(No. 1185.)
"ANNETTA."
The Merchant Shipping Acts, 1854 to 1876.
IN the matter of a formal Investigation held at Ardrossan, Ayrshire, on the 13th, 14th, and 15th days of December 1881, before ARCHIBALD ALEXANDER and JAMES LAMBERT BAILEY, Esquires, Justices of the Peace for Ayrshire, assisted by Captain BURNEY, R.N., Captain HYDE, R.N.R., and Captain MURDOCH, of the Mercantile Marine, into the circumstances attending the stranding of the British sailing ship "ANNETTA," of Ardrossan, on the Horse Island, in Ardrossan Harbour, on the 22nd day of November 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 stranding was caused by the vessel having got into the position described in the annex, and by the subsequent shifting of the wind and exceptional strength of the gale to which she was exposed. The Court does not think the circumstances referred to warrant its dealing with the master's certificate.
The Court makes no order as to costs.
Dated this 16th day of December 1881.
(Signed)
A. ALEXANDER, J.P.
JAS. LAMBERT BAILEY, J.P.
We concur in the above report.
(Signed)
HENRY D. BURNEY, R.N., J.P.,
ALEX. MURDOCH,
Assessors.
GEORGE HYDE, R.N.R.,
Annex to the Report.
The "Annetta," whose official number was 52,137, was a wooden-built vessel, barque-rigged, of 376 tons, or thereabouts, built at New Brunswick in the year 1865; was owned by Mr. Hugh Boyd, and registered at Ardrossan. Her length was 135.1, breadth 29.5, depth 12.5. She carried two boats, one a long boat, the other a jolly, and was well found in anchors, chains, and in every other respect, and carried six hands, her full complement being eight. She left Bowling on the Clyde on the morning of the 19th November last, without either ballast or cargo on board (she being an exceptionably stiff vessel), under tow of the steam tug "Commodore," of Greenock. On the afternoon of the same day she anchored at the Tail of the Bank, in consequence of the wind having become very fresh. On the 21st November, at 11.30 a.m., she again proceeded on her voyage in tow of the "Commodore." Everything seemed to progress favourably until both vessels got into the vicinity of Ardrossan Harbour (off Horse Island), when the wind, which had been gradually increasing up to this time, increased still more rapidly into a very strong gale and high sea, causing both vessels to pitch and heave very much. When a little to the south-west of the Horse Island, and in range of the Ardrossan Harbour Lights, the hawser by which the "Annetta" was towed suddenly snapped, and the vessel drifted to leeward. On account of the fast rising sea and increasing gale the captain of the tug found it impossible to pick up the barque again or to be of any practical assistance to her at the moment, and under the circumstances hailed the "Annetta" to let go her anchors. Had this order of the captain of the steam tug been complied with within a reasonable time, it is fair to assume that the barque would have ridden out the gale, or even in the event of her cables parting, she would, in her then position, have had some chance of driving into Ardrossan Harbour, when the crew might have had a better chance of saving their lives.
There is one point in connection with the hawser which is deserving of some attention. It appears that on the morning of the 21st November, and before leaving the Tail of the Bank, the captain of the steam tug went onboard the "Annetta," and while there had a good look and overhaul at the "Annetta's" towing hawser, which in his opinion was not much worth, and he told the captain of the "Annetta" so; but whether this was done with a view of inducing the captain of the "Annetta" to engage the tug's hawser, and of course have to pay something extra for the same, the evidence did not settle. Be that as it may, the captain of the "Annetta" having confidence in the strength of his own hawser insisted on it being used to tow the vessel. The evidence on the point however tended to show that the "Annetta's" hawser, which was made of coir, and which had been exposed for nearly two years on deck, in all kinds of weather, had materially perished. It is not easy to blame the captain for his want of knowledge of the hawser, as this same coir hawser might have been the only coir rope he had ever had any experience of; and coir ropes are often enough very deceiving in their appearance and qualities.
Why there was so much time lost after the captain of the "Commodore" told the "Annetta" to let go her anchors on the parting of the tow rope, there was no clear evidence to show. The captain of the "Annetta," no doubt, was under the impression that the tug would again be able to take him in tow, and thereby save him the trouble of working his anchors. But in this connection it should be noted, that the evidence disclosed the somewhat curious circumstance, that a man named Robertson, the agent of the towing company, was on board the "Annetta" as one of her crew, for the run to Ardrossan, and that the accounts of the communications which passed between the barque and the tug, go to show that Robertson, and not the captain of the "Annetta," appeared to be taking command of the "Annetta." Possibly the captain of the barque being in tow, may have felt that his vessel was safe under the directions of the agent of the towing company. At all events the captain of the barque appears to have been, at least shortly before the casualty, to a certain extent superseded by Robertson.
As soon as the "Annetta" anchored, and the tug found it impossible to be of any further assistance to her, she was hailed by the "Annetta" to proceed into the harbour and inform the owner of the state of affairs, and with the view of getting further assistance. With this request the captain of the "Commodore" complied, and went into Ardrossan, where he delivered his message, and also informed the harbour master of the "Annetta's" dangerous position. When, about an hour afterwards, he proceeded out to the "Annetta," the gale and wind having increased in the meantime, he found it perfectly impossible to do anything to assist the barque, and therefore returned into harbour. On his returning journey he met with the harbour tug going out to the "Annetta," but, as the harbour tug was a small boat, and of very small horse-power, and seeing the "Commodore" had been unable to render any assistance, the harbour tug was hailed from the "Commodore" that it was useless to go out, and she therefore also returned back into the harbour.
About 2.30 a.m. of the 22nd, when the wind shifted into the westward, which it did with extreme violence, the vessel tailed on to the rocks, and immediately began to break up amidships. In this emergency, when the lives of all on board were in immediate danger (both boats having been previously rendered useless) the mate, Michael Coogan, volunteered to swim on shore, with a line made fast to his waist. This he did; but he was only able to reach an outlying rock, some distance from the shore, the under tow of the line and his exhausted strength preventing him from getting any further. This failure on his part must have been very distressing to the poor fellow, as his effort to swim on shore with the line was undertaken with the view of trying to save his own brother, one of the crew, who was unable to swim, and who eventually was lost.
With the aid of the line, so taken on shore by the mate, some attempts were made to save the lives of the rest of the crew, but unfortunately three of them were lost, and amongst them was Robertson, agent for the steam tug. Joseph Hoy, the captain of the "Annetta," was the last man to leave the vessel. The survivors landed on the Horse Island, from which they were next day removed to Adrossan by the harbour tug, there being no dwelling of any description on the island.
It is wished to draw particular attention to the bravery, courage, and almost superhuman exertions of the mate Coogan in his endeavour to save life, and, in our opinion, the public notice and reward which such conduct deserves should not be withheld from him.
At the conclusion of the evidence, the solicitor for the Board of Trade submitted the following questions for the opinion of the Court:—
1. Whether at the time the "Annetta" left Bowling she was in good and seaworthy condition, having regard to the fact that she had neither cargo nor ballast on board, and carried only six hands all told?
2. Whether the hawser used in towing her from the Tail of the Bank was of sufficient strength for that purpose, and whether it was in good condition?
3. Whether, having regard to the doubt of the quality of the ship's hawser expressed by the master of the "Commodore," he was justified in neglecting to pass his own hawser on board the "Annetta?"
4. Whether, having regard to the condition of the weather and to the fact that the vessel had neither ballast nor cargo, the master of the "Annetta" was justified in leaving the Tail of the Bank on the forenoon of 21st November?
5. Whether the "Commodore" subsequently towed the vessel with a steady strain, and what was the cause of the tow rope parting?
6. Whether every possible effort was made by the master of the "Commodore" to pass his tow rope on board the "Annetta"?
7. Whether the "Annetta" was properly and securely brought up after the tow rope parted, and what was the cause of the crew being unable to unshackle the cable?
8. Whether the master of the "Commodore" then endeavoured to pass his tow rope on board the "Annetta," and whether the master of the "Annetta" understood that the master of the "Commodore" wished to do so, and also wished the master of the "Annetta" to slip his anchors?
9. Whether every possible effort was made by the master of the "Commodore" to obtain assistance?
10. Whether he informed the master of the harbour tug that it would be useless to proceed to the "Annetta," and was justified in so doing?
11. Whether every possible effort was made by the harbour master to send assistance to the crew of the "Annetta?"
12. What was the cause of the "Annetta" going ashore?
13. Whether every possible effort was made under the circumstances on board the "Annetta" to save life?
14. What was the cause of the loss of three lives?
15. Whether the "Annetta" and "Commodore" were navigated with proper and seamanlike care?
16. Whether the master of the "Annetta" and the master of the "Commodore" are, or either of them is, in default, and whether blame attaches to any other person, and, if so, to whom?
In answer to the foregoing queries, the Court find as follows:—
1. That, having regard to the character and description of the ship, she was in good and seaworthy condition.
2. That the hawser was good enough for ordinary purposes, such as smooth water and fair weather, but was not at all calculated for heavy weather and high seas.
3. That the captain of the "Commodore" was justified in not passing his hawser on board the "Annetta" without being requested to do so by the captain of the "Annetta."
4. That as the "Annetta" had performed the same passage under the like circumstances and at the same time of the year previously, and as there were no appearances of very heavy weather, the master of the "Annetta" was justified in proceeding on the voyage?
5. That the "Commodore" appears from the evidence to have towed the "Annetta" with a fair and steady strain, and that the towing hawser broke under the very heavy and jerking action necessarily caused by the pumping and pitching of both vessels in the high sea.
6. That from the evidence before the Court (which, in this respect, is somewhat contradictory) it appears that the captain of the "Commodore" did exert himself to pass his towing hawser on board the "Annetta."
7. That the "Annetta" was properly and securely brought up by her anchors after the parting of the tow rope; but from the evidence a very long time elapsed (vizt., ten minutes) before the anchors were let go. With regard to the unshackling of the cables, this would have been premature until the "Annetta" had first got the steamer's tow rope on board.
8. The first part of this question is answered under the sixth head, and there was no evidence before the Court to enable it to decide satisfactorily on the latter part of the question.
9. That this question falls to be answered in the affirmative.
10. That it appears the harbour tug was proceeding to the "Annetta" when she was hailed by a voice from the "Commodore," to the effect that there was no use going out, and that in consequence of this she returned to the harbour.
11. That this question falls to be answered in the affirmative.
12. That the cause of the "Annetta" going on shore was her having got into the position in which she anchored, the shifting of the wind from south-westerly to west, and the exceptional heaviness of the gale to which she was then exposed.
13. That this question falls to be answered in the affirmative. The Court further thinks that great credit was due both to the captain and mate of the "Annetta," on account of the presence of mind and bravery they displayed in their efforts to save life.
14. That the three lives were lost in the attempts of their owners to swim on shore, when they became exhausted and sunk without any one being able or near at hand to render them assistance.
15. That up to the time when the gale and sea increased, and the tow rope parted, both vessels appear to have been properly navigated.
16. That the captain of the "Commodore" appears to have conducted himself and his vessel with prudence and care; but the Court thinks the captain of the "Annetta" acted injudiciously in not taking the precaution to have the steamer's hawser passed on board when the wind and weather increased. The Court, however, does not find that the investigation has disclosed anything more than an error of judgment on his part, and so does not think itself called on to deal with his certificate.
It follows, from what has been before stated, that the concluding portion of this query falls to be answered in the negative.
(Signed)
A. ALEXANDER, J.P.
JAS. LAMBERT BAILEY, J.P.
HENRY D. BURNEY, R.N., J.P.
ALEX. MURDOCH.
GEORGE HYDE, R.N.R.
L 367. 955. 150.—12/81. Wt 203. E. & S.
