WRECK OF THE PENGUIN.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13837, 24 February 1909, Page 6

WRECK OF THE PENGUIN.

THE NAUTICAL ENQUIRY. INTERESTING EVIDENCE. Per Press "Association. "WELLINGTON, Feb. 23. Captain Kennedy, of the steamer Maponrika, was the first witness examined at the Penguin enquiry to-day. Captain Kennedy said that he had heen engaged as master for the Union Company in the Picton-Wellington service for some, years, and had Captain Naylor under him as an officer. The latter was an exceptionally careful and reliable man. On the Saturday following the wreck witness passed through Cook Strait with the Mapourika, bound from the West Coast to Wellington. 'lt took him two hours and a half to do 13 miles. Only once previously had. he experienced such an extraordinary flow of the tide. Witness was shown the course Captain Naylor took on the fatal night. The course, he said, was an exceptionally safe.,one under ordinary conditions. Air Herdman: How would you account for the accident ? Witness: The abnormal set through the Straits. Continuing, witness said that to take soundings with hand gear. Captain Naylor would have had to stop his ship. It would take about 15 minutes to stop the ship. In any case, one sounding would : have been no good; two or three casts would be required. He did not think patent sounding gear was necessary on coasting ships. Mr Herdman: "When there is no light visible in the Strait, it is suggested that it is the duty of a captain to put out to sea; if'that.were the rule, what would happen? Witness: It could not be done. At almost every point on the New Zealand coast the weather alters; it might be calm at N the Brothers and a gale blowing at Terawhiti. If a -captain' followed the course suggested he would be stopping and pulling out all the time.

Counsel: You must run your ship to a position; you must keep lier going ? Yes; in Cook Strait, where there are undue influences against you." Counsel: In coming out of Tory Channel, if. a captain shaped a course south-east by east, would that be a prudent course, and would it be prudent to keep going?— Yes; I- believe Captain Naylor said he could see two or three miles to sea.' I should say he would be able to see one mile to leeward. • ■

Mr Myers: Captain Naylor does riot say that.

Mr Myers: Do you say seriously, Captain Kennedy, that a. patent sound-, ing apparatus is not necessary on. a coasting ship? Witness: They are useful if you have got them. You told Mr Herdmau that a patent sounding apparatus was not necessary; do yon seriously and solemnly say that now? —No; no more of a necessity than a light on Tongue Point. Dr. McArthur: We don't want you -to make comparisons. Mr Myers: Do you seriously say that a patent sounding apparatus is not necessary on a coasting ship? Witness: It is an acquisition. Counsel: I want an answer, "Yes" or "No," to my question. Witness: I cannot go so far as that. Counsel: You would not go so far ? Will you say then in what ships in jour opinion it would.be necessary?— ' i ships making land after a long voy;...p it would be useful, because such vessel would have been taking soundings in deep wafer. Counsel: I put it to you, Captain Kennedy, that if a patent sounding apparatus is necessary in any ship it is a coasting ship?—lt is quite a modern invention. The old-fashioned lead lasted many years.

Do you not know that you can take soundings with a patent apparatus without stopping a ship?— That is so. Is not the patent sounding apparatus preferable to the lead ?—Yes; but you can do without it.

I put it to you now, do you not think the patent souuding gear is necessary?—lt is a convenience. I suppose it is costly?—l don't think the "Union Company would study that.

Mr Myers: Please don't make inferences.

Mr Herdman: That was your suggestion.

Mr Myers (to. witness): Is it costly? —Witness: Not exceptionally, so far. as I know. The patent sounding gear lias been in use on the Atlantic liners for about thirty years. Continuing, he admitted that there were "undue influences" asairist a ship .in tidal waters. In Cook Strait the tides were very strong. A captain did not always get the tide he expected. Counsel put it to the witness that where there were "undue influences," a safe course on the one hand and a risk on the other, that the safe course should have been taken.

AVitness replied that the "constant reiteration " gave a man confidence. There had. he admitted, been a groat manv accidents in Cook Strait. He

did not know that in almost every case of accident in the Strait, the answer was exceptional currents. Mr Myers asked if, taking all the sea "undue influences" into account, the captains should not take every precaution to provide against them? —Witness: They do. Mr Myers: I ask you, in the name of commonsense, where a captain loses all lights and does not know where he is, do you say he should go on? —Witness: I say he can go on a safe course for a distance. You suggest that if it becomes dark or a little dirty, you should not work Cook Strait. Mr Myers: I go a long way towards saying that. Witness: Then the travelling public would have a good deal to say about it and the press too. Mr Myers: The safety of the public is the first consideration. Captain Kennedy went on to give details of the rate of flow of the current in different parts of the straits on Saturday. To- Mr Levi: Witness had never been questioned by the company as to timetable running. The company left matters entirely to its masters in the matter of the running of ships. The safety, of life was rlways a first consideration. Re-examined' by Mr Herdman: The weather in the Strait was always changing. If the theory of putting to sea was to be followed, a captain would be steering a zigzag course; he would be looking for trouble. Dr McArthur: But he would not find it. . In reply to further questions by counsel witness said that in his opinion the wreck was due to the abnormal set in the tide. Dr. McArthur put a hyppothetical case to the witness and endeavoured to extract from him what he would have done under the circumstances. He asked witness if he left Tory channel at 10 to 8 and steered-till 9.30 and then could not pick up a light, what would he have done? Would he have gone on? (The case put hy the Court exactly coincided with the running of the Penguin on the Friday night the wreck ocenrred.)

-Witness, after some thought, said he would be guided by circumstances. On a south-east by east course he would be inclined to continue on'.

Thomas Eckford, captain of the Opawa, who crossed from "Wellington to Blenheim on 12th February, said he did not notice anything extraordinary in the currents. He ran his ship from 4.15 p.m. (the time he left "Wellington) till 10.30, when he stopped to take soundings' and altered his course two points. One had to anticipate variations in the current in crossing Cook Strait.

To Mr Herdman: Witness allowed one point for tide and the wind. The Opawa steamed seven knots per hour. The captain of the Penguin in allowing one point and considering his vessel steamed 12 knots, would, be making an ample allowance. On Saturday morning witness found himself iii the bight off Port "Underwood. His hoat had been affected by the tide to a considerable extent. It was a strong flood tide, but it was not exceptional. Of course, the strength and etfeet of the tide would largely depend on what particular portion of the strait a vessel was in. To Captain Smith: Witness took his soundings with a lead. The lead was not armed (i.e., greased). Captain Smith: I want to make it clear to the Court that there are a number of soundings of say 25 fathoms, you can determine which .'one you have got if the lead is "armed."' Captain Sydney Gilbert" Stringer, Assistant Superintendent of Mercantile Marine and Surveyor of Ships, said he last surveyed the Penguin in July, 1908. The compasses were adjusted in December last. The vessel was in thor-ough-going order in July, the boats were particularly good. A small hatchet only was required for one boat and the bread in one raft was renewed. Witness inspected the falls of the boats and they were all in good order. He understood that they were renewed in 1907. There was nothing to prevent the boats being rapidly lowered. The boats were very accessible and could bo handled with 'great ease. The patent sounding gear would be very useful on coastal boats, hut ho would not say that it was an actual necessity.To Mr Levi: The hoats on the Penguin would accommodate 139 people and the rafts 44. This was Considerably above the Government requirements.

Captain Fred Deathurst, of the Putiki. and Contain James G. Wntson, formerlv of the Penguin, save evidence ns to their experiences in the Straits in reference to exceptional currents. They r-onsidered that the course set by Cantain NVivlor was a safe one. Arthur B. Thompson, purser on the Penguin, said tliffc the ship's pMiiers had boon lost. There was no reliable record of the number of passengers "sirncd. Witness went to bed about 8.30 on the night of the wreck. He was aroused by the bump. He <ifitashore on a raft.

Mr Myers: That is what 1 caimut

make out. You were all supposed to have your, places at the boats. Witness replied that he assisted with different boats. The boats on the port side were lowered to the rail. The captain's boat on the starboard side was lowered with three or lour members of the crew in it, to look after it. Witness did not see the boats retiring away from the ship. Mr Myers: What puzzles me is that you appear jto have been on the deck all the time, but saw nothing. Witness: I was helping with the boats.

To Mr Herdman: When witness came on deck when the vessel struck lie was ordered by the second officer to lend a hand to 'get the boats out.

Counsel questioned witness about the boat the man Henderson was said to have called out from.

Witness said the people on the raft had asked .for a tow, and a man called out that he was the only "sailor man" on board.

Dr McArthur: W T hen you left your cabin after the vessel struck, where did vou go? ' Witness: I went to the boat deck. But were you not making your way to some particular boat? —I went to the boat deck. But you all have positions; I presume you had a position?—l was not "oing to any special boat, What boat was your position assigned to? —No. 1. , TvWould vou then»have gone to Ao. •2 boat of No. 4 or any other?—My idea was to go to the one they were working at. - „ You would not go to your own boat. —1 did not think of it at the time. The second mate asked me to give him a hand. ~ , ..A , Continuing witness said lie did not see "No. 2 boat lowering further than the rails. He ' followed the second mate No. 2 boat was upturned by the waves and floated away with a man hanging on to the keel. He did not see any boats sent away with people m them, nor did he know whether all the boats were away before he went towards the raft. The chief officer and witness jumped off the vessel together and witness saw a raft and swam to it. He was pulled on board. George P. Farrell, A.8., who was m charge of the wheel on the Penguin until 8 o'clock on the night of the wreck when he was relieved, said he was in bed when the vessel struck On reaching the deck witness could just see the land. He could not say who the look-out man was. On reaching the saloon deck someone told him that the passengers had let a boat adrift. Witness went up to the boat deck and drove some passengers down. The second officer came up and No; 2 boat was lowered as far as the rail. No. 4 was lowered to the rail and then No. 1 into which the man Henderson got. Witness got in also because it was his station and just as he did something upset the boat and it turned over and floated away with Henderson hanging to it. The only boat witness saw sent awav from the ship was No. 5. The second officer, a donkeymau and a greaser were in it. To his knowledge the boat was loaded with passengers and the stewardesses were also on board. ' . ■ . Cross-examined- by Mr Herdman, after lunch, witness said he joined the Penguin on the 9th February. Previously he had been on the Pukaki. Witness was pretty well acquainted with the course usually steered oh the Picton-Wellington run. He had never steered south-east by east before. It was a longer run that that usually taken. The look-out man was on the bridge when witness left duty at 3 o'clock. Witness was asleep when the vessel struck. He made his way to the well deck, , Mr Herdman: Some of. the witnesses told us they could see nothing when the vessel struck. The captain said he saw the loom of the land about 15 minutes after the ship struck: W r hen did you see it?— Witness: I thought I saw the land a few minutes after the ship struck.

Continuing witness said that after he helped to see to the boats and the rafts, he weut round cutting all the loose material adrift. Discipline, was maintained and orders were properly obeyed, at all events wherfe he was on the boat deck.

Mr Myers pointed out that in the morning witness said he saw the' land as soon as lie came back; now' he saw the loom of the land a few minutes after the ship struck. Have you been talking to anybody during the adjournment:-' Asked Mr Myers. No one, witness replied. I went away by myself.

When did you come to the conclusion that what yo\i said this morning was wrong!'—l was thinking over what I said after I went away. I was nervous this morning. At a time like tin's a man can't think of everything.

, Charles- Jackson, A.8., said he had been three weeks oh the Penguin. He gave evidence regarding the lowering of the boats when the vessel struck. Witness rushed to the bridge. The chief officer told him to go to the en-gine-room and see if the vessel was making any water. On informing the chief officer that she was not, witness turned his attention to the boats. No.

I, he thought, was hia boat. Mr Myers: You think so; don't you know? —I wasn't in the boat drill long enough to know. Did no one help vou? —I could not be sure, but No. 1 should have been my boat. No. 2 was the first boat righted. How many of you were attending to the No. 2 boat? —I really could not sav, hut there were some sailors and passengers. Mr Driseoll, the second officer, was iii charge of the operations, and thev worked like niggers to get the boat out. Nos. 2 and 4 were lowered to the rail by the captain's orders. Did you see any of the boats actually 'lowered into the water? —No. Did you see any passengers put into the boats? —Yes. •

Which boat ?—No. 2 boat. Who put them in?— The chief officer. . ' AYere any of the crew put m. —1 could not say. \ , Did you see any boat leave the ship.' -■-No. 5. .. , Was it lowered into the water.' —J could not say. Goodness me, what were all you- men doing. You all say that the boats were lowered to the rails, and that s all that seems to have been done. \\ ho was going to man the boats?— A\ hat can you expect with five or six seamen; they cannot be here, there, and everywhere. The second mate was as calm as a colonel of a regiment.^ Did vou see any of the A.B s. get into the boat ?—Witness could not say what officers', if any, went into the boats, and he was also confused as to what A.B's. went, if any. To Air Hefdman: There were six A.B's.. an ordinary seaman, and a boatswain on the steamer. Witness was working on the upper deck all the time Farrell, Westoott, Henderson, and himself of the A.B's., were there. AYitness and Farrell wei;e the only ones of the sailors saved. Didn't vou get a card on joining the Penguin showing the boat stations? — No.""! did not. My name was posted up On the big card showing which boat it belonged to. That was posted up in your quar-ter*?—-Yes.

To Mr Alvers: He could not say whether the chief officer left in any

of the boats. Three of the passengers and a steward gave evidence regarding the lowering of the boats. Robert Stewart, captain of the Pateena, said he left Wellington on February l'2th for Nelson direct at 6' p.m., arriving at 2, p.m. A moderate southerly gale was experienced as far as The Brothers. lie had' expected to get the last of the ebb about halfway across, but when he reached The Brothers he found that he must have had a fairly strong tide. He arrived from Pieton on the night of the 11th. It was quite exceptional to meet abnormal conditions. By abnormal currents you mean about seven knots, said Mr Myers No; I don't. Supposing the ordinary currents were two knots, I should say an .abnormal current would be four knots. • Is there such a thing-as a normal current? —No, there is not; the currents are a bit erratic. That ought to be well known to everybody navigating in that locality? —lt is well known. , He 1 had experienced a five knot current at spring tides, but not at neap. He had not experienced anything beyond three < r four knots at nean tides. You would expect a stronger current than four knots in Cook Straits ? You get them stronger than four knots at times, but you cannot anticipate them; you can only tell after you have made your passage. Mr Myers: It appears to me you cannot trust to one and a half hours. Witness: In this case there seems to be a marine earthquake or something. Mr Myers: You have a case in point. Mr Herdman: Tliat is our case, a marine earthquake or something else in point, something unprecedented. Mr Myers: Is it not always set up as a defence when accidents have occured in Cook Strait that they were due to" abnormal currents? —No; an accident happened when tue John Bell went ashore. It was calm and moonlight, when all hands were asleep. Mr Myers: Whenever there is an accident in Cook Strait is it not always explained by the abnormal current?— 1 Witness- said when one vessel went ashore,, it was not current that put her there; whisky put her there. Mr Myers: Ido not suppose that was the answer made in the Marine Court. —lt's what was proved afterwards. Dr McArthur: Concealed from tho Court?— Witness: It came out at the inquiry. . . ... Mr Myers: When was this.-'—Wit-ness, before I was born, I think. . Dr McArthur (sternly): Captain Stewart, do not trifle with the Court Witness: lam not trifling with the Courts , Dr-McArthur: You are, you must not trifle with this Court. Mr Herdman here rose, to protect the witness. Mr Myers had been asking questions endeavouring to insist on witness saving that the cause of every accident which had occurred m the vicinity of the straits, the defence had been tliat abnormal currents, had put a vessel ashore. Mr Stewart distinctly stated he did not know of such instances and I propose to insist on the of mv client in these proceedings Dr McArthur said what he objected to was that when witness was asked whether currents had put a vessel ashore, he had said wlnsky, and asked when it took place said before lie was Mr Herdman: I feel in this matter that I must protect Captam Naylor;

that I must insist that witness should be fairly treated. Dr McArthur: He has been lairly treated. . Mr Herdman: You said he was triiing with the Court. Dr McArthur: So he was. Mr Herdman: It did not seem so to , me. . I Mr Myers to witness: Are you serious about what you said?—lt happened a long time ago. Mr Myers: Mv reason for asking is that if it was really so, I would have the papers looked up ?—lt was over 20 years ago. The inquiry was not concluded when the Court rose for the day. BODIES COME ASHORE. WELLINGTON, Feb. 23. The 'bodv.of a big man, dark and fully dressed, except for coat,' boots and socks came ashore at the Oterangi Cable Station to-dav. A coat' matching the vest on the corpse was washed tip yesterday. A second body was recovered this afternoon, it had no head on, and from the coat worn the remains appeared to be one of the stewards oi the Penguin. The bodies will be brought into Wellington, overland .tomorrow. Neither has been identified so far. ■'' ■ Feb. 23. A sequel to the Penguin wreck was "the funeral to-day of Mrs Amelia Evans, fifth daughter of the late Mr Richard King, of Wakefield, and wife of Mr Herbert Evans, of Kaponga, Taranaki. There was a large attendance, and many flags were at halt-mast. Mrs Evans was 32 years old,-and was married a year ago last Christmas..