Wreck Report for 'Brighton', 1882

(No. 1515.)

"BRIGHTON" (S.S.)

The Merchant Shipping Acts, 1854 to 1876.

IN the matter of the formal Investigation held at Westminster, on the 29th of September 1882, before H. C. ROTHERY, Esquire, Wreck Commissioner, assisted by Captain RONALDSON and Captain VAUX, as Assessors, into the circumstances attending the stranding of the steamship "BRIGHTON," of Shoreham, on Beachy Head, on the 8th of September 1882.

Report of Court.

The Court, having carefully inquired into the circumstances of the above-mentioned shipping casualty, finds, for the reasons annexed, that the stranding of the said ship was due to her having been allowed, when rounding Beachy Head, to get too near to the shore, the master having miscalculated his distance therefrom. Under the circumstances, however, the Court is not disposed to deal with his certificate.

The Court is not asked to make any order as to costs.

Dated this 29th day of September 1882.

 

(Signed)

H. C. ROTHERY,

 

 

Wreck Commissioner.

We concur in the above report.

 

(Signed)

A. RONALDSON,

Assessors.

 

 

CUTHBERT VAUX, R.N.R.,

 

Annex to the Report.

This case was heard at Westminster on the 29th of September 1882, when Mr. Marsden appeared for the Board of Trade, the master, who is also the owner, being present and conducting his own case. Three witnesses having been produced by the Board of Trade and examined, Mr. Marsden handed in a statement of the questions upon which the Board of Trade desired the opinion of the Court. The master then addressed the Court on his own behalf, and Mr. Marsden having been heard in reply, the Court proceeded to give judgment on the questions on which its opinion had been asked. The circumstances of the case are as follow:—

The "Brighton" is a small paddle-wheel steamer belonging to the port of Shoreham, of 100 tons gross and 33 tons net register, and is fitted with engines of 28 horse-power. She was built at North Shields in the year 1878 for Mr. William Samuel Gardner, of Painswick, in the county of Gloucester, master mariner, who at the time of the casualty was both owner, managing owner, and master. Her usual employment was to run from place to place along the south coast with passengers during the summer months when the weather was fine; and on the occasion in question she had left Brighton at about 11 a.m. of the 8th of September for Eastbourne with about 80 passengers and a crew consisting of 5 hands all told, namely, a master, a mate, one able seaman, an engineer, and fireman, in addition to servants to attend on the passengers. The weather at the time was fine, the sea smooth, and the wind was from about east, and she proceeded down the coast at full speed, making about 10 knots, and keeping within a short distance of the shore, the vessel drawing only 4 feet 6 inches of water upon an even keel. On nearing Beachy Head the wind headed them, upon which the jib, which had till then been set, was taken in; and when off Beachy Head Lighthouse the master, according to his usual practice, took the wheel. She continued running along the coast until Eastbourne Pier came in sight, when the master hauled her more to the northward to round the head. Soon afterwards the master, who was steering from amidships, observed, a little on the port bow, that the water was not exactly broken, but lifting, as though it was shoaling, upon which he immediately put the helm hard-a-port and turned round to order the engineer, who was behind him working the engine from the deck, to stop her; but he had hardly given the order when the vessel struck. and although the engines were put on full speed astern, she remained fast, it being at the time about four hours ebb. Finding that the vessel would not come off, the master at once got out the two boats which they had, and with the assistance of two fishing boats which were near, succeeded in landing all the passengers on the beach. As the tide fell, they examined her to see if she had sustained any serious damage, and having caulked her as far as they were able and passed a piece of awning under the fore foot, they waited till the tide floated her, when, finding that she was making only a very little water, which could easily be kept under by the hand and donkey pumps, they proceeded towards Shoreham, where they arrived at about 8 the same evening. She was subsequently put upon the slip, when it was found that she had sustained some damage to her bottom, the cost of repairing which was, we are told, about 70l.

Now these being the facts of the case, the following are the questions on which the Board of Trade has asked for the opinion of the Court:—

1. What was the cause of the casualty?

2. Was the vessel navigated between Brighton and Eastbourne with proper care and attention; in partieular, was she taken too close to the land when rounding Beachy Head?

3. Was the casualty caused by the wrongful act and default of William Samuel Gardner, the master? And it is :added that "the Board of Trade are of " opinion that the certificate of the master should be " dealt with."

The master very candidly admitted that the casualty was due to his having got too close to the shore when rounding Beachy Head, and he has thrown himself on the indulgence of the Court. It seems that he miscalculated his distance from the land, and being anxious to get alongside Eastbourne Pier before the water had fallen too low to prevent his doing so, he went rather nearer to the bank, which there runs out from the shore, than he ought to have done. He has told us that he has been for the last six or seven years engaged in carrying passengers from one point to another along the south coast; that it is a service attended with very considerable difficulties, it being at times necessary to enter harbours when there is hardly enough water to allow them to steer; and that, although during that time he carried about 300,000 persons, he has never before met with any accident to either vessel or passengers. He has had altogether four vessels in the trade, the three first of which were hired; but finding that they were not suitable, he had the "Brighton" built expressly for the purpose. She cost him, he has told us, 2,600l., besides 200l. for fittings, and Mr. Stow, the ship and yacht builder, who repaired her after the accident, says that she is now an extremely good vessel and worth considerably more than 2,000l., the sum for which she is insured. Besides the cost of the repairs, which, as I have stated, amounted to about 70l., the master has by reason of the accident lost the use of his vessel at a time when he might reasonably have expected to be earning a considerable sum by her employment.

Under all the circumstances, although no doubt the master was guilty of carelessness in going too near to the shore, especially when he had so large a number of passengers on board, we do not think that it is a case in which we ought to deal with his certificate.

The Court was not asked to make any order as to costs.

 

(Signed)

H. C . ROTHERY,

 

 

Wreck Commissioner.

We concur.

 

(Signed)

A. RONALDSON,

Assessors.

 

 

CUTHBERT VAUX, R.N.R.,

 

L 367. 1283. 150.—10/82. Wt. 171. E. & S.