Wreck Report for 'Afton' and 'Allegro', 1881

(No. 1121.)

"AFTON" (S.S.) AND "ALLEGRO."

The Merchant Shipping Acts, 1854 to 1876.

IN the matter of a formal Investigation held at the Court of Exchequer, Four Courts, Dublin, on the 13th, 14th, and 15th days of October, 1881, before CHARLES J. O'DONEL, Esquire, Chief Magistrate of Dublin Police District, assisted by Captain T. BEASLEY, M.M., and Captain A. PARISH, R.N.R., Nautical Assessors, into the circumstances attending the loss of the British sailing ship "ALLEGRO," of London, through a collision with the British steamship "AFTON," of Glasgow, about eight miles south of Corsewall Light, on or about the 15th September 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 collision and loss of the sailing ship "Allegro," on the 15th September 1881, were due to the neglect and default of William Lowes, the master of the steamship "Afton," for which default the Court, while taking into consideration his long service and favourable antecedents, adjudges the master's certificate of said William Lowes to be suspended for six calendar months from this date, but recommends that during that period of suspension he be allowed a first mate's certificate.

The Court makes no order as to costs.

Dated this 15th day of October 1881.

 

(Signed)

C. J. O'DONEL, Judges.

We concur in the above report.

 

(Signed)

ALFRED PARISH,

Assessors.

 

 

THOS. BEASLEY,

 

Annex to the Report.

The sailing ship "Allegro," official number 24,994, was a schooner, built of wood in 1851, at St. Mary's, Scilly, Cornwall, and was registered at the Port of London; gross tonnage 100.68, and registered tonnage 89.93.

Her length was 76.5 feet, breadth 19.2 feet, and depth 11.1 feet, and she was the property of Mr. Michael J. Brady, of Lime Street, Dublin, who was also her managing owner.

On the 13th September last, at about 3 o'clock in the afternoon, she left Greenock with a full cargo of coals bound for Foynes, on the Shannon, and carried a crew of four hands all told, including the master, Hugh Ranaghan, who holds no certificate. She appears to have been in every respect well found and in good condition, having been lately surveyed by the Board of Trade. The tide was high water when she left, and the wind moderate from the northward.

Nothing of any consequence occurred until 12 o'clock (midnight) on the 14th September, at which time the mate took charge from the captain, who, however, remained on deck, the wind being baffling, until between 1 and 2 a.m., when he went below, leaving the mate, Charles Hunter, at the wheel, and the boy Patrick Ranaghan, on the look-out. The "Allegro" at the time was steering a S.W. course, with all sail set, including square sail, and making about 3 knots per hour, the wind being light from the N.E. The captain then considered himself abreast of Corsewall Point, about 6 to 8 miles distant, and stated that he himself had examined his side-lights about half-an-hour before going below, and that they were then burning brightly.

Shortly after the captain went off deck the mate saw a black lump about a point abaft the starboard beam, which he took to be a tug-boat. as he saw no lights. About half-an-hour afterwards, the wind drawing out on the starboard quarter, he called the boy to the wheel while he braced the yards a little forward on the start board tack; at the same time he observed a dim red light shewn from the black lump before mentioned, which he had still kept in view, and asked the boy if he had seen it, who replied that he had just made out the light. By the statement of the boy, who gave his evidence in a very intelligent and straightforward manner, the red light was then on the starboard bow, and the vessel shewing it appeared to be coming directly towards the schooner. Both mate and boy then looked at their own lights, and saw that they were burning brightly. The vessel, which was now seen to be a steamer, still bearing towards them, they shouted loudly towards her, but got no answer. The master of the "Allegro," roused by the shouting, ran up on deck, and almost immediately the steamer struck her between the fore and main rigging, cutting into her main hatches. The mate remained at the wheel until the moment of actual collision, when he saw the schooner's starboard light fall into the sea from the force of the blow. The vessels remained locked together until the crew of the "Allegro," including an A.B. who had been asleep below, had climbed up her rigging and scrambled on to the steamer's forecastle, when the steamer backed astern, and the "Allegro" immediately went down. The master and boy Ranaghan, who were first on board the steamer, saw no one forward until a man came running from aft, asking, in a voice of alarm, "What was the matter?" and "if all were saved?" and shortly afterwards they heard voices on the bridge. The collision occurred a little before 3 a.m., and about 20 minutes after the steamer's red light had been sighted by the "Allegro."

The steamer proved to be the "Afton."

That vessel's official number is 76,793. She is an iron screw steamship, built at Paisley, in the county of Renfrew, in the year 1877, and was registered at the port of Glasgow, gross tonnage 266'44, and registered tonnage 151.58; her length is 140.44 feet, breadth 23.2 feet, and depth 10.5 feet. She is schooner-rigged, and fitted with two compound vertical direct-acting engines of 60 horse-power combined, and is the property of Messrs. Peter Barr, of 54, St. Enoch's Square, Glasgow, and another; Mr. Barr being managing owner.

She was under the command of Mr. William Lowes, who held a certificate of competency as master, No. 12,357, her mate being Mr. John Black, who also held a master's certificate.

On the 14th September, at 11.20 p.m., she left Belfast with a crew of 11 hands, including the master, and carrying a cargo of grass seed, bound for Ayr. She appears to have been well found and in good condition, and her lights were burning brightly. She proceeded down the river as far as Hollywood Light in charge of the mate, who holds a pilot's certificate for Bedfast Lough, and the master then took charge, the time being about midnight, and the weather fine, with a light breeze from northward. After passing Blackhead, at a distance of about a mile, a course N.E. by E. 1/2 E. was steered towards Ayr, which course was continued up to the time of the collision.

The men in the captain's watch were Larmour, A.B., at the wheel, and McAfee, cook, who was forward, and, as the captain described it, "knocking about the deck." McAfee trimmed the masthead and side lights, which he said he left burning brightly, and about 2 o'clock a.m, he relieved Larmour at the wheel, who went down to the galley, where he remained about 10 minutes, and then went forward to take McAfee's place.

The "Afton" is fitted with a whaleback-deck forward, and in a narrow channel it was usual for the look-out to be stationed thereon; but in open sea he remained on the lower deck and looked out over the bulwarks to port and starboard alternately, from which positions it was alleged that he could see well forward. The captain stated that the whaleback-deck would not be a safe position for the look-out in an open sea, as he would be in danger of being washed away. The whaleback stands about seven feet above the deck, and consequently a person on deck amidships cannot see forward.

At about 25 minutes past 2 o'clock, the Corsewall Light being then in view bearing E.N.E., the captain left the bridge and went beneath it to the engineer's room to "rest his legs." He had not, he alleged, had any rest since arriving in Belfast from Ayr at 8 o'clock on the previous morning, having been all day engaged unshipping and shipping cargo, and moving from one berth to another. Before leaving the bridge he gave instructions to McAfee, the man at the wheel, to keep an eye around, and to call him (the captain) if he saw anything.

Shortly after the captain had gone below McAfee noticed that there was no reflection on the mast from the masthead light, and called forward to Larmour to trim it. He, however, received no answer, Larmour not being in sight at the time, and McAfee thought Larmour must have heard him had he been on deck.

McAfee then observed the schooner half a point on his port bow, and about a quarter of a mile or less away, but stated that he could not see her lights. He put his helm hard-a-port; but immediately on seeing the schooner, as he thought, coming across the steamer's bows, he reversed hard-a-starboard.

The captain, hearing the noise of chains moving quicky, rushed on the bridge, and saw the schooner about fifty yards ahead. He at once telegraphed to stop the engines, but before the order could take effect the vessels collided. The steamer was going full speed, about 8 knots an hour, and Corsewall Light bore east, about 6 miles distant.

The captain ordered a boat to be got down; but on its being ascertained that the schooner's crew had all come aboard, this order was not carried into effect.

Just before the collision McAfee stated that he saw a bright light on the schooner, apparently a binnacle light or sky light coming from the deck, and not a ship's side light. Larmour stated that he was still forward, having kept a good look-out, but had not seen the schooner until they were just upon her, and could not then see that she was carrying any lights. The Court however do not place much reliance upon Larmour's evidence.

The captain had, according to his own statement, been off the deck a quarter of an hour, and, according to McAfee, half an hour, when the collision occurred. Both admit that it was a fine moonlight night, though hazy on the horizon, and that a vessel even without lights could be seen a mile away.

Upon the schooner going down, the steamer proceeded on her voyage, and Larmour trimmed her lights about quarter of an hour after the collision. Ayr was reached about 8 o'clock a.m., and the schooner's crew landed.

With regard to the question of the look-out on board the "Afton," the captain stated that the practical lookout was the man at the wheel, from which position high on the bridge a good view forward and all around can be obtained, but Larmour and McAfee both stated that when at the wheel it was not usual to act as lookout, the latter shrewdly observing that a man could not attend to his wheel and look-out at the same time, the Court being quite of the same opinion.

The mate stated that a look-out was generally kept on the deck forward. All agreed in saying that it was not usual for the officer in charge to leave the bridge, though it appears from McAfee's evidence that the captain occasionally, though very seldom, did so.

With regard to the lights of the "Allegro," about which there was a conflict of evidence between her crew and that of the "Afton," the Court cannot discredit the evidence of the former that the "Allegro's" lights were burning brightly up to the time of the collision.

The list of questions appended was submitted by the solicitor to the Board of Trade for the consideration of the Court, and he stated in open court that in the opinion of the Board of Trade the certificate of the master of the "Afton" should be dealt with.

Mr. Martin Burke, B.L. (instructed by Mr. Doran) then addressed the Court on behalf of the master, Mr. William Lowes, who had been 33 years at sea, and received his master's certificate in 1865, and who received an excellent character from his present employers, in whose service he had been upwards of fourteen years.

The following are the questions submitted to the Court:—

1. Whether both vessels complied with the Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea?

2. Whether a good and proper look-out was kept on board the "Allegro," and whether her lights were in their proper places, and burning brightly?

3. Whether the master of the "Afton" was on deck at a time when the safety of the vessel required his personal supervision?

4. Whether the master of that vessel was in any circumstances justified in leaving the bridge without first being replaced by a certificated officer?

5. Whether the master was justified in leaving no one on the bridge?

6. Whether a good and proper look-out was kept on board the "Afton"?

7. Whether every possible effort was made by those in charge of that vessel to keep out of the way of the "Allegro" as required by article 17 of the said Regulations?

8. Whether the "Allegro" kept her course as required by article 22 of the said Regulations?

9. Whether the master of the "Allegro," and the master and mate of the "Afton" are, or either of them is, in default, and whether blame attaches to Larmour?

To which the Court replies as follows:—

1. The "Allegro" complied with the Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, but the "Afton" did not.

2. There was a good and proper look-out on board the "Allegro," and the Court is satisfied that her lights were in their places and burning brightly.

3. The master of the "Afton" was not on deck at a time when the safety of the vessel required his personal supervision.

4 and 5. The Court is of opinion that the master, being also the officer in charge of the watch, was not justified under the circumstances of the case in leaving the bridge.

6. A good and proper look-out was not kept on board the "Afton."

7. In consequence of there being no proper look-out on board the "Afton," no effort was made to keep out of the way of the "Allegro" until too late to avoid the collision.

8. The "Allegro" kept her course as required by the article in question.

9. The master of the "Allegro" and mate of the "Afton" were not in default. The master of the "Afton" was in default; the collision and consequent loss of the "Allegro" were entirely owing to his neglect of duty.

As there was no evidence that Larmour was specially placed on the look-out, the Court offers no opinion as to his being in fault.

With reference to questions 4 and 5 the Court cannot accept the captain's plea that he "wanted to rest his " legs" as sufficient justification for leaving the deck, and even if absolute necessity had arisen for his doing so, he might have temporarily placed the A.B. (Larmour) (who was "knocking about the deck") on the bridge specially to look-out, with orders to call him. The "Afton" being engaged in the home trade, and there being no evidence before the Court that she was a passenger ship, the Court is of opinion that there was no necessity for the person in charge of the deck to be a certificated officer.

Dated this 17th day of October 1881.

 

(Signed)

C. J. O'DONEL, Judge.

We concur in the above.

 

(Signed)

ALFRED PARISH, R.N.R.,

Assessors.

 

 

THOS. BEASLEY,

 

L 367. 891. 150.—10/81. Wt. 203. E. & S.