Wreck Report for 'Fiona', 1883

(No. 1682.)

"FIONA."

The Merchant Shipping Acts, 1854 to 1876.

IN the matter of the formal Investigation held at Grimsby, on the 10th of February 1883, before H. C. ROTHERY, Esquire, Wreck Commissioner, assisted by Captain HARLAND and Rear-Admiral MORESBY, as Assessors, into the circumstances attending the stranding of the sailing ship "FIONA," of Glasgow, on Haile Sand, near the entrance to the Humber, on the 6th of December 1882, whereby the said ship and the whole of her crew were lost.

Report of Court.

The Court, having carefully inquired into the circumstances of the above-mentioned shipping casualty, finds, for the reasons annexed, that there is no evidence to show what was the cause of the stranding of the said vessel; that every possible effort was made by those in charge of the Donna Nook and Grimsby lifeboats to render assistance; and that the coxswain of the Spurn lifeboat was fully justified in not launching his boat when he saw the Grimsby lifeboat proceeding down to the wreck in tow of a tug.

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

Dated this 10th day of February 1883.

 

(Signed)

H. C. ROTHERY, Wreck Commissioner.

We concur in the above report.

 

(Signed)

ROBERT HARLAND,

 

 

 

J. MORESBY, Rear-Admiral,

Assessors.

Annex to the Report.

This case was heard at Grimsby on the 10th of February 1883, when Mr. Muir Mackenzie appeared for the Board of Trade, and Mr. Lucas for the Donna Nook branch of the National Lifeboat Institution. The owner of the "Fiona" was present, but was not represented by either counsel or solicitor. Fourteen witnesses having been produced by the Board of Trade and examined, Mr. Muir Mackenzie handed in a statement of the questions upon which the Board of Trade desired the opinion of the Court. Mr. Lucas and the owner then addressed the Court, and Mr. Muir Mackenzie 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 "Fiona," which was an iron sailing ship belonging to the Port of Glasgow, of 1,450 tons gross and 1397 tons net register, was built at Scotstown, Whiteinch, in the county of Lanark, in the year 1878, and at the time of her loss was the property of John Daniel Clink, of No. 9, Fox-street, Greenock, and others, Mr. Clink being the managing owner. In the month of September 1881 she left London for Sydney, whence she proceeded to San Francisco, and having there loaded a cargo of 2,077 tons of wheat in bags, left on the 23rd June last, bound to Falmouth for orders. We are not told what the number of her crew was, all hands having deserted her at Sydney, and again at San Francisco, and a fresh crew having been engaged there. She arrived at Falmouth on the 28th November last, and having been ordered to proceed to Hull, left again on the 2nd December for that port. The whole of the crew having perished, we have no account of what occurred on the voyage, but at about 10 a.m. of the 6th a vessel, which proved to be the "Fiona," was seen off the mouth of the Humber, under her three lower topsails, fore-topmast staysail, and mizen, the wind blowing a gale from the N.E., and the tide being first-quarter flood. Shortly afterwards she was seen to strike on the Haile Sand, and the masts to go overboard; and immediately afterwards a snowstorm came over, and nothing more could be seen of her that day from the shore. The same day, however, a bottle was picked up on the beach, containing a note in these words; "Ship " 'Fiona,' 6th December 1882, 8 a.m., off the Humber, " supposed position Spurn Lightship, N.W. heavy " gale. May go on shore and lose lives. God bless " Grace whatever happens;" and signed, "A. R.," which are the initials of Captain Alexander Rhodes, the master. It is written in a strong hand, shewing that he was at the time quite self-possessed. The same afternoon a portion of the wreck, as well as the lifeboat with the name of the "Fiona" painted on it, came ashore, and subsequently some seventeen bodies were picked up, and amongst others that of Captain Rhodes. Mr. Clink, the managing owner, also told us that he had since been to the wreck, and had seen the name "Fiona" in brass letters on her bows. So that there can be no doubt that the vessel which was seen to strike on the Haile Sand must have been the "Fiona," and that all her crew perished with her.

Let us now see what steps were taken on shore with the view of rendering assistance to the crew of the vessel. It seems that Mr. Pierce, the chief officer of the Coastguard at the Donna Nook Station saw the vessel strike, and the masts go overboard, and at once despatched the chief boatman to the lifeboat house, which was about 400 yards off to tell the coxswain that there was a vessel on the Haile Sand, and he subsequently followed in the same direction with some of his men to see if they would be wanted to assist in manning the lifeboat. On arriving at the boat house the chief boatman found that the coxswain had already seen the vessel, and that he was busy making arrangements to get the boat out. Two signal guns and a sound rocket were fired to summon the crew, and on their assembling the boat was got out to proceed to the wreck. In the meantime, Mr. Houlden, the Secretary to the Local Committee of the National Lifeboat Institution, having heard the signal gun had at once gone to the boat-house and found the boat being got ready, and the horses, which are supplied by a neighbouring farmer, and which fortunately, owing to the badness of the weather, happened to be in the stable, having been put to they proceeded with the boat along the beach to the northward for a distance of about two miles, and then struck across the sand to the water's edge, the object being to launch the boat to windward so as to reach the wreck without having to pull against both wind and tide. At this time, although the weather had cleared up, nothing could be seen of the wreck, but when within about a quarter of a mile of the water's edge a vessel was observed at a considerable distance to the southward and very near the land, and believing it to be the wreck which had come off the sand and been carried by the flood tide to the southward, they at once, by Mr. Houlden's orders, turned the head of the boat round and proceeded in that direction, Mr. Houlden at the same time galloping towards the Donna Nook Coastguard Station to get a better view of her. On arriving at the station Mr. Houlden was told by the chief officer of Coastguard that he had been examining the vessel with his glass, and found that she was a schooner at anchor very near the sands, and that she could not be the vessel which they had seen strike as she was a three-masted ship. Mr. Houlden accordingly returned to the lifeboat and a question arose as to what had better be done. It seems that previous to this Mr. Houlden had telegraphed to Grimsby to say that there was a vessel on Haile Sand, and requesting them to send the Grimsby lifeboat out, and had received a reply saying that the Grimsby lifeboat had started in tow of the steam-tug "Victoria," and feeling sure that under these circumstances she must reach the spot before they could do so, if indeed they would be able to reach it at all, he ordered the Donna Nook lifeboat, it being then between 1 and 2 o'clock p.m. to be taken back to the boat-house. What was done by the Grimsby people on receiving the information we shall presently see.

These then being the facts of the case, the first question upon which our opinion has been asked is, "What " was the cause of the loss of the 'Fiona?'" it is impossible for us to say to what the loss of the "Fiona" was due. From the captain's letter it would seem that he must have been ignorant of his exact position, and why under these circumstances, with a strong N.E. gale blowing he did not put the ship about and stand off the shore until the weather had moderated, or until he could make out his exact position it is difficult to say. Seeing, however, from his letter how self-possessed he must have been, it is perhaps fair to conclude that he had some very good reason for not doing so.

The second question which we are asked is, "On the morning of December 6, 1882, were the secretary and coxswain of the Donna Nook lifeboat aware that shortly after the "Fiona" struck her masts went over the side, and did they see her masts go over the side?" At the time the masts went over the side the secretary was at his own house some two miles away, and did not therefore see the masts go overboard; but the coxswain of the lifeboat, who had been on the look-out all the previous night, saw them, and no doubt communicated the fact to Mr. Houlden.

The third question which we are asked is, "Were prompt and proper measures taken to launch the Donna Nook lifeboat with a view of saving life?" We were told that the lifeboat was never on any occasion got out with greater expedition than it was on this occasion. And when it is considered that the greater part of the crew live at North Somercoates, some two miles from the boathouse, it is a matter to us of very great astonishment that they should have been able to get her away so quickly as they seem to have done. With the wind and tide too as they were, dead on shore, it would have been useless to have launched her off the Donna Nook Point; they would necessarily have to take her to the northward, in order to get the benefit of the wind and tide. We think, therefore, that prompt and proper measures were taken to launch the boat.

The fourth question which we are asked is, "Were the coxswain and secretary of the lifeboat at Donna Nook justified in assuming that the vessel seen from the beach was the "Fiona," and were they justified in proceeding southward with the boat for that vessel," The assessors are of opinion, and I entirely concur with them, that the secretary and coxswain were justified in thinking that the schooner, which was seen at anchor to the southward, was the "Fiona." The coxswain has told us that some time since a vessel, which had got on shore on Haile Sand, about where the "Fiona" did, came off the sand with the flood tide, and was drifted down to the southward, and that he had followed her with the lifeboat, and taken 19 persons off her; and he thought, not knowing that the "Fiona" was an iron ship, that she might have done the same. We think that the secretary and coxswain were justified in thinking that the vessel, which they saw at anchor near the shore, was the same that had struck on the sand, and that they were therefore justified. in proceeding to the southward.

The fifth question which we are asked is, "After the coxswain and secretary of the lifeboat had ascertained that the vessel seen from the beach was not the "Fiona," were they justified in neglecting to return to the scene of the wreck to launch the lifeboat?" it seems that it was not until after Mr. Houlden had gone to the Donna Nook station, and had there been told by the coastguard officer that the vessel which they had seen to the southward was a schooner, that he knew that she could not be the same as the one which had been seen on the Haile Sand, and which was a three-masted ship. The lifeboat however had then gone some distance to the southward of the spot from which it would be possible to launch her, and the question was whether or not they should again return to the northward. But at this time a telegram had been received from Grimsby, saying that the Grimsby lifeboat had already started in tow of the tugboat, and they knew that she would reach the spot long before they could do so, if indeed they would ever be able to do so in the then state of the wind and tide, which the assessors much doubt. And as not a particle of the wreck was at that time visible, we think Mr. Houlden and the coxswain were quite justfied in not launching the lifeboat, and in returning her into the boathouse.

The sixth question which we are asked is, "Was every possible effort made by the secretary and coxswain of the Donna Nook lifeboat to render assistance to the 'Fiona'?" In our opinion every possible effort was made by them to render assistance to the "Fiona."

The seventh question which we are asked is, "Was every possible effort made by the coxswain and other persons in charge respectively of the Grimsby and Spurn lifeboats to render assistance to the 'Fiona'?" We have already stated that, before starting with the lifeboat, Mr. Houlden telegraphed to Mr. Oates, a shipping agent and tug boat owner at Grimsby, who is in the habit of giving the assistance of his tug to tow the Grimsby lifeboat out, to ask him to send out the Grimsby lifeboat. On the receipt of this telegram Mr. Oates at once sent to the harbour master to inform him that there was a vessel on the Haile Sand, and that the services of the lifeboat would be required, and knowing that his own tug was down the river he took immediate steps to signal to her to go to the assistance of the lifeboat. Mr. Oates also telegraphed to Mr. Houlden in these words: "Have sent down to the pier " to try to get lifeboat away from here. Have also " wired for Spurn lifeboat to come." And immediately afterwards he sent a further telegram to Mr. Houlden as follows: "The lifeboat is being got off " with all possible dispatch." He tells us that by five minutes after one o'clock, he having received the telegram less than half an hour before, the lifeboat was proceeding down the river in tow of the "Victor" tug. It further appears that on reaching the spot, which they appear to have done by about 2 p.m. or shortly afterwards, they found merely the ends of some of the yards out of the water, but not a trace of any of the crew, and seeing the schooner, to which reference has been already made, further to the southward, and at anchor very near the sand, they proceeded down to her, and finally succeeded in bringing her safely into port. It appears to us, therefore, that every possible effort was made by the persons having control over the Grimsby lifeboat to render assistance to the crew of the "Fiona."

As regards the Spurn lifeboat, we are told that, owing to some damage to the telegraph wires, the message sent by Mr. Oates was delayed for about an hour; as soon, however, as it was received, the coxswain of the Spur lifeboat proceeded to summon his crew, and to get the lifeboat out, and whilst so engaged they observed the "Victor" pass down the river with the Grimsby lifeboat in tow, and knowing that with the flood tide, which was then making, it would be impossible for them to reach the spot until an hour after the Grimsby lifeboat would have got to her, the coxswain thought that there would be no use in launching the lifeboat, and in that opinion we think that he was right.

The eighth question which we are asked is, "Does any blame attach to the secretary and coxswain of the Donna Nook lifeboat, or to either, and which of them?" In our opinion no blame whatever attaches either to the secretary or to the coxswain, or to anybody concerned in the management of the Donna Nook lifeboat; all seem to have done their duty to the best of their ability, and there is no ground for charging them with want of courage and promptitude.

And here our duty would properly end; but the assessors are so strongly impressed with the conduct of a Mr. Brownlow, who has been mixed up with this case, that they have desired me to express their views on the subject, which I will now proceed to do. Mr. Brownlow, it seems, is a farmer residing in the neighbourhood, but he describes himself also as an insurance agent, by which he meant that he was occasionally employed by underwriters to collect the wreckage which might be thrown up on the coast. He told us that he had been agent to Lloyd's, but had been dismissed from that post, but he didn't know why. He had also been agent to the Shipwrecked Mariners' Society, and had been dismissed from that post also, and he didn't know why. It seems that on the morning of the casualty Mr. Brownlow had gone to attend Louth market; and Mrs. Brownlow, on hearing of the wreck on the Haile Sand, telegraphed to the station master at Louth to request him to inform Mr. Brownlow on his arrival that there was a wreck on the Sand, that the lifeboat would be wanted at sea, and that it was important for him to return. Mr. Brownlow, on receiving the message returns, and gets out at Saltfleet station, which he reaches between one and two o'clock; and on going down to the beach sees the lifeboat of the "Fiona," and some wreckage, which had been washed ashore. Before this, however, Mrs. Brownlow had telegraphed to Mr. Oates at Grimsby, in these words:—"Steamer on Haile in distress. Fear won't launch boat before " high water; if not, must drown. Does your tug tow " Cleethorpe?" Cleethorpe, I may here observe, is the place where the Grimsby lifeboat was originally stationed. Now, I would ask, what right had Mrs. Brownlow to telegraph to Mr. Oates that she feared that they did not intend to launch the Donna Nook lifeboat before high water; if she had taken the trouble to enquire, she would have found that the lifeboat was already on its way. These then being the facts, what is it that Mr. Brownlow does? He writes a letter, or rather he dictates a letter, which Mrs. Brownlow writes, and which is in these terms:—

" Haile Lifeboat.

" To the Editor of the 'Shipping and Mercantile " Gazette.'

"SIR,—There was a sad affair on the Lincolnshire coast " on Wednesday last. About 11 a.m., the 'Fiona,' of " Glasgow, an iron vessel, 1398 tons register, was " wrecked on the Haile Sand, and the Donna Nook " lifeboat was brought down to the water's edge. The " men saw the mast go over the side, but never tried " to launch the boat. The vessel went to pieces, and " the whole crew of 20 or more men were drowned. It " is a scandalous affair that the boat was not launched, " or, pulled to the scene of the wreck, to see if any " poor fellows were floating about. The boat was out " again the same evening to signals of distress, but was " not got off the truck. Thus there were two serious " expenses to the Institution, and the lifeboats never " touched the water. We should thank you to ventilate " this matter, so that the Committee of the Lifeboat " Institution will be able to make an investigation into " the matter.

" Yours truly, " TICHIAZ, Son and Co., " 21, Great St. Helen's, London."

That letter it seems was sent to Messrs. Tichiaz, Son and Co., of 21, Great St. Helen's, and those gentlemen having signed it, forwarded it to the "Shipping and Mercantile Gazette," and it was duly inserted in the paper of the 15th of December last. Now the letter contains two charges against the crew of the Donna Nook lifeboat; first, that they ought to have launched the lifeboat to go the assistance of the "Fiona," when she was on the Haile Sand; and secondly, that the boat was taken out again the same evening in answer to signals of distress, but that she was not put into the water; and the inference naturally is that they had been afraid to venture out. Now the coxswain has told us that, although it is quite true that the lifeboat was got out again the same evening on seeing signals of distress, they did not launch her, when they found that the signals came from the neighbourhood of the Spurn Light, and were beyond their jurisdiction. And as regards the "Fiona," it is clear that Mr. Brownlow could have known nothing of the facts from his own observation, for he was not there until about 2 p.m., long after it was all over, and as Mr. Muir Mackenzie has truly said, he took no trouble to make any inquiry into them, and he then describes it as "a scandalous " affair." in our opinion the only thing scandalous about it is Mr. Brownlow's letter, which is in our opinion utterly disgraceful to him. It is suggested that it was written with a view, if possible, to injure Mr. Houlden, who is now seeking the position of Lloyd's agent, from which Mr. Brownlow had been dismissed; and further, that he was anxious to depreciate the conduct of the lifeboat men, who may, perhaps, sometimes interfere with him in his salvage operations on the coast, that being one of Mr. Brownlow's numerous avocations. And, indeed, Mr. Brownlow would seem in the present case to have exercised those qualities with considerable ability, for he succeeded in getting into his own possession some four loads of planking and three spars, which came ashore from the "Fiona," and he still retains them, and refuses to give them up. He also got possession of the chronometer, and when asked for it by Mr. Clink, the owner, he first says that he has not got it; and when that will not do, he says that he was not satisfied that it was Mr. Clink's property, he thought that it belonged to the master, and that that was why he wouldn't give it up. The only person in our opinion whose conduct in this case has been utterly disgraceful is Mr. Brownlow, and we regret exceedingly that we have not the power to condemn him in the costs of this inquiry, seeing that it is his letter to the newspapers which has apparently led to it.

 

(Signed)

H. C. ROTHERY, Wreck Commissioner.

We concur.

 

(Signed)

ROBERT HARLAND,

 

 

 

J. MORESBY, Rear-Admiral,

Assessors.

L367. 1454. 150.—2/83, Wt. 171. E. & S.