a fathom, and then the lead seemed to drop into deep water and the line became taut. They tried for another hour to find this rock. | again, but unsuccessfully, i Mr Sibbald asked whether the court , wished to hear the evidence of the men , mow at Dusky Sound. Personally, he did j not think it necessary. The court did not think this evidence necessary. When asked if he wished to address the court, Mr Sibbald said that that was scarcely necessary. He would’ simply submit these questions to the court: —Did the Waikare strike a rock, charted or uncharted ? Did the master exercise every care in navigating the vessel ? Was the vessel properly equipped with boats and life-saving appliances as would enable her to cope with such a. disaster? As far as the latter question was concerned - , he did not think that any charge could be laid I against the Union Steam Ship Company. Mr Widdowson : In view of the evidence I supnose you wish to draw attention to the fact that the chart is defective, t Mr Sibbald: Yes, sir.

to the eo»rt to-day. The whole thing is very clear and plain—nothing subtle about it. It requires no great intellect to grasp the fa,ws—everything was very simple. Ho said that ho wished, however, to draw attention to the very able manner in which the officers iantd men performed their duties. He had never seen it equalled They had done their work in a third less time than ha had ever seen boat drill performed in. The passengers had behaved .admirably, the conduct of women particularly being excellent. Ho wished to thank the crew for the very able manner in which they had carried out his orders —,although, as a matter of fact, he had given no orders after the signal went for boat stations: the. men. seemed to know exactly what to do, and did it thoroughly and well. DECISION OF THE COURT. CAPTAIN EXONERATED. CONGRATULATORY REFERENCES. In the Magistrate’s Court on Thursday afternoon, Mr H. Y. Widdowson, on behalf of the Court of Inquiry, delivered judgment as follows: The court, having carefully inquired into the circumstances attending this casualty, in answer to the questions submitted, find, for the reasons stated—1. That the vessel struck on an uncharted rock in Dusky Sound, between Indian Island and Passage Isles, at about 12.20 p.m.' on January 4, 1910, resulting subsequently in a. total wreck. 2. That the master (Captain Newton) exercised every care in navigating the vessel in Dusky Sound. 3. That the vessel was fully equipped and found in every respect in case of disaster. 4. Every means was adopted for saving the lives of the passengers and crew and the ship after the disaster, and also for ensuring the comfort of the passengers until rescued. 5. That the rock v,poia which the vessel struck is not marked on the chart. 'The evidence shows that the s.s. Waikare, which was on her return journey from an excursion trip to the West Coast Sounds, and while in charge of Captain William Joseph Newton, struck an uncharted rock in Dusky Sound, between Indian Island and Passage Isles, at about 12.20 p.m. on January 4, 1910. The ship was beached at Stop Island, and at about. 10.30 p.m. on the following day became a total wreck. The shin was navigated in a careful and seaman like manner, and there is nothing in the chart showing any dangers existing in the course taken by the ship. All the witnesses agree as to the ship’s position at the time of striking, and the only soundings marked on the chart in the vicinity show no bottom at 136 fathoms. The court is of opinion that no blame whatever is attributable to the master in respect of the disaster. The evidence shows that the ship was fully equipped and well found in every respect, and. every means was adopted for saving the lives of the passengers and crew and Hi© ship after the disaster, and also for ensuring the comfort of the passengers until they were rescued on January 6, 1910. No lives were lost, and practically the whole of the passengers’ effects were saved. The rook upon which the vessel struck is not marked on the chart. The court desires to place on record the splendid achievement of the captain and the discipline and promptitude of the officers and crew in lowering the boats and placing the passengers in safety and attending to their comforts, and afterwards in doing their utmost to save the vess-a!; and also the prompt manner with which the Union Steam Ship Company despatched a relief steamer to the scene of the disaster. Under the circumstances the master’s certificate has been returned to him. His Worship added; I have much pleasure, captain, in handing you back your certificate. Captain Newton, from the back of the court, replied: Thank you, sir.