WRECK OF THE EINGAMITE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7878, 19 January 1903, Page 3

WRECK OF THE EINGAMITE.

FINDING OF THE COURT. SEVERE STRICTURES. s [Per Pkess Association.! AUCKLAND, Jan. 19. Decision was given to-da,y by the Court of Inquiry into the wreck of the Elinga-mite. Mr Haselden, S.M., in delivering judgment, after going very fully into the circumstances of the wreck, went on to say that the Court was of the opinion that there was no groundastern.* until after the vessel struck forward. No one on board outside the engine-room perceived any touching or bumping such as was deposed by the engineers, whose story was at variance with tire known- conditions existing at the time. She engineers all told the same story, advanced the same theory, and showed the same reluctance to speak candidly about the engines. It was clear that owing to some defect in the engines the reversing gear would not- act. Thechance of thus saving the vessel was consequently lost. Unsatisfactory ft-s the testimony of tie engineers was, and dangerous though the condition of the engines probably was, the Court could 1 not hold the surviving engineers responsible for what happened. They were at their posts and obeveel their orders. Although possibly thtTvessel could have been extricated from the danger had the engines been in perfect order, the captain was none the less responsible for halving lost the ship. The Court found that Captain Attwood had been guilty of grossly negligent navigation in driving full spend through a fog up to 10 a.m. on Sunday, when- -he miust have- known that he was near land, in neglecting to take soundings before and after 10 a.m., in altering his course without yufiicient reason, in proceeding at 4£ knots or over without sounding, m not carefully ascertaining his speed when going slow ahead, and in guessing his speed at noon on Saturday at twelve, knots, when everything poinfed to a higher speed. The Court found that ;ifter the wreck a grave error of judgment had been committed by the master in allowing No. 1 boat to leave the ship, and to leave with only half the complement it was able to earn. No sufficient excuse bad been urged, either by the master or Captain Reid, for leaving the wreck. The master and first officer were to blame for not having nil the boats properly equipped and their tackle in pToper order, and ths crew efficiently exercised in boat drill. Thor.fi in tin* boats should hare stood by the rafts as long as possible. The muster and officers should have kept both boats and rafts together until at least a concerted plan of action had been arrived at. While the certificates of the first and second officers must be returned to them, their conduct was not commendable, either in handling the boats at the time of the wreck, or in leaving the passengers adrift en the raits. The Court ordered Captaiu Athvood's certificate to be suspended, for -one .year, and -also ordered him to pay £50 towards the cost of the inquiry." All Ihe certificates of the other officers were returned. Referring to the experiences of those people on the large- raft, the Court expressed the opinion that there was no foundation for any charge of unnatural conduct, though the survivors hnd gone through as much as men could and live.