Wreck report for 'Enniskillen', 1927

FOR OFFICIAL USE

(No. 7849.)

"ENNISKILLEN" (S.S.).

The Merohant Shipping Act, 1894.

REPORT OF COURT.

In the matter of a Formal Investigation held at the Sheriff Court House, Aberdeen, on the 26th, 27th, 28th and 31st days of October, 1927, and the 4th day of November, 1927, before JOHN DEWAR DALLAS, Esquire, Sheriff Substitute of Aberdeen, Kincarding and Banff, assisted by Captain D. F. MACDONALD, O.B.E., A.I.N.A., and Captain W. PETERKIN, O.B.E. (Nautical Assessors), and Major S. H. HAMBLING, M.I.N.A., and Mr. A. SCOTT YOUNGER, B.Sc., M.I.N.A. (Naval Architect Assessors), into the circumstances attending the loss of the British steamship "Enniskillen" of the Port of Belfast Official Number 148,150, and consequent loss of life.

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 cause of the loss of the S.S. "Enniskillen" cannot be definitely ascertained as there are no survivors of the crew and consequently no direct evidence available.

It is probable, however, that circumstances arose, on or after the night of the twentieth of January, 1927, possibly through (a) grazing a rock in the vicinity of the Farne Islands, or (b) water being admitted to the double bottom, through the air pipes or otherwise, which led to loss of stability and the ultimate capsizing of the vessel.

Dated this fourth day of November, 1927.

J. D. Dallas, Judge.

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 "Enniskillen" of Belfast.

The case was hear in the Sheriff Court House, Aberdeen on 26th, 27th, 28th and 31st October, 1927. and 4th November, 1927, before Sheriff Substitute John Dewar Dallas with Captain William Peterkin, O.B.E., and Captain D. F. Macdonald, O.B.E, A.I.N.A., Nantical Assessors, and Mr. A. Scott Younger, B.Sc M.I.N.A., and Major S. H. Hambling, M.I.N.A., Naval Architect Assessors.

Mr. M. M. Duncan, Advocate, appeared for the Board of Trade, Mr. George Duncan, Advocate, appeared on behalf of the builders of the ship who were made parties to the Inquiry at their own request, and Mr. Thomas Mackenzie McKinty, Solicitor, Belfast, appeared for the owners.

The S.S. "Enniskillen," official number 148,150, was a single-screw steamship, schooner rigged, built in year 1927 at Aberdeen by Messrs. John Lewis & Sons, Ltd., to the order of Messrs. John Kelly, Ltd of Belfast, who were the owners of the vessel at the time of her loss.

1. Dimensions.

Registered dimensions were: Length, 138.1, breadth, 24.35; depth, 10.0; gross tonnage, 354.69 tons; net tonnage, 143.17 tons.

2. Type of Vessel.

The "Enniskillen" was built as a self-trimming collier of the raised quarter-deck type. The raised quarter deck length was 43 feet 6 inches, height 3 feet 6 inches, extending over machinery and boiler space. Bridge length was 9 feet, height 7 feet-Forecastle deck length was 23 feet of which 15.7 was enclosed, height being 7 feet.

3. Completion of Building.

The "Enniskillen" was taken over from the builders after trials on 17th January, 1927, and sailed for Blyth in ballast, the same day. Draft F 4 feet 4 inches, A. 10 feet 11 inches, arriving there after a passage of 13 hours.

4. Machinery.

The engine was triple expansion, having three cylinders, 104 inches, 18 inches, 30 inches diameter, 21 inches length of stroke working on three cranks, Nominal H.P. 50. Designed speed about 9½ knots. One single ended horizontal multitubular boiler 11 feet 6 inches internal diameter by 10 feet external length. Working pressure of 200 lbs. to the square inch and two plain furnaces. The machinery, boiler and hull were built by Messrs. John Lewis & Sons, Ltd., Aberdeen, to conform to Lloyd's highest class under special survey and classed 100 A.1.

5. Deck Houses.

On the quarter deck, a steel deck house, covering the machinery spaces, was fitted extending for 37 feet 9 inches abaft the bridge, this house was 7 feet high and 13 feet 6 inches wide, there was a steel hinged door fittted each side for access to hoiler room, a similar door each side for galley and one each side for access to engine room. These doors all had 1 foot 6 inch sills.

6. Hatchways.

There were two main hatchways on the well deck to the cargo hold, these hatchways were 22 feet 4 inches × 13 feet 6 inches at the top. Coaming height 3 feet 6 inches splayed to 15 feet 6 inches athwartship at deck level. and in a fore and aft direction the hatchways were splayed in a similar manner except the fore end of No. 1 which was vertical. At after end of No. 2 hatchway was a hunker hatchway length 4 feet 4½ inches, width 13 feet 6 inches, coaming height, 3 feet 6 inches. The main hatchways were fitted with two transverse portable webs of .35 inches steel plate. 17½ inches deep at centre and 8½ inches at ends, stiffened by double angles 3 inches × 3 inches × .42 inches at top and double 3 inches × 1½ inches solid cope at bottom, the ends of these transverse beams were supported at the coamings by cast steel shoes. In a fore and aft direction there were three oak beams, the wing fore and after being. 6½ inches × 6½ inches solid oak, the middle line fore and after was of 6½? inches × 7 inches solid oak. The hatches were of 2½ inches × 11 inches white pine arranged athwartship, these hatchways were fitted with handles; six spare hatches were supplied. The hatchways were battened in the usual manner, with cleats 24 inches apart. Two tarpaulins were supplied for each hatch. No top locking bars nor lashing arrangements were fitted. A small escape hatchway 21½ inches × 26 inches with 18 inch coaming was. fitted at the starboard side at fore end of well deck, this hatchway was 3 feet from middle line and built against forecastle bulkhead and the side of lamp-room. It was fitted with 2½ inch white pine hatches and battened down in the usual manner. For access to the store at after end of quarterdeck, a circular hatchway 18 inches diameter with 12 inch coaming was fittted with a bolted plate cover.

7. Bulwarks and Freeiny Ports.

The bulwarks were of .26 inch plating, 3 feet 0 inches high extending from forecastle to bridge house, their lengths being 62.4 feet, and they were 3 feet high for the length of the quarter deck, Freeing ports were fitted, throe each side on well deck 3 feet × 1 foot 5 inches with sills 7½ inches above deck, and two freeing ports each side on quarter deck 2.5 feet × 1.2 feet with sills 3 inches above the deck. All freeing ports were fitted with flaps of balanced hinged type. Three scuppers 4 inches × 3½ inches were fitted each side on the well deck, and two scuppers 4 inches × 3 inches each side on the quarter deck. In addition to these scuppers there were fitted one mooring pipe each side 8 inches × 6 inches at fore end on well dock and two mooring pipes 8 inches × 6 inches each side on quarter deck, one being just abaft the bridge. The lips of these mooring pipes were 1 foot 1½ inches above steel deck on well deck and 11 inches above steel deck on quarter deck. The aggregate area of freeing ports, etc., on the well was 6½ per cent. of bulwark area

8. Bulkheads and Hold.

There were three steel water-tight bulkheads extending to the upper deck, efficiently stiffened in accordance with Classification Society's Rules. The foremost bulkhead was at frame 68 about 15 feet from the stem. The alterpeak bulkhead was at frame 4 about 7 feet from the stern post, the third W.T. bulkhead was at frame 29 at the after and of No. 2 Hold. In addition to these bulkheads a screen bulkhead was fitted at frame No. 21 forming the after boundary of the cross coal bunker. The total length of hold was about 70 feet and the capacity of the hold 18, 138 cubic feet.

9. Ventilators.

There were two ventilators to the hold, eaea 10 inches diameter, one fitted in the well on starboard side about 5 feet 6 inches forward of the bridge house with coaming 3 feet high of 32 inch steel plating. The cowl stood 5 feet above deck to underside of lip, diameter of cowl mouth was 1 foot 8 inches. A similar ventilator was fitted at fore end of well, in this case a pipe 10 inches diameter extended from upper deck to forecastle deck where the ventilator coaming was fixed, the height from forecastle deck to lip of cowl mouth was 3 feet 6 inches. Steel caps and canvas covers were provided to fit the ventilator coamings.

10. Bouble Bottoms and Ballast Tanks.

A double bottom 29 inches in depth extended for the full length of the hold and bunker from the fore peak to the boiler room bulkhead with solid floors at each frame. It was divided transversely by a W.T. division at frame No. 47. forming two independent water ballast tanks, No. 1 tank of capacity 40 tons and No. 2 tank of capacity 52 tons. The middle line keelson was not water tight, being pierced by limber holes. The forepeak tank could contain 30 tons, and the after peak tank having a capacity of 6 tons was generally used for carrying fresh water for boiler. Total water ballast with all tanks full was 128 tons.

11. Sounding Pipes.

An iron sounding pipe, 1¼ inch bore, was fitted to the after end of No. 1 water ballast tank. For No. 2 water ballast tank one 1¼ inch sounding pipe was fitted on each side of the hatch coaming at the after end of well. Flush brass screw covers were fitted to the sounding pipes at the deck. Similar sounding pipes were fitted each side at after end of the well, for sounding the bilges.

12. Air Pipes.

Two open-ended air pipes were fitted to No. 2 double ballast tank, one on each side of the ship alongside the bulwark in the well diameter 2½ inches. The height of the open ends above deck was 2 feet 10 inches. For No. 1 ballast tank one 3 inch diameter air pipe was fitted immediately abaft forecastle bulkhead, the height of open end above deck was 2 feet 2 inches. There was nothing fitted on the mouth of these air pipes to prevent water entering ballast tanks.

13. Pumping Arrangements.

The following pumps were worked off main engines, viz. : air pump, feed pump and circulating pump with the usual connections and a bilge pump with 2-inch suction from the bilge line and discharge overboard. A .separate steam-driven general service pump 5 inches × 3½ inches × 6 inches was fitted with suction from the sea, ballast tanks, hot well, boiler and exhaust tanks with the usual deliveries. There was also a separate steam-driven vertical duplex ballast pump 6 inches × 6 inches × 6 inches fitted with suctions from sea, ballast tanks and bilges, with usual deliveries, including circulating through the condenser. Ballast suctions were fitted 2¼ inches diameter in each wing and 4 inches diameter at middle line at the after ends of No. 1 and No. 2 water ballast tanks. A suction 3 inches diameter was fitted to the forepeak tank with screw-down valve at the bulkhead. Bilge suctions 2.1 inches diameter were arranged at the after end of the hold bilges at each side. In the engine room one 2-inch suction was placed at the after end of the engine room and one 2-inch suction at the fore end of engine seating, also a 2½-inch suction at the after end, at middle line of the boiler room, ami a 3-inch diameter bilge injection under the engines connected to the circulating pump. A 3-inch diameter deck pump was fitted with suction to chain locker.

14. Steering Gear.

The steering gear was of the combined hand and steam horizontal type, steam cylinder 4½ inches × 4½ inches. The gear was placed on the flying bridge and chains were led from an- extended barrel through fairleads to the quarterdeck. Connections to rudder head wore by rods, chains and quadrants in the ordinary way. No mechanical brake was fitted to the tiller. Hand tiller and relieving tackles were provided.

15. Lifeboats and Equipment.

Two lifeboats were fitted, one class A on the port side, one class C on the starboard side, each boat being 16 feet × 5.8 feet × 2.3 feet and designed to carry 12 persons. These boats were fitted on a platform alongside and level with the top of the engine room casing. Mound iron davits on the usual revolving pattern were fitted, the davits being supported at the level of the boat platform and heels stepped in sockets on quarterdeck. The boats, equipment, davits, &c., were passed by the Board of Trade Surveyor and a lowering test was also carried out. One 10-inch compass of the Sir William Thompson type was fitted on the bridge and was adjusted before leaving.

16. Details of Loading and Draught.

On the 20th she loaded a cargo of house coal 360 tons 17 cwts., also bunker coal 37 tons 3 cwts., total 398 tons, and sailed at 7 p.m. for Dundalk viä the north of Scotland at a draft of F. 10 feet 8 inches A. 11 feet 4 inches with a freeboard of about 1 foot 4 inches.

17. List of Crew.

The vessel was under the command of Mr. James Semple, who hold a Home Trade Master Certificate No. 106844. The following is a complete list of the crew : -

18. Report of Pilot.

Pilot Henry Tait boarded the ship about 5 p.m. when she was at the loading berth staiths. No. 2 hatch covers were on and battened down at that time, later No. 1 hatch was finished and battened down, and she sailed at 7 p.m. 30th January, 1927. The pilot left at 7.15 p.m. when off the pier head, He followed the vessel in his cutter to the Fairway Buoy. During the time he was on board everything appeared to be in order. The steering gear and engine worked well, and the two main hatches were battened down: he did not notice if the small forward trimming hatch was battened down also.

19. Finding of Life Boat.

After the pilot left the ship nothing has been seen or heard of her with the exception of the port lifeboat which was picked up at sea by the trawler "Strathblane" on January 22nd, 1927, in a position 24 miles past of the Bell Hock (off the Firth of Tay) Lat. 56° 27´ N. Long. 1° 43´ W. This lifeboat was found floating bottom upwards, taken on board the trawler and was eventually landed at Dundee.

20. Condition of Lifeboat.

On being examined at Dundee by a Board of Trade official, lie found her slightly damaged on her starboard side as follows: knee connection of sheer strake to stern post missing, some paint rubbed off the after end of the gunwale, some bruises and chafings on the same plank at the middle of the boat. The canvas cover was missing, the lifeline for after half of the length of the boat was torn adrift and hanging loose with broken rings attached. A rowlock was in place aft, for a steering oar. The painter was hanging from the boat in a coil with stops; but although it could not have been used in that condition some of the foregoing particulars may indicate that an attempt was made to use the boat at the time the ship was lost.

21. Finding of a Body.

On February 22nd, 1927, the trawler "Volunteer," James Macintosh, master, picked up in his net the body of a man in a decomposed condition and un-recognisable. Where this body was found is approximately 5 miles from the position where the boat was found by trawler "Strathblane." This body was returned to the sea.

22. Maiden Voyage of the "Fermanagh."

It may be noted what happened to the "Fermanagh," a sister ship to the "Enniskillen," on her first voyage 18th January, 1927, with a full cargo of coals from Methil to Ramsgate. No trimming was done except to level down the coals in the hatchways, and she left port 1.55 a.m. with an appreciable list to starboard. Shortly alter leaving she encountered rough weather, continually Hooding the well deck, particularly the starboard side to which she was already listed. At 8 o'clock a.m. the master sent a man into the hold to trim the cargo with the object of reducing the list, and after four hours' work the list was reduced to about 5° this amount was not considered harmful. At 6 p.m. the behaviour of the vessel suggested to the master that there was water present in the ballast tank, as the vessel was rolling to the extent of submerging the tops of the bulwarks on the starboard side immersing the 2½-inch goose neck airpipes on starboard side. About this time several big seas filled the fore well completely, and she careened over until the coamings of the hatch went under water. Later on about 7.20 p.m. the master became alarmed and realized that the presence of water in the tank was endangering the safety of the vessel. It was then decided to make for Bridlington Bay, which was reached with difficulty, and after anchoring in smooth water some trimming was done to the cargo, the water pumped out of the tanks and bilges; this "pretty well got the vessel upright," and the voyage was resumed for Ramsgate, which was reached without further trouble. It is estimated that while lying at Bridlington Bay about 20 tons of water was pumped out from the No. 2 tank, and the effect of this free surface must have greatly affected her stability. It is not clear how this water got into the tank, but it is presumed to have entered by the air pipes when the vessel was lying over with bulwarks submerged. The master explained that he was unable to sound the tanks, as the top of the sounding pipes were on the well deck, which was continually flooded with water. There is evidence from the engineer to the effect that a considerable quantity of water accumulated in the engine room and stokehold, but that he was unable to pump this out on account of the list which left the rose box, situated in the centre line of the vessel clear of the water. It has been reported that since this voyage no further trouble of a similar nature has been experienced. There is little doubt had the "Fermanagh" not got into shelter when she did that in a short time, with the increasing loose water in her bilges and double bottom, she would have been lost, it is not considered probable that there was any shifting of cargo, but something similar to the foregoing may have happened to the "Enniskillen," and not being able to get shelter she was lost on or after the night of 20th January, 1927.

23. Report on Weather Conditions.

The masters of the "Elidir," "Stronsa Firth" and "Ivy Town," in positions between Aberdeen and Blyth on the night of 20th January, all report more or less bad weather, and the "Enniskillen" would experience the same weather conditions.

The weather reports from the: -

24. Inclining Experiment.

No inclining experiment was conducted nor were calculations for stability made for the S.S. "Enniskillen." The shipbuilders had, however, inclined the sister ship "Fermanagh" for the purpose of ascertaining the initial stability of both ships. It was calculated from the results of the inclining experiment that the metacentric height when loaded to her load draught with homogeneous cargo, was 9¾ inches. After the loss of the "Enniskillen" the sister ship "Fermanagh" was inclined under the direction of the Board of Trade, with the result that after making the necessary corrections the metacentric height was found to be 9.6 inches, under the conditions of loading, &c., of the "Enniskillen" at time of leaving Blytli for her fateful voyage. These conditions were that the vessel was loaded with: -

Total 411 tons, giving a total displacement of about 754½ tons on a mean draught of about 11 feet and trimming 8 inches by the stern.

25. Statical Stability.

Calculations were also made by the Board of Trade to ascertain the statical stability of the "Fermanagh" under the conditions set forth and curves drawn showing the righting arms so obtained at different angles of inclination. These curves show that:-excluding the hatchways, the maximum righting arm was 1.92 inches at 30° and the range was 55°. Including the hatchways the maximum arm was 3.9 inches at 42° and 3.17 inches at 60°, beyond which angle no calculation was made. These curves of righting arms show the usual characteristics for this type of vessel in that they do not rise above the tangent line at Zero. The substantial accuracy of these curves were admitted by the shipbuilders. Under the conditions for which curves were calculated, the following parts of the vessel would be submerged at the angles of inclination given, viz. :-

26. Margin of Stability.

Owing to the design of the vessel, it was possible for considerable quantities of water to remain on deck for an appreciable time, and the presence of this water, because of its weight and free surface, would raise the centre of gravity and reduce the met acentric height. Calculations have been submitted which show that with the well momentarily filled with water level with the bulwarks at lowest part of the sheer, the result would be that the vessel would have a negative metacentric height of 1.5 feet. Taking into account the spilling of water over the bulwarks the vessel would not be in a condition of equilibrium until she heeled to 16°. This condition would be aggravated by water getting into the ballast tanks through the open-ended air pipes. The free surface effect of a small quantity of water in the No. 2 water ballast tank, for the condition in which the ship sailed from Blyth. would be to reduce the metacentric height by about .86 feet: this reduction would be in addition to the reduction due to any water that might be trapped in the well or to any accumulation of water in the bilges. Whilst the foregoing calculations are purely hypothetical and only static conditions are assumed, the results are taken to be indicative of the small margin of stability possessed by the "Enniskillen" and her sister ship "Fermanagh."

27. Recommendations.

The Court recommends as follows: -

At the conclusion of the evidence the following quéstions were submitted to the Court on behalf of the Board of Trade.

(1) What was the cost of the s.s. "Enniskillen" to her owners? What was her value when she last left Blyth? What insurances were effected upon or in connection with the ship?

(2) When the vessel left Blyth on the 20th January last : -

(3) Before being handed over to her owners: -

(4)-(a) What was the metacentric height of the "Enniskillen" when she left Blyth on the 20th January last?

(b) What was the maximum righting arm, and at what angle of heel did it occur?

(c) Were the righting arms sufficient to provide safety at sea in the condition in which the vessel left Blyth. having regard to the dimensions, design and arrangements of the ship?

(d) Was this metacentric height sufficient, having regard to the type, design and loading of the vessel, for the intended voyage?

(5) What is the cause of the s.s. "Enniskillen" not having been heard of since the pilot left her off Blyth on the evening of the 20th January last?

The Court answered the questions as follows: -

The Court would desire to point out that the vessel conformed in every respect with the rules of the classification society and the regulations of the Board of Trade, and practically with their latest circular giving ratios of minimum proportion of breadth to summer draft in the case of coal-carrying vessels.

We concur.

(Issued by the Board of Trade in London

on Tuesday, the 6th day of December, 1927.)

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