Wreck Report for 'Alice Lyne', 1881

(No. 901.)

"ALICE LYNE."

Report of a Court of Inquiry into the circumstances attending the abandonment of the barquentine "ALICE LYNE," near Bay Bulls, Newfoundland.

St. John's, Newfoundland, 20th January 1881.

Sir,—Having been appointed by your Excellency under the annexed Commission, and by virtue of chapter 99 of the Consolidated Statutes of Newfoundland, a Marine Court of Enquiry to investigate the circumstances connected with the alleged abandonment of the barquentine "Alice Lyne," near Bay Bulls, in this colony, and the conduct of the master and officers of the said vessel on that occasion, we have the honor to report to your Excellency for transmission to the Board of Trade as follows:—

The barquentine "Alice Lyne," of 288 tons burthen, registered at Newport, Wales, owned by William P. Munn, Esquire, Merchant, of Harbour Grace, left Leith, Scotland, under the command of Hector Curtis, with a cargo of coals, bound for Harbour Grace, Newfoundland. On the 7th December last they made the Newfoundland coast, near Cape Race. On the 11th January instant, the wind being N.E. by E., the master believing that the easterly winds were going to continue, endeavoured to make Trepassey; the wind failed as he reached Cape Mutton, and he therefore did not get into Trepassey; he then put her head off to the eastward, and the vessel was off and on the Newfoundland coast, between Cape Race and Cape Spear, with light head winds, from the 11th to the 15th January.

On the evening of that day at 11 p.m. they made Cape Spear Light, distant about 8 miles, bearing N. and by E. The weather was hazy and thick, calm, with light airs from the S.E; a heavy sea setting in on the land, and a current driving them also towards the land. All that night and the next day, Sunday, 16th January, the ship was not under steerage-way, and was drifting unmanageable towards the land. On Sunday morning at 8 a.m. they were about half-a-mile off Petty Harbour Point, south of Cape Spear; about noon same day they had drifted to Shoal Bay Point; they kept the lead over the side all day. At this time they were close in to the land, about two cables length off, with a heavy sea on the shore. The land on this part of the coast is very precipitous and rugged; for fear of the vessel being dragged any closer in, they let go their port anchor, and veered out about 65 fathoms of chain. At 2 p.m. the master sent away the first mate with three sailors in the jolly boat to go to Bay Bulls, and to send a message from thence to St. John's for a tug steamer.

The mate passed Bay Bulls by mistake, and got into Witless Bay, between 4 and 5 o'clock p.m. He at once dispatched a message to St. John's for a tug; he left Witless Bay in about one quarter of an hour, rowed on towards the ship until 7 or 8 p.m., when, failing to see any signs of the vessel, he returned to Witless Bay. In the meantime the master, with three seamen, second mate, and cook, were in a very perilous position aboard the vessel.

There was a very heavy sea rolling in on the land, the ship plunged and rolled heavily, and they were exposed to the danger of having their only boat, the long boat, washed away. The master states that the ship's stern was not more than 500 yards from the breakers; they remained in this dangerous position until 6 o'clock on Sunday evening, when the chain parted; they immediately launched the long boat, and after a few moments delay, left the ship, which the master states was then only twice her own length from the rocks; there was no wind, but the sea was so heavy that it took them five hours to row to Bay Bulls. The master at once sent a message to the mate at Witless Bay. Before the captain left Bay Bulls he was informed that the vessel had not gone ashore as he had anticipated, but was found about eight hours after he had abandoned her by a party of fishermen from Bay Bulls, and towed into St. John's on Monday morning by the tug steamer Cabot. From the evidence of Captain McKenzie, and from our own observation, we are aware that the weather during the week ending 15th January was unprecedented in the colony for warm weather, light southerly and south easterly winds, and for a tremendous sea on the eastern coast from Cape St. Francis to Cape Race; that the sea was heaviest on Sunday 16th January. We are satisfied therefore that the facts stated by the master and crew are correct. We believe that when he abandoned the vessel he and his crew were in imminent peril of their lives; that if the ship had struck the rocks, in all human probability none of them would have been saved. Our judgment therefore, which was delivered in open Court at the conclusion of the case, was as follows:—

Judgment of the Court.

We are of opinion that the master, Hector Curtis, and the portion of the crew of the said barquentine "Alice Lyne" remaining aboard with him on Sunday, 16th January, were in imminent peril of their lives at the time they abandoned the ship; that they were justified in so doing, and that under the circumstances, as stated in the evidence, no blame is to be attributable either to the master or his officers, the certificates of the captain and first mate are therefore returned to them.

We have the honour to be, Your Excellency's most obedient servants,

 

(Signed)

D. W. PROWSE, President, Marine Court of Inquiry.

 

 

J. G. CONROY.

 

 

GEO. ROBINSON, Commander, R.M.

 

 

JOHN GREEN, Master Mariner.

 

 

RICHARD SEARLE.

His Excellency, Sir JOHN H. GLOVER, G.C.M.G., Governor of Newfoundland, &c. &c. &c.

L 367. 671. 70.—2/81. Wt. 47. E. & S.