INQUIRY INTO VESTRIS DISASTER

Stratford Evening Post, Issue 75, 1 August 1929, Page 5

INQUIRY INTO VESTRIS DISASTER

OVERLOADING WAS CHIEF CAUSE OF SINKING COMPANY'S OFFICERS HELD TO BLAME. CAPTAIN SHOULD HAVE SENT S.O.S. BEFORE (Received f).3fl a.m.) LONDDN, .July :sl. The most protracted marine inquirj .in British history culminated in aj lengthly .report on the Testris disaster, in which the Commissioner, Mr. Aspinal, expressed the opinion that one of the chief contributory causes to the sinking was overloading, fcome. blame must be attached to Mr Woods the owners'" registered manager, and |Mr "David Cook, representing the New York agents, who had not taken | proper steps to prevent overloading. These were ordered! to pay £SOO costs. Mr Wheeler, Marine Superin.tc)"'dent, was blameworthy in a lesser (lcgreo. Mr Heasley, Assistant Superintendent, was blameworthy in a still lesser degree. The Commissioner foun'tl that Cook, Wheeler and Heasley were guilty of wrongful default, wmrli contributed to the vessel's loss. The captain should have, sent out the S.O.S. six hours earlier. Bis action regarding the boats was open to criticism, ana the Vestris was" not in a safe condition on leaving Hoboken. She was unfit to encounter sea preils. The reason why more boats bad not left the ship was probably that the disaster came before, it was expected. There was no lack of order or discipline among the crew and| there was no fault to find with the ship's equipment.

The court recommended that thlj Board of Trade rules applying to all foreign-going passenger ships n.ndj Consuls should observe, the draughts of British ships leaving foreign ports and report to the Board of Trade.