LOSS OF THE EGYPT

Waikato Times, Volume 96, Issue 15035, 5 September 1922, Page 5

LOSS OF THE EGYPT

FINDING OF THE COURT OFFICFES MiAMEWOUTRY LACK OF ORDER AND DISCIPLINE. The Nautical Court's enquiry into tha" loss of tho P. and O. steamer Egypt on May 20, as the result of a collision, has resulted v in a finding that the master, chief offioer and company were blameworthy. The officers aro criticised because they did not effectively keep order, and the opinion Is expressed that It was due to lack of the exercise oft authority that the Lascars got out of control. (Australian and N.Z. Gable Assn.) Received September 5, 9.30 a.m. s ,■-• LONDON, September 4. • The oourt of enquiry into the loss i of the Egypt found that the loss of 87 . lives was mainly due to a default on ■ the part of the master and chief officer in failing to take proper measures to : save life, and failing to exercise auth- .: ority to ensure good order and disci- ; pline at the time.of the collision, and : failing to make the crew efficient. The ;i loss of life was also due to failure onV; the part of the owners, through their officials and servants, to take proper j and effective measures to ensure com- .; plianca with the regulations and good /■.: discipline. The court suspended the master for:; six months and severely censured the j chief officer. After making every allowance the;] court was driven to the conclusion that - | had the boats been properly handled a i great loss of life would have been ,1 averted. It was noticeable that In *; no case did the allotted officer and l crew go to their proper boat. .J Received September 5, 9.25 a.m. "-"] LONDON, September 4. : The Egypt judgment stated that it ; was essential that the commander and .•■] all officers should take part in boat ! drill. The system had failed, and the commander, chief officer and the : crew had failed. •'* >-g In the court's view, a great company like the Peninsular would do well to '■ take the lesson of the unhappy disas- ' ter to itself, and ensure a higher standard of care and efficiency in future. There sdemed to have been slackness '; and lack of discipline, which when the .1 hour of trial came . prevented proper Jj use being made of the boats. Dealing with the conduot of the f Lascars, the court said that some of:: I the crew were panicky, but it did hot ? think the non-Europeans had treated f the passengers with violence. 'Pos- s sibly the non-Europeans in the crew i could have been kept under more ef- • \ fective control if the European crew j had gone with alacrity to their allotted \ boats. It appeared in fact .that " lf*-f properly handled the Lascars were re- iA liable servants. The apparatus for lowering the:.] boats was in order at the time' of the ft collision, and more should have beengot away. .■,; V:S||| The lack of order and discipline was. ,:, attributable to the captain and officers J giving no definite orders at the time of ;l the collision, and this largely contrlbiited to the loss of life. ' .' 1 The court recommended the same p protection as to the safety of life af- :'| forded the emigrant ships should be if afforded emigrants on ships through',.; the Board of Trade, and that "super,vi- • sion and inspection should be extended,]; to all foreign-going passenger ships,,, ■ The court found no evidence showing that the passengers were instructed to put on life-jackets.

Prompt and proper measures were ■ taken by the commander to avert the oolllslon, and the Egypt was at all j times navigated with proper and sea- • manlike care, having regard to th* i prevailing conditions.

The P. and 0. Company's Egypt was 1 a steel screw steamer of 7941 tons, : ] engaged In the East Indian passenger 1 and cargo trade. On Saturday, May-•; 20, at 7.30 p.m., when en route to j Bombay, she collided with the cargo : steamer Seine, 1383 tons, in a fog 22 = - miles north-west of Ushant. The Egypt sustained damages from which she ■ sank, and the Seine, which was heav- ; ily freighted, put back into Brest with j her bows, stove in. The death roll ' numbered 97. The conduct of the ;] Lascar seamen was most adversely criticised. They rushed the boats, and the officers had to restore order at the-'i revolver point.