(No. 1137.)
"MARY ANN."
The Merchant Shipping Acts, 1854 to 1876.
IN the matter of a formal Investigation held at the Town Hall, North Shields, on the 13th and 14th days of October 1881, before THOMAS JACKSON and JOHN WAIT, Esquires, assisted by Captains HARLAND and VAUX, into the circumstances attending the abandonment of the barque "MARY ANN" on the 29th of August 1881.
Report of Court.
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 abandonment of the "Mary Ann" was occasioned by the vessel having sprung a leak, and thereby foundering, but the evidence before the Court was insufficient to enable it to decide how the leak originated.
Dated this 14th day of October 1881.
(Signed)
THOMAS JACKSON,
Justices.
JOHN WAIT,
We concur in the above report.
(Signed)
ROBERT HARLAND,
Assessors.
C. VAUX,
Annex to the Report.
The "Mary Ann," of South Shields, official number 47,179, was a barque built of wood in 1865, at Sunderland, and was owned by John Gibson, of Blyth, her registered tonnage being 342.50 tons.
From the evidence it appears that she left Blyth on the 2nd of February 1881 with a crew of 10 hands all told, under the command of Thomas Hunton, who holds a certificate of competency, number 94,547, with a cargo of 600 tons of coal, bound to Montril, and at the time of leaving appears to have been in good condition and well found, and being provided with two fly-wheel pumps. Heavy weather was experienced when in the channel, during which they lost some sails and the rail forward on starboard side, and one stanchion head broken. This weather continued from the 7th till 14th February, after which the ship appears to have made a little more water than usual. They arrived at Montril on the 2nd of March, discharged cargo, and took in sand ballast for Torrovega, at which port she took in a cargo of salt, and left there about the end of April, bound to Memel. On arriving at that port they had the main rail renewed, head of stanchion and bulwarks replaced, everything being done according to surveyor's instructions. They then proceeded to Libau, and on reaching there went alongside the quay, which is constructed of stone, with a projection of about two feet, consisting of wooden piling, and they had to use wooden fenders, weighted with large stones, to keep the ship as much as possible from bumping against the piles, from which (the mate asserts) large iron bolts projected. There was only eight feet of water at the quay, and they had to boom the ship off whilst stowing. During the time of loading it was blowing hard from the north, and the ship rolled very much. They finished loading on the 26th of August, her draught of water then being twelve feet nine inches on an even keel, and sailed at 6 a.m. of the 28th for Hamburg, with only nine of a crew, one of them having deserted at Memel, wind N. by E. The vessel was pumped every hour up till between 4 and 8 p.m., when the port pump, which they had been using up till this time, would not work. The boxes were drawn and found all right, and the starboard pump was then kept going, when it sucked for the last time at 11 p.m. At 1 a.m. they found four feet of water, and still increasing, and the crew were set to work to take some of the cargo out of the fore hatch, which consisted of hemp in bales, oats in bulk, tobacco and hides, to find out, if possible, where the water was coming in, but nothing was discovered, and at 3 a.m. they found 8 to 10 feet, when they discontinued pumping and got the boats out. As the ship appeared to be going down a passing vessel was signalled, which took all hands on board, and twenty minutes afterwards the "Mary Ann" foundered.
With regard to the cause of the casualty, the Court is unable to arrive at any definite conclusion, and can only conjecture that some serious injury was done to the vessel when alongside the quay at Libau, and the Court considers that the loading berths at that place, as described by the witnesses, are very unsafe; at the same time it seems strange that the vessel did not shew sooner than she did after leaving Libau the dangerous condition in which she ultimately turned out to be in. With reference to the pumps, the Court is satisfied that it was impossible to repair the port pump when it broke down, as it would have taken many hours to do so, and, moreover, from the construction of the pumps it would have necessitated throwing the starboard pump out of gear, and thus leave the ship without any pumping apparatus whatever.
The crew did not leave any sooner than was necessary, and the master and crew appear to have used all the efforts in their power to save the vessel, but without avail.
(Signed)
THOMAS JACKSON,
Justices.
JOHN WAIT,
ROBERT HARLAND,
Assessors.
CUTHBERT VAUX,
At the conclusion of the evidence the following questions were submitted on behalf of the Board of Trade for the consideration of the Court:—
1. Whether the "Mary Ann" was properly and efficiently repaired at Memel?
2. Whether she was placed in a safe and proper loading berth at Libau, and whether she there became damaged?
3. Whether when the vessel left Libau she was in good and seaworthy condition, and whether her pumps were sufficient and in good order?
4. What was the cause of the vessel making so much water, and whether Thomas Hunton, the master, was justified in continuing on his voyage, first, after 2 p.m. on tho 28th August, when he found the said vessel to be making more water than usual, and, secondly, after the port pump gave way between 4 and 8 p.m. of the same day?
5. Whether every possible effort was made to repair the port pump after it gave way?
6. What was the cause of the vessel thereafter making so much water, and whether every possible effort was made to ascertain the cause of the leak, and keep the water under? And—
7. Whether the said vessel was navigated with proper and seamanlike care?
If the Court find Thomas Hunton, the master, in default his certificate should, in the opinion of the Board of Trade, be dealt with.
Dated this 13th day of October 1881.
LANCEL DE HAMEL, for the Board of Trade.
Judgment.
1. As far as the Court is able to judge from the evidence adduced the vessel was efficiently repaired at Memel.
2. The "Mary Ann" was placed in a usual and regular loading berth at Libau, but the Court considers the loading berths there are very unsafe, especially in a northerly wind which then prevailed.
3. As far as the evidence shows the vessel was in good and seaworthy condition when she left Libau, and the pumps were in good order.
4. The evidence before the Court as to the cause of the vessel making so much water is not sufficient to enable it to decide. At 2 p.m. of the 28th August 1881 there was no reason for the master to return to port, as one pump kept the ship free without continuous pumping, and as the watch was able to keep the vessel free with one pump up till 11 p.m., the master was still justified in continuing the voyage.
5. From the connection between the two pumps it was practically impossible to repair the port pump when it gave way, as in order to do so it would have been impossible to work the starboard pump whilst the repairs were being effected.
6. There is no evidence to show why the vessel made so much water after midnight of the 28th and 29th of August, and every possible effort appears to have been made to discover the leak.
7. The vessel seems to have been navigated in proper and seamanlike manner, and the Court finds that Thomas Hunton, the master, is not in default.
(Signed)
THOMAS JACKSON,
Justices.
JOHN WAIT,
ROBERT HARLAND,
Assessors.
C. VAUX,
L 367. 907. 150.—11/81. Wt. 203. E. & S.
