MANUKA WRECK INQUIRY COMMENCED AT DUNEDIN.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18961, 7 January 1930, Page 11

MANUKA WRECK INQUIRY COMMENCED AT DUNEDIN.

Captain Declares That Compass Was In Good Working Order

Per Press Association.

DUNEDIN, January 7

The Nautical Inquiry into the wreck of the Manuka opened this morning before Mr Bundle, S.M. Captains Worrall and Stringer were assessors. The Crown Solicitor, Mr Adams, represented the Marine Department, Mr Haggi the Union Company, Mr Hanlon Captain Ross Clark and Mr Cecil Rivers Carlyon, third officer of the Manuka.

The questions for decision were: — First, whether the striking and subsequent loss of the vessel were due to the negligence of Captain Ross Clark. Secondly, whether Cecil Rivers Carlyon, officer in charge of the ship at the time of striking, was negligent or contributed to the casualty. Thirdly, the cause of the casualty. Fourthly, whether proper steps were taken after the casualty for the safety of the lives of the passengers and crew.

The statement of the case was that the Manuka left Bluff shortly after five o’clock on December 16 for Dunedin. The usual courses were steered, a fixed position being obtained off Waipapa Point. Later, land was observed in the vicinity of Slope Point, visibility then being about four miles, later decreasing somewhat, but at no time did it appear to be less than a mile. At 1Q.53 p.m. the ship struck rocks off Long Point. Orders were immediately given for the boats to be got out and for the embarkation of the passengers and crew. This was successfully accomplished about one o’clock in the morning of December 17. At daylight all members o fthe ship’s company and passengers had been safely landed. Captain’s Evidence. Captain Ross Clark, in evidence, said he had been master of the Manuka for three months in 1928 and seven months in 1929. He left Melbourne on December 11, reached Bluff on December I§, and left Bluff on December 16. The vessel was then equipped with all instruments and appliances for the navigation of a vessel. The compass was in thorough working ofder. He found no reason to suppose inaccuracy in the compass. The vessel steered moderately well. He had never found any deviation in her course due to steering. The vessel was equipped with a patent sounding machine.

Voyage from Bluff. The. tide was at *:alf ebb when he left Bluff. He passed about a mile and a half off Dig Island. He set the courses and at 7.33 p.m. Waipapa Point Lighthouse was seen bearing north one degree east. The weather was showery and the lighthouse was sometimes obscured, but he managed to get a bearing. The loom of the land had treeja seen most of the way between Bluff and Waipapa. He stood on the same course for a mile. Then, at 7.38 p.m., he set a course N. 71 degrees, magnetic. As the bridge book was mutilated it was impossible to say if an entry was made at the time, but presumabh'- it would have been. At eight o’clock another bearing was taken, the lighthouse being then 56 degrees W., magnetic. No Mist or Fog. The weather was still showery, but there was neither mist nor fog. That course held till 9.18 p.m., when the course was altered to N. v sl degrees E. magnetic, and the ship continued on that course till 10.30 p.m. At 10.15 p.m. the log was read by a seaman. It registered 51. The third officer was then on watch.

No Sight of Land. Between 9.18 and 10.30 p.m. he had no view of the land whatever. At 10.30 p.m. the course was 36 degrees E. magnetic. At 10.30 p.m. the position shown on the chart before the Court would put the ship about two miles ahead of the beam bearing off Long Point. That corresponded with the markings he had on the chart on the ship. He was on the bridge till about 10.49 p.m. He w’ent down to his room. The chief engineer was there. He asked witness if the speed was all right. Witness remarked something about soon being abeam of Nuggets Point. He then walked out of the room.

Wheel Hard Over. He had reached the foot of the ladder leading to the- bridge when he heard the wheel going over hard. He did not remember hearing a voice, but may have, for he jumped to the top of the ladder and saw the third officer with his hand on the engine-room telegraph, with the lever down to the “astern” position. Witness asked what was wrong and was told the ship was right on the land. Witness said it was difficult to say now in what order events occurred, as all happened in a flash. But he thought he rushed to the dodger, looked over and then gave the order “Stop port engine”. When he looked over the side he saw the loom of the land and breakers quite close. While giving the order “Stop port engine” he asked if the helm was hard aport. He was informed by the third officer that it was. Then he walked to the port side of the bridge. The ship swung in less than a minute and then struck rocks. lie had last seen the loom of the land at Slope Point. At 10.30 p.m. he considered visibility to be about one mile in all directions. Light rain was falling. The same conditions appeared to exist till the time of striking. After the ship had struck he saw there was a heavy mist hanging down over the land at Long Point. The moon, which was practically full, was obscured by clouds, but was giving a little light. •iii!iiii!i!iiiiiiiiriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!iiiiiiiiiiiiii!iiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniii n ni||| mff]

An Abnormal Set. He attributed the wreck to an abnormal set from east to west experienced between passing Waipapa and the time she struck. He had never experienced it before, and never heard of anyone else experiencing it. He had been over the same ground a hundred times, probably sixty or seventy as a master. He had never before experienced such a set towards the land, but had frequently found himself outside his set position. If the curent had been setting at the time of the wreck as previously in his experience fie should have been nine miles ahead of, and at least six miles out from the wreck. According to the chart before the Court he should have passed Long Point about five miles off. He expected from previous experience to pass about a mile to two miles from his position on the chart. When marking the chart he had made no allowance for the current, as he had plenty of searoom. No currents but the tide were felt between Bluff and Waipapa. According to the book of the New Zealand pilot there was a current between Cape Saunders and Nugget Point of about one knot, running north. From the statement in the pilot book he would expect to find the current south of Nuggets, and previously he had observed the effect the current as far south as Chasland’s Mistake. Ocean currents varied, and where there was a current flowing one way one day it might be found flowing another way the next day. It was not his experience that the same thing applied to this coast. The wind had been south-east, with not much sea, on then ight of the wreck. At eight o’clock there was a fresh south-east breeze, which decreased to moderate and then to light. He would not expect it to have any appreciable effect on his course.

Current Not Counted on. He did not count <"n the current at all, and when a current was setting a ship out of danger any master would give it the benefit of the doubt, and have that much in hand. The actual bearings showed that he was seven miles back and four and a half to five miles in-shaore from the set course. That was a serious deviation. The abnormal westerly set would be at least twice the strength of the northerly and east erly set which he had previously exerienced. It did not occur to him , that there might be a set in-shore that night, but he allowed to be five miles off-shore. Witness said it almost impossible that the ship could expect such i set in such a short distance of about thirty-two miles. He expected that the tide might have put him a mile back and perhaps a quarter of a mile to the north of his set course. He considered that the visibility was not so low that it would be necessary to take soundings. The wreck might possibly or would probably have been avoided had frequent soundings been taken and speed reduced. The chief engineer informed him that the speed was 12£ or thirteen knots. In this instance he would be taking the distances by the log, using the engine revolutions as a check. Rescue Measures. Witness then gave details of the steps taken after the wreck to ascertain his position and get the passengers and crew into the boats. There was a long swell, with an Bft or 9ft lift. Some little difficulty was experienced in getting the passengers into the boats. At 11.30 p.m., from the bridge, he saw Nuggets light. When the ship struck, witness could not see more than a quarter of a mile along the point, but visibility was greater out to sea. The weather cleared, and the land was never again obscured from view. The Missing Chart. In the No. 1 boat, which was lowered first, witness put the chart and the bridge book, the chief engineer being in charge. That boat was stove in against the ship’s side and filled with water. The people in the boat were transferred to other boats. The papers were put in a bag, but the chart had evidently got adrift, and could not ,be found even though he went out again and searched the boat and the bridge. Both came out of the bag in a mutilated condition. He could not ask for anything more than the behaviour of his officers and of the crew. (CONTINUED IN STOP PRESS.) iiuuiiiiiiiinniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiuimiiiiiiiiiiiuiiiiiiiituitiiiuumiiiimiiiiiiiiiimiimii