Wreck report for 'Galleon', 1926

FOR OFFICIAL USE.

(No. 7837.)

"GALLEON" (S.S.)

THE MERCHANT SHIPPING ACT, 1984.

REPORT OF COURT.

In the matter a Formal Investigation held at the Moot Hall, and, by adjournment, at the County Court, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, on the 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th and 12th days of July, 1926, before David Thomas Hobkirk and James Thoburn Cackett, Esquires, two of His Majesty's Justices of the Peace acting in and for the City and County of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, assisted by Capain L. W. Bayldon and Captain O. Jones (Nautical Assessors) and Mr. Francis H. Alexander, M.Sc., M.Inst.N.A. (Naval Architect Assessor), into the circumstances attending the loss of the British steamship "Galleon," official number 145506, of Newcastle, which presumably foundered with all hands on a passage from Blyth to London on or about the 25th day of November, 1925.

The Court having carefully inquired into the circumstances attending the above-mentioned shipping casualty, finds for the reasons stated in the Annex hereto, that the loss of the vessel with all hands on her voyage to the Thames from Blyth, which she left on the 24th day of November, 1925, was probably due to the vessel being overwhelmed by heavy following seas which prevailed off the East Coast on the 24th-26th November, 1925, from which she was unable to free herself in consequence of her being trimmed too much by the stern; but, in the absence of direct evidence, the Court is unable to determine the exact cause of the casualty.

Dated this 12th day of July, 1926.

We concur in the above Report.

ANNEX TO THE REPORT.

This was an Inquiry into the circumstances attending the loss, with all hands, of the British steamship "Galleon," of Newcastle, and was held at the Moot Hall, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, on the 6th day of July, 1926, and, by adjournment, at the County Court, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, on the 7th, 8th. 9th, 10th and 12th days of July, 1926, before David Thomas Hobkirk and James Thoburn Cackett, Esquires, assisted by Captain L. W. Bayldon and Captain Owen Jones (Nautical Assessors) and Mr. Francis H. Alexander, M.Sc., M.Inst.N.A. (Naval Architect Assessor).

Mr. Burton appeared for the Board of Trade, Mr. Clive Temperley for the Owners, and Mr. Norman Southern held a watching brief for the Representatives of the Master.

There were no parties to the Inquiry.

The "Galleon," official number 145506, was a single screw steamship, schooner rigged, built in the year 1923 at Selby by Messrs. Cochrane and Sons, Ltd., and was owned by the Galleon Shipping Company, Limited, Prudential Buildings, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Mr. Richard Oliver Heslop and Mr. Edwin Robson, both of the same address, being appointed Managers on the 2nd February, 1923.

The registered dimensions of the vessel were:-Length 180 feet, breadth 29.05 feet, and depth of hold 11.45 feet. She was of 720.62 gross, and 348,92 net registered, tonnage, and had one reciprocating triple-expansion vertical direct-acting engine of 91 N.H.P., built by Messrs. Messrs. Amos and Smith, Ltd., Albert Dock Works, Hull, in the year 1923, and was designed for a speed of 9 knots.

The "Galleon," which was an easy-trimming collier, certified as such, was a coasting vessel of the extended quarter deck type, with a short bridge house upon the after end of the well deck. The length of the raised quarter deck was 103 feet 8 inches, and the height 3 feet 6 inches. The bridge house was 11 feet long and 7 feet high, and the forecastle 21 feet 6 inches long and 7 feet high. The well deck between bridge house and forecastle was 44 feet long, excluding side houses.

The vessel had three watertight steel bulkheads, namely, the collision bulkhead about 21 feet abaft the fore perpendicular, the bulkhead separating the cargo hold from the cross bunker, situated about 54 feet forward of the after perpendicular, and the after peak bulkhead about 9 feet forward of the same perpendicular. There were no openings below deck in any of these bulkheads. There was a bunker bulkhead forward of the boiler room, the cross bunker being 5 feet 6 inches long with side pockets in the stokehold. The cargo hold was divided into two parts by a wooden bulkhead placed in way of the fore end of the raised quarter deck.

The steel bulwarks of the well deck were 3 feet 9 inches high, well stiffened and provided with three freeing ports on each side. These ports were of the balanced hinged type 2 feet 6 inches long and 1 foot 6 inches high, the lower edge of the openings being 9 inches above the deck. There were also two 5 inches by 2½ inches scuppers on each side of the well, and water could also escape through the mooring pipes at the forward end of the bulwarks.

The bulwarks of the raised quarter deck were 3 feet high and were provided with three freeing ports on each side 2 feet 6 inches long and 1 foot 5 inches high of similar type to those in the well deck bulwarks. There were also four scuppers of the Collinson type on each side of the deck.

There was no opening in the front of the bridge house except the four 10-inch ports giving light to the accommodation in the house. Access to the bridge house was obtained from the quarter deck by means of a wooden door in the after bulkhead of the house, the door begin 4 feet 6 inches high by 1 foot 9 inches wide, with its sill 1 foot 9 inches above the quarter deck. The casings upon the after part of the quarter deck were 49 feet 6 inches long, 16 feet wide and 7 feet high. These casings enclosed a deck house 13 feet long at the after end, containing accommodation, an engine room trunk about 13 feet long, a galley 5 feet 6 inches long, a funnel trunk about 13 feet long and the bunker hatch trunk about 5 feet 6 inches long. Access to the engine room the galley and the boiler room was by means of steel doors on each side of the ship, these doors being 4 feet high and 1 foot 11 inches wide, with coaming sills 2 feet 6 inches above deck. There were two wood doors abaft the deck house 4 feet 10 inches by 1 foot 8 inches, with sills 1 foot 6 inches above deck. The fiddley gratings had 6-inch coamings and were provided with steel covers.

These gratings were two in number, one being 6 feet by 2 feet and the other 3 feet by 2 feet. The engine room skylight had six hinged flaps 2 feet 6 inches by 1 foot 9 inches. Access to the forecastle way by means of a single steel door 4 feet by 1 foot 11 inches situated in the forecastle bulkhead about 2 feet on the port side of the middle line and having a sill 1 foot 9 inches above the well deck. Of the above openings, only those leading to the engine room and boiler room would admit water directly below deck; but, in addition, there were the following smaller ventilator openings:-One hold ventilator 10 inches diameter standing on the well deck just abaft the forecastle bulkhead and 7 feet 6 inches to starboard of middle line, having a coaming 10 feet 3 inches high, supported by the forecastle deck and projecting about 3 feet above that deck; one 10 inch hold ventilator 3 feet to port of middle line standing on the quarter deck between No. 2 hatch and the bunker casing, and having a coaming 3 feet above the deck; six small goose-neck ventilators 3 inches diameter with their openings 2 feet 6 inches above deck, were used as air pipes to the ballast banks and as ventilators to the cross bunker. Two of these were just abaft the forecastle bulkhead and the other were close against the bulwarks of the quarter deck. There were two 6-inch cowl ventilators upon the forecastle deck with coamings 3 feet high. Wood plugs and canvas covers were supplied for the cowl ventilators, but no means were provided for closing the small goose-neck air pipes in heavy weather.

The vessel had a cellular double bottom for the carriage of water ballast under the hold spaces, but not in way of the engine and boiler compartments. The bottom was divided into two tanks, the capacity of the forward tank being 72 tons and that of the after tank 77 tons. The fore peak was constructed to contain 55 tons and the after peak to contain 31 tons. These tanks were provided with the usual suctions at centre and, where necessary, in the wings, and all connected to the engine room pumps.

In accordance with the usual practice in coasting vessels, additional strengthening of the structure at the bottom was provided so that the vessel might load while aground. The strengthening took the form of a closer spacing of the solid floors and additional thickness of material as compared with those required by Lloyd's regulations for ordinary sea-going vessels of the same size.

There were two cargo hatches. The forward hatch upon the well deck was 32 feet 4 inches long and 16 feet wide, with coamings 3 feet 9 inches above deck. The after hatch, standing upon the raised quarter deck, was 31 feet 9 inches long and 16 feet wide, with coamings 3 feet 9 inches above deck. These hatches were constructed with portable beams spaced about 4 feet 7 inches apart, thus avoiding the use of fore and afters. The wood covers were placed fore and aft and were of white wood 11 inches wide and 2½ inches thick. These were arranged in tiers, of which some were about 9 feet 3 inches long and others about 4 feet 7 inches long. Two tarpaulin covers were provided for each hatch, and were secured in place by battens and wedges in cleats on the coamings. In addition each tier of wood covers was provided with a steel locking bar placed athwart-ships, hinged at its middle and at the side mouldings and secured by pins in special eye-cleats passing through slots in the bars. The bunker hatch upon top of casings, 7 feet 7 inches above deck, had similar wood covers, tarpaulins, locking bars and securing arrangements. The pumping arrangements were such as are usual in this class of vessel, and conformed with the requirements of the Classification Society. In addition to the steam connections, four hand deck pumps of 4 inches diameter were provided to deal with water in the fore peak store, the hold bilges and the engine room bilges. There were not separate suctions to No. 1 hold bilges, but these drained to the after part of No. 2 hold through openings in the wood bulkhead between the holds. The vessel was provided with combined hand and steam steering gear upon the top of the chart house on the bridge deck, this gear being connected by rods and chains to the quadrant on the rudder head. No brake and no hand gear were fitted at the rudder head, but provision was made for the use of auxiliary steering tackle in an emergency. The steering chains were 1/8 inch and the rods were 1/16 inch in excess of Rule requirements, the rudder and quadrant scantlings being in accordance with the Rules. The regulations of the Board of Trade regarding lifeboats, davits and lowering gear, life-saving appliances, navigating instruments, lamps and distress signals were complied with. Two double-ended lifeboats, each 18 feet 6 inches long, 6 feet 3 inches beam and 2 feet 6 inches depth, were carried upon skids at level of top of casings. Each boat was capable of accommodating 17 persons, the number of the crew being 13. In addition there was a dinghy 15 long.

The moulded depth of the vessel was 13 feet 6 inches, and, above this, the quarter deck gave an additional 3 feet 6 inches depth amidships. The certificate summer freeboard was 4 feet 1½ inches measured from the statutory deck line; and this gave a mean draft of 13 feet 0¾ inch at which the deadweight carried was 925 tons. The winter freeboard was 2 inches greater than the summer freeboard, and the corresponding mean draft was 12 feet 10¾ inches, and deadweight 903 tons. The deadweight stated to be carried upon this voyage consisted of 801 tons of cargo and about 80 tons of bunkers. The density of the water at Blyth is that of sea water, according to evidence brought before the Court, and the drafts at which the vessel left Blyth were stated, upon the loading card sent by their agent to the owners, to be 11 feet 5 inches forward and 14 feet 5 inches aft. The mean draft was therefore 12 feet 11 inches, or just at the winter marks.

The vessel had a sheer of 68 inches forward and 42 inches aft, the measurements at 1/8 length inboard from the ends being 39 inches and 22 inches respectively. The effect of the 3 feet of trim by the stern was to make the lowest point of sheer about 1/8 length abaft of amidships and to reduce the freeboard at this point to 2 inches less than that required by the winter marks amidships. When allowance is made for the effect of the consumption of coal from the bunkers during the time clapsing between the vessel's departure and her arrival at the position where the loss is presumed to have occurred, it may be said that the change of trim would result in an addition of about 2 inches of freeboard at the after perpendicular. The freeboard from there to the quarter deck would then be 5 feet 10 inches, and to the top of the bulwark rail 8 feet 10 inches. Taking the vessel at this trim and draught the Court estimated that the following parts of the vessel would become awash if she were heeled to the angles stated, the assumption being made that she was not depressed by additional water on or below deck:-

The quantity of water which would fill the forward well to the level of the bulwark rail was estimated to be about 55 tons, and the quantity which would fill the quarter deck to its rail (making allowance for sheer and camber) about 100 tons. To rid the decks of these large quantities of water the freeing ports provided in this vessel do not appear to the Court to be adequate, and further do not appear to be in accordance with the area of freeing ports required by Lloyd's rules, namely, 10 per cent, of the area of the bulwarks. The freeing ports of the quarter deck bulwarks have a combined area less than 4 per cent, of the bulwark area. The existence of wide, high hatch coamings and wide casings does no doubt reduce the capacity for water on deck, but the Court considers that this vessel could not efficiently clear herself of water between successive short seas.

The s.s. "Galleon" was not herself subjected to an inclining experiment to ascertain the height of the centre of gravity of the completed vessel, but the sister s.s. "Blue Galleon," was inclined alongside Messrs. Clellands' ship repairing yard at Wellington Quay on December 11th, 1925. The experiment was made at the request of the Board of Trade, and by permission of the owners, and was carried out under the supervision of Mr. Wood, the Senior Ship Surveyor of the Board at North Shields, and of Mr. G. A. Green, one of the Board's London Ship Surveyors. The owners of the vessel were represented by Mr. Thompson, general manager of the Tyne Iron Shipbuilding Company. At the conclusion of the experiment Mr. Green made the necessary calculations to ascertain the position of the centre of gravity of the vessel in light condition, and the results he obtained were confirmed by the calculations independently made by Mr. Thompson. Subsequently Mr. Green made further calculations to ascertain the position of the centre of gravity of the vessel combined with her deadweight as loaded at her departure from Blyth on the voyage in question, and gave the Court evidence regarding his calculations.

The results of these calculations were placed at the disposal of the Court, and were made use of as a basis for investigation into the stability of the s.s. "Galleon" when heeled from the upright. The investigation showed that, assuming the vessel loaded with homogeneous cargo, with bunkers full, and the mean draft of the vessel corresponding to her winter freeboard, she would have a metacentric height of 1.30 feet. In this condition the maximum righting lever would occur at 34 degrees of heel, its value being 0.46 feet. Righting levers would vanish at 56 degrees, and at 90 degrees there would be an upsetting lever of 1.21 feet. The effect of trim by the stern would be to improve these values very slightly, but the effect of water upon the deck when the vessel was heeled by a sea would be to lower them to an extent which, in the opinion of the Court, would be dangerous to her safety. If, for example, she were heeled to 15 degrees while there still remained some 30 tons of water on the lee side of the quarter deck between bulwark and hatch coamings, from which she had not been able to clear herself, the upsetting moment of this water would not only be in excess of the righting moment then possessed by the vessel at 15 degrees of heel, but would actually be in excess of the maximum righting moment (at 30 degrees) available in that condition. Should water, even in relatively small quantities, have got into the ballast tanks and hunkers through the small open-ended air pipes alongside the bulwarks, the upsetting moment due to shipped water would be still further increased; and, what is of greater importance, no allowance has been made in the above calculations for possible additional water on the well deck.

With regard to the height of the centre of gravity of this vessel in loaded condition, it may be pointed out that a considerable number of coasting vessels of the same general type are constructed with ordinary open floors instead of with a double bottom. If this vessel had been built with ordinary floors throughout, these would have been 19 inches in depth and the cargo would have been stowed upon ceiling some 21 inches above the keel. In this vessel, however, the cargo rested upon ceiling nearly 33 inches above the keel owing to her having a double bottom 30 inches deep. It thus appears that the provision of the double bottom in such vessels raises the centre of gravity of the cargo nearly one foot; and, in the case of homogeneous cargo, which fills all available spaces, the centre of gravity is raised about 6 inches as compared with the case of vessels which have ordinary floors; and the centre of gravity of the vessel and her cargo combined is proportionately raised.

Although the trimmers who assisted in the loading of the vessel stated in evidence that the cargo in No. 2 hold was well trimmed under the decks and into the corners, the capacity of this hold, as stated by the builders, was sufficient to take about 49 tons more coal than was stowed in it, and a similar discrepancy appears in the evidence regarding the stowage and capacity of No. 1 hold after allowance is made for the "30 ton" space admitted to have been left empty at the fore end of that hold. There was no evidence before the Court that shifting of cargo had taken place on any previous voyage of the vessel, although she had carried smaller weights of similar coal without the use of any anti-shifting appliances and had experienced rough weather when doing so. If, however, shifting did take place on this voyage, even to a relatively small extent, its effect combined with the adverse effects already mentioned would still further reduce the vessel's chance of recovery.

The Court has been led to pay particular attention to the effects of water coming upon the quarter deck rather than upon the well deck in view of the evidence that the wind and sea would be upon the port quarter of the vessel while she was keeping her course; but the presence of additional water upon the well deck could not fail to make matters worse for her.

The vessel underwent Special Survey by Lloyd's Register of Shipping while lying at Messrs. Clellands ship repairing yard in June, 1925, and was continued in Class 100A1.

The "Galleon" was delivered to the owners by the builders on the 6th February, 1923, and was designed for general cargo purposes, particularly coal, and was engaged in the coastwise trade from that time until her loss. As already stated, she was what is termed an "easy trimmer" and certified as such, by which is meant she was of the type recognised by the Trimmers' Union as one in respect of which a lower rate of wages was payable to the trimmers.

During her career she was under the command of four masters, viz., Captain J. Thompson (still in the owners' employ and master of the s.s. "Blue Galleon," a sister ship), from February, 1923, to June, 1924; Captain W. J. Thorogood, from June, 1924, to November, 1924; Captain J. Purdie, from November, 1924, to October, 1925, when he was succeeded by the late master, Captain S. H. Burton, who had previously been chief mate of the "Seagull" belonging to the same Company. According to the evidence of the Managing Owners, they had always received from the masters satisfactory reports of the vessel's seaworthiness and behaviour, and this was confirmed by Captain Thompson, who was the only witness called on the subject. He had had fifty years' experience of the sea and described the vessel as a good sea boat, buoyant, and as steering well. The owners gave Captain Burton the highest possible character and spoke of him as a man in whom they had the greatest confidence.

The "Galleon" arrived at Gateshead in the River Tyne at 3.30 p.m. on the 19th November last from Rochester. She then discharged her cargo of cement and left for Blyth on the 23rd at 8 p.m., having been chartered by the Shipping and Coal Company Limited, of Baltic House, Leadenhall Street, London. to load a cargo of coal from Blyth to London. She commenced to load for the voyage at Blyth at noon on the 24th and finished about 5.25 p.m. on the same date. The loading and trimming were carried out as described in the Answer to Question 2 (c). The vessel left Blyth for London at about 6.40 p.m. on the 24th November, 1925, there being no pilot on board. She was under the command of Mr. S. H. Burton who held a certificate of competency as master, No. 009359, and had been in command of the vessel for the three previous voyages.

The following is a list of the officers and crew supplied by the owners, the official log being lost in the vessel:-

The master, before leaving, sent a post card to the owners stating the amounts of cargo and bunkers on board, also the draft which was 11 feet 5 inches forward and 14 feet 5 inches aft. The draft of the vessel on the two previous voyages from Blyth to the Thames was 12 feet 6 inches forward and 13 feet 8 inches aft and 12 feet 6 inches forward and 13 feet 1 inch aft respectively, these too being winter voyages.

Captain Thompson in his evidence stated that he generally loaded the vessel about 2 feet by the stern when carrying a coal cargo. This is corroborated by such of the log books as were produced, but the owners produced three loading cards received by them from Captain Purdie when lie was in command showing that, on three winter voyages, viz., 29th November, 1924 10th December, 1924, and 23rd January, 1925, she was 3 feet 2 inches, 2 feet 10 inches, and 3 feet 1 inch respectively by the stern.

But, on comparing these figures with the entries in Captain Purdie's log, they are not found to coincide, as the entries in the official logs on the corresponding dates showed 1 foot 10 inches, 1 foot 10 inches and 2 feet respectively. Consequently no reliance can be placed on the documentary evidence supplied relating to these voyages.

No evidence was produced as to the state of the weather prevailing at the time the vessel left Blyth, and no direct trace of the vessel herself has since been discovered, nor have the bodies of any members of her crew been picked up or washed ashore. But a water-logged lifeboat similar to that supplied by her builders was picked up by The Trinity House Tender "Argus," Capt. E. Moss, in latitude 53 degrees 26 minutes N., longitude 0 degrees 55 minutes E., on the 27th November, 1925, that position being between the Inner and Outer Dowsing Light vessels. It was hoisted on hoard and found to contain 1 boat compass, 1 bucket, 1 bailer, 1 oil bag, 1 lamp and 2 rowlocks and oars, but no trace of it having been used by the crew.

The lifeboat was a double-ender fitted with tanks, painted white outside, lead colour inside, and brown gunwale, being 18 feet 5 inches by 6 feet 1 inch by 2 feet .55 inches and certified to carry 17 persons. There was no name on it, but the builders' number (190) was cut in her keel, and it was eventually landed and handed over to the Superintendent of the Trinity Wharf, Great Yarmouth, being later on sol as the admitted property of the owners of the "Galleon."

The boat showed marks as of an axe, or other cutting instrument, on the gunwale in way of the cover lacings, apparently indicating that a hurried effort had been made to abandon the ship.

A life-buoy marked s.s. "Galleon" was picked up by William George Crowe, a labourer, about 8 a.m. on the 30th November on the beach at Haxham Gap, while a second one, also marked s.s. "Galleon," was picked up by Allen Gotts, a fisherman, close to Mundesley Coast Guard Station about 7 a.m. on the 1st December, 1925.

The s.s. "Longnewton" of Sunderland, Captain S. C. E. Matthews, sighted on the 30th November. 1925, about 2 p.m. when off Spurn Head, some floating wreckage attached and submerged, it being the stump of a mast a few feet above the water also the boom and gaff end awash. The second officer of the s.s. "Accrington" of Grimsby, Mr. J. W. Waldie, sighted, when about E. by S. ½ S. of the Humber Light Vessel, two heavy spars floating vertically about ten feet above the water, being a few yards apart. There was however no evidence as to any of this wreckage having been identified.

The Court is of opinion that only the salved life-saving appliances were proved to belong to the s.s. "Galleon"; but the fact of finding them has been of no material assistance ill assigning the time or place at which the vessel was lost. There was no wireless on the vessel, she being under 1,600 tons, and there is no evidence of her having been sighted after leaving Blyth nor of any distress signals being seen.

Ample evidence was tendered to the Court showing the exceptionally heavy weather which prevailed soon after the "Galleon" left her port of loading. and there can be no doubt that she, from some cause or other, failed to weather the storm.

The following particulars are taken from depositions by the masters of the s.s. "Longhirst" and other steamers. The s.s. "Longhirst" left Sunderland at 9.20 p.m. on the 24th November, 1925, bound to London with a full cargo of coal of 2,400 tons. At midnight about 10 miles north of Whitby there was a moderate westerly wind and sea and clear weather. About 2 a.m. the wind went round to the north and began to freshen. Wind and sea increased, and at 8 a.m. on the 25th there was a strong northerly gale and a very high sea with strong squalls of hail and snow. At 11 a.m. there was a heavy sea running on the port quarter, the vessel shipping heavy water. The weather was thick with snow, hail and wind, and still a heavy gale from the north. At 11.30 a.m. the weather cleared and the vessel was still shipping heavy seas forward and aft. The weather continued unchanged throughout the day until the vessel passed the Cross Sands Light Vessel at 8 p.m when it began to moderate.

The s.s. "Andelle" left the River Tyne about 4.30 p.m. on 24th November, 1925, with about 2;450 tons of coal bound for London, the wind at the time being fresh, hut increased as she proceeded until it reached gale force, and this was worst after passing Flamborough Head at midnight on the day of leaving. The wind was blowing about N.E., with a very heavy easterly sea. The vessel shipped a lot of heavy seas and she rolled and pitched heavily. Most of the seas were shipped astern on the port side. These conditions continued, and although the wind shifted to N.N.W. by 4 a.m. of the 25th November the seas continued easterly. At 7.30 a.m. a very heavy sea was shipped on the port quarter over the boats. pouring down the engine room skylight, flooding the stokehold and washing most of the movable things out of the galley. As the voyage proceeded the seas decreased as the vessel got into the Wold about 10 a.m. of 25th November, and afterwards the weather moderated. The master stated he had been on this coast about 20 years and experienced heavy weather, but this voyage was one of His worst. His ship was a particularly seaworthy vessel in bad weather, and he did not think it necessary to heave to as long as the heavy seas did not damage the hatches. He could imagine, however, that a small ship would be in dire straits with such seas, as site would have difficulty in clearing herself of then. On the other hand, unless she was put about before the wind was too bad, he would imagine that it would be practically impossible for her to get round. There were a few ships seen on the trip, most of them light, but to the best of his recollection a lot of ships were sheltering under the land.

The s.s. "Holywood," of 1,545 gross tons, left Sumderland at 9.25 a.m. on the 24th November, 1925, with a cargo of coal bound for London. At the time of sailing there was a strong wind from W.S.W. with rough sea, but there was nothing unusual in these conditions. After leaving, the weather continued the same until about 3 a.m. on the 25th November, 1925, when the wind changed to north and began to blow with hurricane force, there being a very heavy sea running with it. These conditions continued, the vessel shipping water heavily fore and aft, and at 8.4 a.m. a man was lost overboard. The weather did not begin to moderate until early morning on the 26th November, but by 8 a.m. of that day, the wind had dropped to fresh and the sea was more moderate. During the time from 3 a.m. on the 25th until the wind fell the weather was extraordinarily bad even for November. The s.s. "Galleon" was not sighted nor were any distress signals seen during the voyage.

From the foregoing extracts, and also front the reports of the steamers "Fireglow," "J. B. Paddon" and "Halo," as well as from the records of a number of Light Vessels from the Humber to the Cross Sands, it appears that the weather during the 25th November, 1925, was the worst experienced for many years.

In addition, Captain J. Thompson, master of the "Blue Galleon" and a former master of the "Galleon," was called and he stated that he had never experienced in fifty years' service on the coast such high seas as lie did on this particular voyage, he having left London for Blyth about the same time as the "Galleon" left Blyth for London. When off the Haisbro Light Vessel his vessel was steaming lull speed ahead against the flood tide and high head sea about four hours without making any headway, his vessel being practically hove to. During that time several vessels passed both north and south, but none appeared to be in distress, hove to, or requiring assistance. He stated he had often when in command of the "Galleon" seen her fore well deck full of water, but she had no difficulty in freeing herself of it. He had generally sailed her about 2 feet by the stern, and in such trim had found her in all weather a first class sea boat. He admitted however that she would be more likely to be pooped by a heavy following sea if she were trimmed as much as 3 feet by the stern.

The Solicitor to the Board of Trade tendered in evidence a list of 45 vessels of varying sizes and types (including sailing ships) which have foundered or been reported missing since 1922 while carrying coal cargoes; but tie Court did not consider this relevant to the issue before them. If it is deemed desirable to consider the general question of coal carrying vessels, then, in the opinion of the Court, there should be an inquiry ad hoc.

At the conclusion of the evidence, the following questions were submitted on behalf of the Board of Trade, Mr. Temperley addressed the Court for his clients, and Mr. Burton replied:-

1. What was the cost of the s.s. "Gallcon" to her owners? What was her value when she last left Blyth? What insurances were effected upon, and in connection with, the ship?

2. When the vessel left Blyth on the 24th November, 1925:-

(a) Was she in good and seaworthy condition as regards hull and equipment?

(b) Was she properly supplied with life-saving appliances, and did she carry distress signals?

(c) What was the amount and description of cargo carried? Was it properly stowed, trimmed and secured from shifting?

(d) Were the hatchways properly covered and adequately protected and secured ?

(e)Was the vessel provided with adequate means for quickly freeing the decks of any water shipped thereon?

(f) Was the vessel in proper trim and had she the freeboard required for a winter voyage?

3. Was the design of the s.s. "Galleon" such as to ensure safety at sea with the freeboard assigned when she was laden with a homogeneous cargo?

4. Was the stability of the vessel completely investigated by the builders, and the knowledge imparted to those responsible so as to ensure safety under all probable conditions? What was the angle of heel at which the righting forces vanished? Were the range and righting forces such as would ensure safety when heavy seas were shipped?

5. Was the master supplied with any information regarding the vessel's stability to enable him to load her so as to ensure seaworthiness?

6. Was the s.s. "Galleon" so loaded for her last voyage as to ensure safe stability?

7. Were the ventilators as constructed and fitted of sufficient strength to ensure safety?

8. Were the open air pipes to the tanks and bunkers likely to be a source of danger under sea conditions?

9. What is the cause of the vessel not having been heard of since she left Blyth on the 24th November, 1925?

To which the Court replied as follows:-

1. The cost of the vessel to her owners was £16,383 11s. 2d., including extras. They estimated her value when she last left Blyth at about £16,000.

The insurances effected upon, and in connection with, the ship were as follows:-

2. When the vessel left Blyth on the 24th November last,

(a) She was in good and seaworthy condition as regards hull and equipment.

(b) She was properly supplied with life-saving appliances and carried the usual distress signals.

(c) The cargo consisted of 801 tons of Shilbottle and South Shilbottle small coal, 348 tons 18 cwt. of the latter being stowed in No. 1 hold and the remainder, comprising 452 tons 2 cwt. of the former, in No. 2 hold. The coal was of the same quality, but from different collieries.

She also took on board 68 tons 4 cwt. of bunkers, consisting of Bentinck unscreened coal, having in addition 10 tons estimated to be remaining over from the previous voyage.

Regarding the stowage and trimming of the cargo, the vessel being what is styled an "easy trimmer" the coal was loaded as is customary in this class of vessel as follows:-

The coal was teemed into the holds down the spouts, No. 2 hold, it is said, being entirely filled, the trimmers going below when the hatchway was about three parts run up and trimming the coal into the corners and wings.

In No. 1 hold the same system was adopted, but the fore end was not full as the chief officer, who superintended the loading, stopped the loading with the result that, according to the trimmers, there was an empty space of some 30 tons, the coal sloping down forward. No means were taken to secure the cargo from shifting.

(d) There was no evidence to show that the hatchways were properly covered and adequately protected and secured, but two of the trimmers stated they saw the tarpaulins on No. 2 hatch.

Provision existed for protecting and securing the hatchways with battens, wedges and locking bars.

(e) The vessel was provided with the usual means for freeing the decks of any ordinary water shipped thereon; but, in the opinion of the Court, it is a matter for consideration whether or not, especially in the case of vessels of the well deck type such as the "Galleon," some portion of the bulwarks both on the quarter deck and on the well deck should consist of open rails.

(f) While the vessel had the freeboard required for a winter voyage, the Court is of opinion that she was not in proper trim on the voyage in question as she was loaded 3 feet by the stern.

3. The design of the s.s. "Galleon" provided for a positive metacentric height of about 15 inches when laden with a homlogeneous cargo with the freeboard assigned; but the Court does not consider the range of stability sufficient for her safety at sea under all conditions of weather.

4. The stability of the vessel was not completely investigated by the builders and no knowledge on the subject was imparted to those responsible so as to ensure safety under all probable conditions. Upon the evidence placed before the Court resulting from the inclining experiment performed upon the sister ship "Blue Galleon," it would appear that the angle of heel at which the righting forces vanished was about 56 degrees under favourable circumstances. When heavy seas were shipped the range and righting forces were not such as would ensure safety.

5. The master was not supplied with any information regarding the vessel's stability to enable him to load her so as to ensure seaworthiness.

6. In the opinion of the Court, the s.s. "Galleon" was not so loaded for her last voyage as to ensure safe stability under severe weather conditions.

7. The ventilators as constructed and fitted were of sufficient strength to ensure safety.

8. In the opinion of the Court it would have been better had the air pipes to the tanks and bunkers been provided with means of closing the ends so as to obviate their being a possible source of danger under sea conditions.

9. There was no evidence enabling the Court to express a definite opinion as to the cause of the vessel not having been heard of since she left Blyth on the 24th November, 1925. The most probable cause, in the opinion of the Court, is that the vessel was overwhelmed by heavy following seas which, according to the evidence from other vessels, subsequently prevailed off the East Coast, from which she was unable to free herself in consequence of her being trimmed so much by the stern.

We concur.

(Isslled by the Board of Trade in London

on Friday, the 3rd day of September, 1926.)

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