FOR OFFICIAL USE.
"HAMLET" S.S.
(No. 7846.)
In the matter of a Court of Inquiry held at Cape Town on the
22nd April, 1927, before William Babington Magennis, Magistrate of
the Cape, Captain Charles Alec Sherwood, and Captain Frank Preston
Whitehead, Master Mariners, duly authorised in terms of Section 17
of Act 13 of 1855 of the Cape of Good Hope (The Local Merchant
Seaman's Act, 1855), for the purpose of investigating the
circumstances attending the casualty to the British steamship
"Hamlet," at Saldanha Bay, on the 7th April, 1927.
Appeared Mr. G. H. Shawe, Public Prosecutor, who put in
appointments of members of Court.
Mr. Dallas (Messrs. Reid and Nephew) appears for Muster. Mr.
Knox-Baxter appears for the Owners.
FINDING OF THE COURT.
The following facts are found:-
1. That the s.s. "Hamlet," of Cape Town, official number 123228,
124 tons net register, about 21 years old, owned and managed by
Messrs. Irvine and Johnson, South Africa, Ltd., engaged in coastal
trade in connection with the fishing industry, Charles Dumaresq,
Certificate of Service, No. 76709, being master, number of crew 11,
also 2 passengers (Company's servants), cargo-coal, timber and
empty drums, from Cape Town for Saldanha Bay, stranded and became a
total loss on South Head, near the entrance to the Bay, at 5.55
a.m. on April 7th, 1927.
2. That at 12.10 a.m. on the 7th April, 1927, the ??etch iron
steamer "Hamlet" unmoored at Table Bay Docks and passed the
Breakwater at 12.20 a.m.
3. That Charles Pascoe Dumaresq, the master, was personally in
charge of the deck until the vessel was wrecked on South Head at
Saldanha Bay at 5.55 a.m. the same day.
4. Up to and after passing Dassen Island the course was N. ¼
W.
5. The vessel was in good and seaworthy condition.
6. Properly manned.
7. That she was provided with the necessary charts and two
compasses. The compass on the wheel house should have been a proper
binnacle compass with an unobstructed view from right ahead to
abeam on both sides, as the one supplied let into the deck was
useless for obtaining errors and taking bearings. The compass in
the wheel house was also manifestly useless for obtaining errors
and taking bearings. The chief officer stated that the length of
the hand line was 50 fathoms. No deep sea line and lead was
supplied.
8. The compass deviations were apparently not ascertained by
azimuth bearings.
9. The Court is of opinion that for the size of the vessel a
proper and vigilant look-out was kept.
10. That the master considered that the course set was safe. In
the vicinity of Robben Island a fog was encountered. This did not
interfere materially with visibility until after passing Dassen
Island, when it became dense. There was a moderate swell on, the
tide making flood at the time, and it was dark.
11. At 5.37 a.m. the log showed 52½ miles. No soundings were
taken.
The master's report on the casualty reads as follows:
"Ship navigated in usual manner in accordance with speed and
course followed on previous voyages. Master relieved chief officer
when Dassen Island was abeam, and was responsible for all
alterations of courses steered and was on the bridge when the
casualty happened. She took ground while going full speed,
presumably on the rocks at South Head. Subsequently got clear of
the rocks and was afloat for over an hour. The ship was making
water, but owing to the thickness of the weather it was impossible
to gain the beach as the water rose so high in the ship as to put
the fires out. It was decided to abandon the ship as it was
sinking, and there was no possibility of saving it. Master and crew
stood by in the two boats and the ship drifted into the breakers.
There appeared to be a strong S.E. setting current. Ship is total
wreck. Ship and cargo became a total loss."
The master considered it unnecessary to take soundings in that
class of vessel, and in any case no deep sea line was
available.
Before commenting on the various aspects of the case, the Court
wishes to place on record its appreciation of the manner in which
the master, by his frank and straightforward evidence, assisted the
Court in dealing with this matter.
From the evidence it appears that the vessel steered to pass
inside Robben Island and Dassen Island, and at 12.55 a.m. Robben
Island light was abeam-distant 2 miles. From this position the
course by compass was N. ¼ W., speed 10 knots. At 3.45 a.m. Dassen
Island light was quite visible abeam -distant 2½ miles. The same
course was steered to 5.10 a.m., when it was altered to N.E., and
at 5.37 was again altered to N.N.E. with the intention of passing a
mile off South Head. After passing Dassen Island a thick fog came
on, which continued up to and after the time (5.55 a.m.) when she
stranded. She was kept going full speed throughout, namely 10
knots. The master further stated that they did not take compass
observations, but relied for an estimate of the deviation of his
compass on the courses he found the vessel made on his previous
voyages. Apparently the compass courses steered coincided with the
magnetic courses.
The compass used for navigating was in fact the steering compass
inside the wheel house, and was only divided to quarter points, and
probably such division, having regard to the quick movements of a
small vessel, causing oscillation, is as near as could be usefully
employed. This compass was, as already stated, manifestly
unsuitable for taking bearings, placed as it was inside the wheel
house.
The Court recognises in dealing with this matter the
limitations-some of which are more or less inherent-imposed on
masters of small coasting craft in navigating their vessels. Many
aids supplied to larger vessels could not be usefully employed in a
coaster as conditions exist to-day. Also the smallness of the
crews, which of necessity often leaves the officer in charge
without any assistance except the man at the wheel.
Apparently the average speed was not properly ascertained
between Robben Island and Dassen Island, as according to the
master's reckoning he had travelled 29 miles (as indicated by
patent log), whereas the actual distance between the two
light-houses was 27½ miles, and a factor which largely contributed
to the loss of the vessel was the master's failure to make use of
the exact time taken in steaming from Robben Island abeam to Dassen
Island abeam for the purpose of calculating the true average speed
of the vessel between the lights. Had he done so it would have been
discovered that the speed was less than he expected, and assuming
the same speed, together with the two alterations of the course
more to the eastward after passing Dassen Island, it is obvious
that this would put the vessel in the vicinity of where in fact she
stranded.
The master in his evidence stated that he expected to pass about
one mile off South Head, and the Court is of opinion that to have
attempted to steer to a position one mile off shore whilst
proceeding at full speed, on a dark night during a thick fog, was
as inexcusable as it was reckless.
The loss of the vessel is all the more regrettable because about
the time of her stranding the master saw South Head showing above
the fog. Had he, as an ordinary act of prudence, slowed down after
passing Dassen Island and waited for daylight and the lifting of
the fog before proceeding, it is reasonable to assume that the
disaster would have been averted.
After the vessel stranded by striking a boulder on the beach she
floated off and the engineroom began to fill with water, which put
the fires out and rendered her unmanageable, thus preventing the
master from beaching her, as he said he hoped to do, in Sandy Bay,
near Jutten Island. The water was smooth except for a slight
westerly swell, and as the vessel was in a sinking condition the
crew and two passengers left her in the two boats without mishap.
The Court is of opinion that the vessel was not prematurely
abandoned. No blame is attached to the mate, engineers or any of
the crew.
The Court ascribes the casualty to the failure of the master to
take proper precautions, which the state of the weather
necessitated.
The Court finds that the vessel was not navigated with proper
seamanlike ability and care, and suspends the Certificate of
Service, No. 76709, of the master, Charles Pascoe Dumaresq, for
four months. The Court, however, recommends that in the meantime he
be granted a Mate's Certificate.
W. B. MAGENNIS, President.
F. WHITEHEAD,
C. A. SHERWOOD,
Members.
Cape Town, 30th April, 1927.
(Issued by the Board of Trade in London
on Thursday, the 21st day of July, 1927.)
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