THE ROTOMAHANA ENQUIRY.

Timaru Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 2772, 11 August 1883, Page 2

THE ROTOMAHANA ENQUIRY.

The enqniry into the grounding of the s.s. Kotomahana at "Waipapa Point on the morning of August 4th was commenced at the Bcsident Magistrate's Court, Dnnedin, on Thursday, before Mr E. H. Carew, R.M., and Captains Scott, E.N., and Thomson, Harbor Master, Nautical Assessors. Captain M. Carey, master of the s.B, Eotomahana, deposed that by inadvertence he had left his certificate m Sydney. The steamer left Port Chalmers on Friday, August 3rd, on a voyage to Melbourne via the Bluff. About 3.45 p.m. she was drawing about 16ffc Sin aft and 13ft 6in forward. He produced the logbook, which was written up at the Bluff, the practice being to make the entries from the bridge-book each day. Witness produced the bridge-book. Taiaroa Head was cleared at 4.20. There was a south-east wind and a slight swell. They passed Cape Saunders at 5.15, and from there witness set the coarse south south-west. The steamer passed Cape Sanndcrs about two miles off. The two patent logs were set at this 'time. At 8.15 witness altered the course south by west half west, the wind freshening a little. The steamer had been then going at the rate of ten knots an hour. She passed the Knggets at 10.45. Witness saw the light himself at 10 o'clock. When abreast of the Nuggets, the wind had died away, and the steamer was set to her original conrse. The logs were hanled m, and one registered 55i and the other 56* miles. At 12.30 a.m., the course was altered to S.W. by W- There was a light wind off shore, and a slight swell. It was clear overhead. At 1.30 a.m., the course was again altered to W. by S. At that time the vessel was eight miles off shore. At three o'clock, the log 3 were hauled m and registered 95J, and 95, and the course was altered to S.W. Up to this time, witness had seen Brothers' Point, Waikawa and Slope Point. Witness ran at thia for twenty minutes, and altered the course to W. by S. At three o'clock he could see (Slope Point, and estimated it to be three or four miles distant. Abont 3.45 the second mate (MrGresham), who was then on dnty on the look-ont bridge, ran to the telegraph to stop, and called out "Breakers on the port bow." Witness was on the main bridge underneath the flying 1 bridge, and he put the telegraph " Full speed astern" immediately. Witness ran to the look-ont bridgo and saw breakers on the port bow, half a mile off or less. He could not see the shore, bat saw the high land eight or nine miles off. The beach is a low sandy one, and was covered with a mist. The steamer had almost lost her way within two or three minutes, and Bhe then touched lightly twice. She continued to go full speed astern, but her head slewed round to the north, heading m to the shore. This was caused by the current, no donbt. There was very little wind and a southeast swell, and no break except on the reef. When witness went to the look-out bridgo he mot the second officer coming down, and found the quartor-maater at the wheel. He took the helm, and the quarter-master went to heave the lead. Two minutes after the first bump the steamer struck again astern, and ho then shifted the helm hard a-port and telegraphed " slow {ahead." She then bumped several times astern, moving slowly between the bumps. She hung a little after oaoh bump. From sis to eight minutes after sho first bumped she was afloat, and the lead reported five fathoms . The hebnwas then hard a-port, and lie saw a rook on the starboard bow and another at sea. The steamer was heading E.N.E. He then shifted the holm harda-star-board. The engines went slow ahead and the leadsman called out five fathoms. Sho then bumped slightly amidships, and ho saw breakers on the port side. The leadsman was calling out from four to seven fathoms. She passed the rocks on the starboard side. The water gradually got deeper and witness stopped the vessel at seventeen fathoms. About ten minutes after this witness saw Dog Island light, W. or W. iS. It was high water at 2.30. The flood stream ran an hour or so after high water m shore. At the time of the first grounding (3.45) the tide was an hour's ebb in-shore. The chart shows the flood stream to set to the eastward, but his experience was that it was ranoh. influenced by the wind. He found on reaohing the Bluff that there had been a gale to the sonth for three days provious. The vessel lay-to nntil 6.45, when sho proceeded to the Bins without further mishap, arriving abont 9.30. Had thore been a light on Waipapa Point, the steamer could not have possibly have got m the position she had. He Could only account for tho mishap by there being some unusually strong current. Witness expected to pick up Dog Island light before fonr o'clock, and to havo found the vessel more to the north. She was abont three miles more to tho south than ho expeoted, and she must have made that from three o'olock. She must have set threo miles ont of her course from three o'clock. The accident, m his opinion, was due to the vessel being set ont of her courso by a current. He had no reason to believe that the chart was incorrect, although it ia said that there are rocks outside of those Bhown on it. He knew every point of land along the coast, and felt sure that the compasses were correct. They were swung m November last. He considered it was perfectly safe to go at the speed they were before striking— ten knots. The steamer had four •watertight compartments, was built of steel, and had a double bottom from the enirinoloom to the stern post. She was bronchi from the Bluff to Fort Chalmers and docked. Witness saw the vessel m tho dock. Found that at the lower hold seven or eight plates were indented half an inch. He felt no doubt that if the vessel had been of iron the rocks would have gone through those plates. There was loakage into tho donble bottom, but not into the body of tho hull. From the fact that the ressel got into deep water so soon after striking he presumed that ehs must have been near tho extreme point of the reef. Witness had no reason to think that the Admiralty chart was defective. The

vessel was insured for L35,000-L30,000 at Homo, L4OOO m tho colony, and LIUW) m the Company's insuranco account, olio was valued at "L 50.000. Witness had boon at sea thirty-two years, nearly tweuty-six on the New Zealand coast, Ho had never had an accident on a voyage before. For the last twenty-two yoar3 ho had mado tho samo voyage off and on, and for tho last six years ho had mndo it regularly. Ho intendod taking tho same conr3O as usual. In thick or doubtful weather his practice was not to go beyond Slopo Point during tho night. It was the practice to heave the lead m donbtful weather, as it gave a good indication of the position of tho vosscl. Ho did not heave tho lead that night boforo tho accident because thero was no doubt m his mind as to his position. It was not tho practico to heave the load on a fine night. To get proper soundings it would bo necessary to stop the vessel going at ten knots. Good indications of tho depth of water could bo got within six or eight fathoms. After the vessel first touched tho carpenter sounded tho well and reported that sho was making no water. From about 12.30— the timo ho went on tho deck— ho called out every halfhour or so to tho officer on tho bridge, and ascertained what conrso was being steered. From 12.30 ho was not nioro than fivo minutes at a timo away from tho main bridge. Ho occasionally went into tho cabin to consult the chart, and he made out the conrso steered on it. Tho compasses had worked well boforo and since tho accident. Tho pumps wero sounded m less than five minutes after the first hump, and the order was immediately given " Boat stations," and all the men wore at their posts. They had boat drill every Saturday at sea. When a vessel was going ten knots an hour no practical good could be got from taking soundings, except where there was very shallow water. In bad weather, when it was necessary to tako soundings tho vessel would be stopped for the purposo. At the time he last altered tho courso if soundings had been taken tho position of the vessel would have beon determined with tolorablo accuracy. Tho vessel was steered by tho standard compass. His room was T on the bridge, and the chart was kept on the table, and the officer had acees3 to it. The lead was kept over tho side while lying-to, m order to ascertain whether she was drifting. The look-out sang ont, "breakers ahead,' simultaneously with tho second officer. Ho had never found his reckoning out mnch at the spot before. He had sometimes stopped till morning. He had found himsolf a milo or two out occasionally, but not more. Tho last course he had shaped was intended to pass three miles from tho rocks at Waipapa Point. That would enable him to pick out the Dog Island light, and avoid tho rock outside. His impression was that tho threo days' southerly gale would have tho effect of increasing the current to tho shoro. William Gresham, second mate, stated that his certificate was also left m Sydney. Ho was on duty on tho Rotomahana last voyage from 12 to 4. His post was tho look-out bohind. Ho relieved tho third mate, and the course was then sonth-south-wo3t. At 12.30 it was altered to south-west by west, at 1.30 to west by south, and at 3 o'clock to south-west. The log was taken m at this time. At 3.20 tho course was altered to west by sonth-wost, whioh was adhered to until the accident occurred. About 3.45 witness saw a white stream on tho port bow, and he sang out "breakers on tho port how; hard a-port." They were under half a milo distant. Ho ran to the tolograph, and gave tho order to stop: Tho captain almost at tho same second gave tho order, " full speed astern." Witness repeated tho order, so that every bit of steam would be utilised. Up to this timo, the vessel had been going about nine or ton knots. He called tho captain about half -past 12, and ho remained on the main bridge. Sevoral times the captain callod to him to know how tho vessel was being steered. Each time witness gave tho true courso the vessel was being steered. About two or threo minutes after, ho called out that thero wero breakers ahead. Tho vessel struck, but not on tho rocks causing tho breakers. Sho touched very lightly. Before she touched, the captain gave orders to heave the lead, and witness went to the boats, the word being passed on to clear them away. The steamer kept bumping for a quarter of an hour before she cleared tho reef. When witness first saw tho brcakors tho high land was right abreast on the starboard side. The low land was not visible. The night was pretty clear. Before sho touched ho thought ho was fivo or six miles from tho land. Witness had been at sea nine years, and had been eighteen months on the Melbourno lino. Tho night was not such an one as would requiro soundings to ho taken. He called out "Breakora ahead," before the look-out. At 12 o'clock tho Nuggets' light was visible. It seemed to him to ho then twelvo miles distant. He left the bridge at half-past 12 to call tho captain, and at 3 o'clock to tell him what was on the log. He was not more than a minute and a-half off tho bridge at nny timo. Tho look-out had to sing out ovory "timo tho bell struck. The watch was two hour 3.

William Robortson, third engineer : Was on duty from 12 to i. At 11 minutas to 4 the signal was given to stop, aud about fivo seconds after the order was given to go full speed astern. This was repeated three or four times. The chief engineer then came and took charge, and witness was told off to go to tho stoke-hole and watch the steam and water, and see tho vessel was not making water m the bilges. Tho engines wero making SU.G revolutions por minnte before the order was given to stop. Full speed was 08. Samuel Duffy, able seaman, was on the lookout from 2to 4. He could not sea any landmarks he knew. He could soo tho coast, but no head-lands. About 20 or 25 minutes to 4 he saw breakers on tho port bow. Ho sang out, and then ran down on to the main deck to call the crew. As soon as he sang out he heard the telegraph rung by tho second mate. Ho had beon twelvo years at sea, and seven on the Melbourno line. Ho was looking out for tho Dog Island light, but ho did not see it during his watch. He considered the vessel was m her nsual course.

Abraham Peterson, A.8., said he was steering at 3 a.m. The courso was altered to south-west. It was again altered to west by south, and ho stoered that courso until tho vessel strnck.

Albert Dndor, chief officer, knew nothing of the affair previous to tho vessel striking. Ho judged they were a mile andf a half off shoro. He attended to getting tho boat 3 ready, and they were ready m from seven to ton minutes after the ordor was given. He could not acconnt for the vessel getting into the position sho did. He considered the vessel had had a very narrow escape. These wero all the witnesses. Captain Carey was asked if ho wished to call any evidence, but ho said not. Mr Carow said they would give their decision on Monday.