Wreck Report for 'Bergamo', 1885

(No. 2654.)

"BERGAMO" (S.S.)

The Merchant Shipping Acts, 1854 to 1876.

IN the matter of a formal Investigation held at Cardiff, on the 26th, 27th, and 28th days of August 1885, before ROBERT ARTHUR VALPY, Esquire, Stipendiary Magistrate, assisted by Captain ANDERSON and Captain HARLAND, Nautical Assessors, and J. H. HALLETT, Esquire, Engineering Assessor, into the circumstances attending the stranding of the steamship "BERGAMO," of Newport, Monmouthshire, on the east coast of the Island of Oland, on the 5th May 1885.

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 it was due to the improper course set at 4 a.m. on the 5th May, which brought the ship too near the land, and to a disregard of the sailing directions with respect to the currents prevailing in the Baltic. The Court finds the master, Mr. William Laurie Trevorrow, and the second mate, Mr. George Tasker, in default, and adjudges that the certificate of the former be suspended for three calendar months, and that of the latter for twelve calendar months. The chief engineer is censured.

Dated this 28th day of August 1885.

 

(Signed)

R. A. VALPY, Judge.

We concur in the above report.

 

(Signed)

ABSM. ANDERSON,

ROBERT HARLAND,

J. H. HALLETT,

Assessors.

Annex to Report.

The "Bergamo," official number 89,752, is an iron screw steamship, built at Sunderland in 1884, of 974 gross and 778 registered tonnage. She is fitted with two compound surface condensing engines of 116 horse-power combined.

She is registered at the Port of Newport, Monmouthshire, and is owned by Messrs. Richard William Jones, of that Port, and others, Mr. Thomas Jones being the managing owner.

On the 3rd May last the "Bergamo," being then in good condition in every respect, left Luisne, in the Gulf of Bothnia, bound for London with a cargo of deals. She had a crew of 16 hands all told, consisting of master, first and second mates, 1 boatswain, 4 able seamen, cook and steward, 3 engineers, donkeyman and 3 firemen. Another able seaman was upon her articles, but he had been left in hospital at Nyborg.

She was under the command of Mr. William Laurie Trevorrow, who held a certificate of competency as master.

She appears to have been well and sufficiently supplied with pumps and boats. Her draught of water on leaving Luisne was 16 feet aft and 14.3 or thereabouts forward.

The weather was fine and clear. At 3 a.m. on the 5th May the Norra Udden Light, on Oland Island, was seen. At 4 the same light bore N.W. by W. At 4 a.m. the master left the bridge and went into his chart room to lie down, leaving the ship in charge of the chief mate, and having first set a course of S.W. 1/2 S. by compass, which gave S.W. by S. magnetic. The lighthouse at that time was, in the master's judgment, eleven miles and the nearest land about 8 miles distant. The master informed us that the ship had three compasses.

At 4 a.m., when the master went into his chart room, the ship was, in his opinion, in no danger. He considered that he was justified in taking some rest at that time, but it seems to us that he had ample opportunity for doing so before. He states that he left orders that he was to be called in the case of fog, approach to land, or any other emergency.

The chief mate's watch ended at 4 a.m., and that of the second began, and although when the master left the deck the chief mate had not been relieved, he was in fact succeeded by the second mate in about ten minutes later. The second mate, George Tasker, holds a certificate of competency as second mate. This was his first voyage in that capacity. He stated that the course given to him was S.W. 1/2 S., and that that course was followed until 5.50 a.m., when, it appearing to him that the ship was nearing the land, he hauled her out half a point to the southward. He says that the line of coast was plainly visible, and that it was distant about 5 or 6 miles.

At 6 o'clock he says he went to the chart room to call the master, and at this point a very serious conflict arose between his testimony and that of the master.

The story of the second mate is, that he went into the chart room and found the master asleep; that he called him once, without rousing him; that he called him again, and then told him that the ship was getting close to the land; that upon that the master sat up in bed, looked through the ports, which were open, and which were six or seven feet from his bed, and through which the land was plainly visible, and then directed the second officer to keep her going down the coast as she was. Acting upon this statement, he says that he returned to the bridge and hauled the ship another half point to the southwards. On the other hand, the master states positively that he was not called by Tasker, that he never saw or spoke to him at that time. Looking at the probabilities of the case, and to the conduct of Tasker himself at the time, and to the evidence of the other witnesses, we felt bound to give no credence to the evidence of Tasker upon this important point.

About half-past 6 a.m. the ship took the ground upon Outer Grund, a patch of sand and shingle about two and a half miles from the Island of Oland, where she hung amidships. The master, roused from sleep by the shock, went on the bridge and ordered the engines to go full speed astern, but the ship remained fast. Soundings were taken giving 14 feet forward, 17 aft, and 14 feet amidships. The ship's head was S.W. 1/2 W.

No. 2 tank, which was empty when they left port, was found to be full, and efforts to pump the water out of it proved unavailing. An anchor was carried out and hove upon with the steam winch, but this had no effect. Part of the cargo was jettisoned, and messengers were sent for assistance. On the 6th May the vessel, with the assistance of salvors, was got off and taken to Oscarshamn, where it was found that she had sustained material damage. Repairs were done to her, costing some 3,000l., and for salvage services 2,750l. was paid.

No lives were lost.

At the conclusion of the evidence the following questions were submitted to the Court:—

1. What was the cause of the stranding of the vessel, and whether she was materially damaged through such stranding?

2. Whether the vessel was properly and sufficiently manned?

3. Whether proper measures were taken to ascertain and verify the position of the vessel at 4 a.m. on the 5th May, and from time to time thereafter?

4. Whether a safe and proper course was then set and steered, and whether due and proper allowance was made for tide and currents?

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

6. Whether safe and proper alterations were made in the course at and after 5.40 a.m., and whether due and proper allowance was made for tide and currents?

7. Whether, when the 2nd officer reported to the master that the vessel was approaching the land, the master was justified in neglecting to go on deck and ascertain for himself her position?

8. Whether a good and proper look-out was kept?

9. Whether the lead was used, and, if not, whether its neglect was justifiable?

10. Whether at the time of the casualty the orders to the engine-room were promptly obeyed, and, if not, whether such neglect contributed to the casualty?

11. Whether the vessel was navigated with proper and seamanlike care? And, finally,

Whether the master, officers, and chief engineer are, or either of them is, in default?

To the above questions the following answers were given:—

1. The cause of the stranding was the improper course set at 4 a.m., which brought the vessel too near the land, and a disregard of the sailing directions with regard to the currents prevailing in the Baltic. The ship was materially damaged.

2. Including the able seaman who was left in hospital at Nyborg she was sufficiently manned.

3. At 4 a.m. on the 5th May the bearings of the Norra Udden Light seems to have been taken by the master, placing the vessel at an estimated distance of 11 miles from the light, but after that time no measures were taken to verify the position of the vessel.

4. A proper course was not set and steered at that time, and no allowance was made for tide and currents.

5. Considering the proximity of a dangerous coast, the master was not justified in going below at 4 a.m. on the 5th of May and leaving the vessel in charge of the 2nd mate without giving him proper directions.

6. The alterations made were proper, but not sufficient. No allowance was made for tide or currents.

7. The Court is not satisfied that the statement of the second officer that he called the master at 6.10 a.m. is true.

8. No good and proper look-out was kept after 4 a.m. on the 5th May, neither from the forecastle nor by the officer of the watch.

9. The lead was not used, and it does not appear to the Court that there was any necessity for its use had a proper course been kept.

10. The orders given to the engine-room were not promptly obeyed, but the neglect did not contribute to the casualty.

11. The vessel was not navigated with proper and seamanlike care.

The Court finds the master and second mate in default, but not the engineer.

For this default the master's certificate is suspended for three months, and that of the second mate, whose neglect of duty is very serious, for twelve months. The chief engineer is reprimanded; he should not have left the engine-room so long without any one in charge.

 

(Signed)

R. A. VALPY.

ABSM. ANDERSON.

ROBERT HARLAND.

J. H. HALLETT.

L 367. 2431. 180.—9/85. Wt. 408. E. & S.