MARINE ENQUIRY.

Colonist, Volume LI, Issue 12457, 5 February 1909, Page 3

MARINE ENQUIRY.

CHIEF OFFICER'S EVIDENCE. [Pmbs Association— Copyright.] Adelaide, b'eb. 4. The marine Board inquiry into tbe loss of tho steamer Clanranald has opened. ■ . Mr Ross, chief mate, handed in a report that the vessel suddenly listed to about 45 degrees and became unmanageable. She was allowed to drift inshore to within a mile of tbe land, '> when, the starboard : anchor was let go in IS , fathoms. : E ven tv - ally; No. 5 hatoh started, and it was washed adrift. The vessel settled down on her broadside and sank stern first. He had no idea what caused tbe ship to list over and -eventually founder. Examined by the President, tbe witness said tbe ship was on the bottom the day before leaving port, and had a -list of three or four degrees to starboard. On leaving, when the pilot left the ship, the captain asked witness to look after the navigation, as he was not well. Pressed on ' the point, witness thought that tbe captain had been drinking heavily. There was no indication that the vessel struck anything. He with the second mate and Lascars tried to clear a boat, in which the captain had been placed, but she fouled the rigging, and witness had to abandon the attempt. The vessel had no collapsible boats or service rafts. The best behaviour obtained among the officers and orew. ' : The President: What was the captain doing? Witness: We found him lying on tbe floor of tha oabin in a dazed condition. Evidently the sudden list had jerked him out of his bunk. • r He was sensible, but seemed frightfully weak. We helped him on deck and put him inside a boat abreast his cabin. He was too weak to take command. „ Witness was of opinion that the vessel would have ridden through but for the hatch coming oif and l>tting the water below. All the boats were free when tbe steamer sunk. He could account for the.accident only by the vessel being topheavy In tne seaway through carrying 70 tons of coal on the turret deck. The inquiry was adjourned, a diver being despatched to examine tbe bull of the sunken vessel.