NAUTICAL ENQUIRY.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 28, 16 January 1912, Page 5

NAUTICAL ENQUIRY.

INTO THE WRECK OF THE JANE DOUGLAS, 'v>i ' ■

<Ter Press Association.) h , ■ Nelson, January ; 13, A nautical inquiry into the wreck of the steamer Jane Douglas between Stephen and D‘Urville Islands on Wednesday morning was opened to-day before Mr J. S. Evans, S.M., and Captains McNab and Grey, .assessors. , Captain Watson, of the Pateena, said that Stephen Island passage was doemed dangerous, ~ and was bited by the. Union Steamship -. Company and the but the Blackball . Company’s? beats, used it. The passage was upfiAqn r gerous for a boat,like the Jane .-Douglas, nor was it necessary- for . -tlje master to take soundings .at .Uigbt, but if the land was obscured he slimrld go, outside the island,;', ,:It ; was quite prudent for Captain; Vendore' to take the passage on Tuesday night.-. , • Charles /Vendore,- '.master .-of qfhe - Jatio Douglas, said that'all hia experience had been on the Wellingtoh-Wqat Coast run.. He had taken'the' through The ’ Stephen -Tslaudr passage, •; ;; where* the only tide 1 npTwa's fqrya-fetV f’.i minutes, while outside 1 the island Pvt wbuld continue for a couple of-houfs. The Jane Douglas was a good ■ stqqring vessel and well found.. She . Was not insured. On Tuesday night, the sky was overcast, but tlie-mooh was up. Seven miles from'Stephen;-Is-land he changed the course. It was thou blowing Jiard from the soufhloast, and there was a considerable sea. Tower Rock, on which he struck, - w,as half a mile out from the mainlahd easily, and went by. that. He did .-riot see the rock before thq vessel struck, owing to the sea breaking oyerHe \ was steaming SJ knots. The engihper informed him that the shaft was broken and the propeller gone. The weather boat was got ready, the vessel being starboard on to the rock. The lifeboat on the lee side .was also got ready in a minute to cast off. /'As the vessel sank witness was op the bridge, and wont down with the ship, being picked up by the boat. /The only way ho could account for tile mishap was that, being deceived by the rip, he misjudged the distance from the mainland. He ho was the usual distance, from the mainland, and by observation and compass was all right. He did not consider the passage dangerous, and never had anyone to stand by when going through. _ , <;••>. ■ ■ The inquiry was adjourned till Monday. 1 ’ . ' • , ' " , Nelson, January 15. The inquiry into the wreck' of the Jane Douglas was continued to-day. Captain Hay, master of the steamer Kihan, gave evidence. He said he was acquainted with the passage between Stephens and d’Urville Islands, and sometimes took it. He would'have, done so without hesitation on Tuesday night if ho had missed the Luo at the French i'ass. He agree I with Captain Yendores that the course was a .safe one, and could only account for tho casualty by the tide setting the vessel out. ■ ' - Captain Vendore continued Ins evidence. He did not put on a look-out man. as he kept a look-out himself. Tho fireman in charge of the engineroom at the time of the accident_ Whs quite capable of working the engines. Archibald Ingram, mate of the vessel', boro on the. captain’s description of the conditions prevailing on the night of the accident. . V Thompson, steersman, said he steered to tho course set by the captain, which should have carried the vessel well within the Tower Rock. V The engineer, Brown, said he • was asleep at the time,’ but within a minute after the vessel struck he was in the engineroom, reversed the engines on instructions from the bridge, and i when the propeller shaft broke ho stopped them and blew off -steam. Other members of the qrew gave evidence, and the Court reserved itf decision until 10-morrow.