(No. 364.)
"BARCELONA," (S.S.)
The Merchant Shipping Acts, 1854 to 1876.
IN the matter of the formal investigation held at the Chancery Court, St.
George's Hall, Liverpool, on the 11th of January 1879, before H. C. ROTHERY,
Esq., Wreck Commissioner, assisted by Commander KNOX, R.N., and Captain WILSON,
as Assessors, into the circumstances attending the stranding of the steamship
"BARCELONA," of Dundee, on Dead Island, about five miles east of Basque Point,
on the Coast of Newfoundland, on the 19th of October 1878.
Report of Court.
The Court, having carefully inquired into the circumstances of the
above-mentioned shipping casualty, finds, for the reasons annexed,-
(1.) That the stranding of the said ship was due to John Andrew Halcrow, the
master, having altered the vessel's course at first half a point and afterwards
three-quarters of a point more to the north than that on which she was
originally placed, under the belief that the deviation of the standard compass
was greater than he had at first supposed, and greater in fact than it really
was.
(2.) That it was incumbent upon the master to have taken greater precautions
when approaching the land, if the compasses were, as he says they were, more or
less deranged, and especially to have avoided approaching too near to the coast.
(3.) That the course steered from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m., being three-quarters of a
point to the northward of her original course was not a safe and proper course,
and that the master was not justified in keeping her for so long a time on that
course.
(4.) That in the clear state of the weather a shore light might not unnaturally
be mistaken for the Rose Blanche Light, and that the master is not to blame on
that account.
(5.) That there is no reason to suppose that a good and proper look-out was not
being kept on board his vessel.
(6.) That no blame attaches to anyone on board for not having taken more
frequent casts of the lead.
(7.) That after land had been sighted all proper and seamanlike measures were
taken to clear it.
(8 and 9.) That the master is to blame for the stranding of the vessel, but that
he is entitled to great credit for having, by his skilful and seamanlike
conduct, extricated her from a position of extreme peril.
Under all the circumstances the Court returns to the said John Andrew Halcrow
his certificate, at the same time cautioning him to be more careful in future.
The Court makes no order as to costs,
Dated the 11th day of January 1879.
(Signed)H. C. ROTHERY, Wreck Commissioner,
We concur in the above report.
(Signed)HENRY KNOX,
Commander, R.N.,Assessors,
"T. WILSON,
Reasons.
The Commissioner.-When this inquiry was opened we were told by Mr. Tyndall, who
appears for the Board of Trade, that they had been unable to find either the man
who was on the look-out or the man who was at the wheel at the time of the
stranding; and that he should, therefore, after the master and officers had been
examined, have to ask for an adjournment, in order that they might see whether
the men could not be found. To this Mr. Dickinson, who appeared for the master
and owners, objected, as he said that it would be a grievous hardship upon the
master to have a charge of this kind hanging over him for an indefinite time. I
stated that it would be time to consider the application after the master and
officers had been examined. In the end the application was not pressed, and the
Court therefore proceeded to give judgment.
The "Barcelona." which is an iron steamship of 1,855 tons gross and 1,216 tons
net register, and is fitted with engines of 190 horse-power, was built at Dundee
in the past year, and at the time of the accident which forms the subject of the
present inquiry she was the property of Mr. William Thomson, of No. 8, Euclid
Crescent, Dundee, and a number of other gentlemen, Mr. William Thomson being the
managing owner. The vessel left Cadiz for Montreal on the 6th of October last,
laden with a cargo of about 1,200 tons of fruit and wine, and having a crew of
27 hands all told. She was nearly a new vessel, this being only her third
voyage, and she was in a thoroughly good and efficient condition. She was
steered from amidships, but had also a wheel aft, which could be used if
occasion required. She had four compasses, three of them being in use. The
standard compass was on the wheel-house, standing about 4 feet 6 above it; and
there was a compass in the wheel-house, and another before the after wheel. On
the 15th of October she encountered a very severe gale, which carried away some
of her sails, as well as the standard compass upon the wheel-house. The master
thereupon transferred the compass which was before the after wheel, and which as
he has told us was the best compass he had on board, being one of Sir William
Thompson's patent, to the place of the standard compass above the wheel-house,
and placed the spare compass before the after wheel,
On the morning of the 19th October they were nearing the Island of St. Pierre
which lies off the south coast of Newfoundland; and at 8 a.m. the island bore N.
1/2 E. by compass, distant about 10 miles. The vessel was continued on the
course on which she had previously been. namely, N.W. and by N. by compass; at
10 o'clock an azimuth observation was taken by the master, which led him to
think that the deviation of the standard compass instead of being, as he had
supposed, about one point, was a point and a half. Accordingly at noon he laid
the vessel half a point more to the N. to allow for the supposed additional
error of half a point in the deviation, that is to say, on a N.W. by N. 1/2 N,
course by compass. That course was continued till shortly after 3 o'clock, when
another azimuth observation was taken, which confirmed him in the belief that
the compass had a deviation of a point and a half, and accordingly the ship was
laid a quarter of a point still further to the northward, or on a N.W. by N. 3/4
N. course. She was continued on that course from about 3 p.m. till 8 o'clock the
same evening, when the master, thinking that he had approached sufficiently near
to the land, altered his course back to N.W. by N. by compass.
The master told us that his object in keeping to the north was for the purpose
of obtaining a sight of the Rose Blanche Light, from whence he hoped to take his
departure to cross the Gulf of St. Lawrence, And at 9.50 p.m., observing a white
light some two or three points forward of the starboard beam, he immediately
concluded that it was the Rose Blanche Light, for which he had been looking, and
accordingly he continued his course N.W. by W, by compass. Shortly afterwards he
observed something dark looming upon his starboard side, and almost immediately
afterwards he saw breakers on the starboard bow. He at once ordered the engines
to be stopped, jumped down into the wheel-house to put the helm
hard-a-starboard, and having got the helm hard over, came up on the bridge
again, and ordered the engines to be reversed full speed. So close, however,
were they to the rocks that on the vessel getting stern way upon her she struck
aft; upon which orders were at once given to put the engines ahead, but
observing that there were breakers ahead also she was again stopped, the helm
kept hard-a starboard, and the engines again turned astern. Again she struck aft
more severely than the first time. At length they succeeded in clearing the
rocks, and they then observed the red light of Point Basque away to the
westward, which showed them that they had been on the rocks off Dead Island. The
engines were then put on ahead easy until 8 o'clock the following morning when
an attempt was made to put them on full speed, but it was found that they would
only go about three-quarters speed, but after a time they seemed to go more
easily. They arrived in due course at Montreal, and having there discharged her
cargo, the vessel returned down the river to Quebec, where she was placed on the
gridiron, and it was then found that one of the blades of the propeller had been
knocked off, and that the stern post and rudder locking had been damaged, The
damage, having been repaired, and a new propeller put into her, she returned to
this country. Such are the facts of the case, as they have been disclosed to us
in the evidence.
On the conclusion of the evidence Mr. Tyndall state that the questions upon
which the opinion of the Court would be asked were as follows:
1. What was the cause of the stranding of the vessel?
2. Whether, having regard to the fact that the compasses were all more or less
deranged, upon approaching the land, sufficient precautions were taken
3. Whether the course steered from 3 p.m. until the vessel grounded was a safe
and proper course, and whether the master was justified in keeping the ship so
long on that course?
4. Whether the light seen at 9.50 p.m. was recognised, and if not, whether
proper measures were taken to ascertain what light it was, and to verify the
position of the vessel?
5. Whether a good and proper look-out was kept?
6. Whether the lead was used with sufficient frequency?
7. Whether, when the land was sighted on the starboard bow, proper measures were
taken to clear it?
8. Whether the vessel was navigated with proper and seamanlike care?
9. Whether the master and officers are, or either of them, is in default?
The Board of Trade also stated that in their opinion the certificate of the
master should be dealt with.
First then let us endeavour to ascertain if possible what was the cause of the
stranding of this vessel. The master has told us that on taking his departure
from St. Pierre, he laid his ship on a course to pass from eight to nine miles
to the south of, and so as to sight the Rose Blanche Light. At that time he said
that he thought his compass had a deviation of one point, but that when he found
from the two azimuth observations taken at 10 and 3, that there was a deviation,
as he thought, of a point and a half, he first laid her half a point and then
three-quarters of a point to the northward of her original course, to correct,
as he said, the compass error. The difficulty, however, that we have in
following him here is, that if we take our departure from 10 miles S. 1/2 W.
from St. Pierre, and then lay the courses down as stated by the witnesses, and
as shown by the log-book, allowing for a westerly deviation of a point and a
half, it would take us some 24 miles to the south of the Rose Blanche Light,
and, therefore, well out of the range of that light, which is visible at a
distance of only 13 miles. We cannot, therefore, quite reconcile the courses
steered with his expressed intention to pass within eight or nine miles of Rose
Blanche Light, on the assumption that the compass had a westerly deviation of a
point and a half; with such a deviation, in order to make the light, his compass
course should have been much more to the north. On the other hand, if we assume
that the course originally laid would have taken him within eight or nine miles
of the Rose Blanche Light, then without any sudden error in his compasses, such
as he speaks of as appearing from the azimuth observations taken at 10 and 3, we
shall find that the alteration of the helm of half a point at noon, and of
three-quarters of a point at 3, would take the vessel sufficiently far to the
north to land her at the place where we find her. Let me endeavour to explain
what I mean. It seems that the vessel was going all the time at full speed,
which was nine knots an hour. Between 12 and 3, therefore, when the course was
half a point to the northward of her original course she would run 27 miles, and
would in the same time, therefore, make about 2.7 miles northing. From 3 to 8
p.m., when the course was three-quarters of a point to the northward of her
original course, she would run 45 miles, and in that time would make a northing
of about 6 3/4 miles. The total distance then which she would be carried by the
alterations of the helm at noon and at 3 to the northward of her original course
would be about 9 1/2 miles. So that if her course as originally laid would have
taken her, as the master said it would, about eight or nine miles to the
southward of Rose Blanche Lighthouse, and if the master was wrong in supposing
that there had been such a sudden error in his compasses as his azimuth
observations led him to suppose, the mere alterations of the helm would account
for his getting ashore where he did. And this, in our opinion, is the real cause
of the stranding. The master did not produce a book of his azimuth observations,
from which we might have been able to judge for ourselves where the error was;
he said he kept them upon loose pieces of paper, and that they had been
destroyed. He could give no explanation of how lie had got so far out of his
course, except the common excuse that his compasses must have gone wrong; but
the deviation from his course agrees so nearly with what would be due to the two
alterations of his helm, that we are disposed to think that this must have been
the real cause, and not any sudden and unexplained error in the compasses.
The second question on which our opinion has been asked is, whether, having
regard to the fact that the compasses were all more or less deranged, upon
approaching the land, sufficient precautions were taken? If it be the fact, as
the master has stated, that his compasses were more or less deranged on
approaching the land, it certainly would have been his duty to have taken
greater precautions than he did take, for he seems not to have taken any special
precaution, but to have continued to go ahead full speed almost until he touched
the rocks.
The third question is, whether the course steered from 3 p.m. until the vessel
grounded was a safe and proper course, and whether the master was justified in
keeping the ship so long upon that course? In our opinion he was not justified
in keeping his vessel from 3 p.m. till 8 p.m. on a N.W. and by N. 3/4 N. course,
or three-quarters of a point further to the north than his original course. He
should have remembered that every step which he took to the northward was
bringing him so much nearer to this rocky and dangerous coast, which it was his
especial duty to avoid.
The fourth question on which our opinion is asked is, whether the light seen at
9.50 p.m. was recognised, and if not, whether proper measures were taken to
ascertain what light it was, and to verify the position of the vessel? No doubt
the light which the master saw was not recognised in the strict sense of the
term. A light indeed was seen, and the master at once jumped to the conclusion
that it was the Rose Blanche Light it seems, that although the weather was clear
out to sea, there was a fog hanging over the land, and the assessors tell me
that in a fog it is very difficult to distinguish a shore light from the light
of a lighthouse, and they do not, therefore, think that he is much to blame for
this, the more so as the light appeared in the direction in which he told us
that he expected to see the Rose Blanche Light. I am far from wishing to throw
any suspicion upon this gentleman's testimony, but if he believed that this
light, when he saw it, was the Rose Blanche Light, and that it was as he has
told us only about five or six miles off, it certainly does appear to be very
strange that he should have continued to go ahead at full speed on a N.W. by N.
course, seeing that that course, even allowing a point of deviation, would take
him ashore on Dead Island, where he in fact struck.
The fifth question which we are asked is, whether a good and proper look-out was
kept? Now we have no reason to think that a proper look-out was not being kept
on board this vessel. It is true that the look-out man has not been produced. He
has, we are told, disappeared, and we think that it would be useless to adjourn
this inquiry until either he or the man who was at the wheel can be found, the
more so, as all that we are told about them is that one of them is a foreigner
named Pedro, a somewhat vague description. For we have no doubt whatever that
the captain and the second mate were, as they have sworn, keeping a good
look-out on the upper bridge, nor is it perhaps much to be wondered at that they
did not see the Rose Blanche Light, for steering the course they were, N.W. by
N. by compass, they must have been some six miles from the light when they
passed it, and with a fog hanging over the land it would probably not be visible
at that distance. We have, therefore, no reason to think that a good and proper
look-out was not being kept.
The sixth question on which our opinion is asked is, whether the lead was used
with sufficient frequency. Now we think that in certain circumstances nothing
can be more culpable than to neglect the use of the lead; for instance, when
approaching the coast in a fog, and when the water is shallow, and you can tell
from the soundings approximately the position of the vessel. But here the water
is very deep, almost close up to the shore, at some places as much as 80 and
even 90 fathoms. Nor is there anything in the soundings which would indicate at
what part of the coast the vessel was. We cannot, therefore, think that in the
present case, however it might be in other cases, the master is greatly to blame
for not having taken a cast of the lead more frequently. He thought, from seeing
what he took to be the Rose Blanche Light, that he knew his position, and that
he was where he expected to be, and therefore there seems to have been the less
reason for stopping the vessel in order to take a cast of the lead.
The seventh question is, whether, when the land was sighted on the starboard
bow, proper measures were taken to clear it? On this point we have no doubt. We
think that the master behaved as a good seaman should do; that he retained his
presence of mind, and succeeded in extricating his vessel from a position of
extreme difficulty in a skilful and seamanlike manner.
The eighth question, whether the vessel was navigated with proper and seamanlike
care, is somewhat too vague and cannot be answered except so far as it has been
already. To place his vessel in a position of such extreme danger was certainly
not a very proper or seamanlike act, but after she was in that position she was,
in the opinion of the assessors, handled in a very seamanlike manner.
The ninth question is, whether the master and officers are, or either of them,
is in default? Seeing that the master navigated the ship himself, and that he
was on the bridge and in charge of the deck when she stranded, it is clear that
he is alone to blame for this casualty, and the Board of Trade have accordingly
asked that his certificate should be dealt with. As we have endeavoured to show,
the stranding seems to have been due to the master having supposed from the
azimuth observations which he took at 10 and 3, that the deviation of his
compass was greater than it really was, which induced him to lay her head more
to the north than he should have done. No doubt it was a great fault,
considering that he was approaching so dangerous a coast. On the other hand, he
was not neglecting his duties; he had been almost constantly on deck from an
early hour that day, and he extricated his vessel from a position of extreme
peril in a very skilful and seamanlike manner. His present owner, too, has given
him a very high character for steadiness and attention to his duties. Under
these circumstances we are not disposed either to cancel or suspend his
certificate, but in returning it we shall caution him to be more careful in
future.
(Signed)H. C. ROTHERY, Wreck Commissioner.
We concur.
(Signed)HENRY KNOX,
Commander, R.N.,Assessors.
"T. WILSON,
I. 101. 144. 70.-1/79. Wt. B 612. E. & S.
