Wreck Report for 'Albion' and 'Isabella Pratt', 1881

(No. 1006.)

"ALBION" (S.S.) AND "ISABELLA PRATT."

REPORT of a Court of Inquiry held at Auckland, New Zealand, into the collision between the steamship "ALBION" and the schooner "ISABELLA PRATT."

1. That the official number of said ship, called the "Isabella Pratt," is 70,326, of which William Cross is master, who holds no certificate, and which ship belonged to James Hassell, jun., of Oamaru, ship owner.

2. That the loss or damage herein more particularly mentioned happened on the 22nd day of February 1881, at about 4.17 a.m., off the harbour of Port Charles, near Cape Colville.

3. That the loss or damage appears by the evidence to have been caused by the collision of the screw steamship "Albion" with the schooner "Isabella Pratt."

4. That the nature of the loss or damage done was total loss of schooner "Isabella Pratt," damage to three plates of steamer "Albion." That the vessel is insured in the National Insurance Company. That the

"Isabella Pratt" is schooner-rigged. Her port of registry Dunedin, her registered tonnage 71 13/100. That no lives were lost through the wreck.

And I, the said Justice of the Peace and Resident Magistrate, further state my opinion on the matter aforesaid to be as follows:—

That the collision and consequent loss of the schooner "Isabella Pratt" was caused by the smoke from the funnel of the steamer "Albion" rendering the schooner invisible from said steamer, and also rendering the steamer invisible from the schooner, until the two vessels were in close proximity.

That the schooner ought to have gone about as soon as she was enveloped in the steamer's smoke.

That the schooner's standing on into a dense smoke, in consequence whereof the steamer was not made out by the schooner's crew, was reprehensible; common sense should have taught them that if the steamer was not visible from the schooner, the schooner was not likely to be seen from the steamer.

That had the schooner's helm been put hard down, so as to bring her to the wind instantly upon the steamer's light being made out through the smoke, there would have been time sufficient either to have avoided the collision or to have greatly mitigated it; the schooner's jibboom might have been carried away against the steamer's starboard side, or their sides rubbed together, but probably no further damages would have been sustained; putting the schooner's helm hard up so as to pay her off under the bow of the steamer was most injudicious.

Given under my hand, this 26th day of February 1881, at Auckland, New Zealand.

 

(Signed)

ROBERT CLAPHAM BARSTOW,

 

 

Justice of the Peace and Resident

 

 

Magistrate.

We concur in the above report.

 

(Signed)

WM. FRAZER,

Nautical Assessors.

 

 

THOS. PENNAL,

 

L 367. 776. 70.—5/81. Wt. 203. E. & S.