Wreck Report for 'Bretton Hall', 1885

(No. 2762.)

"BRETTON HALL" (S.S.)

The Merchant Shipping Acts, 1854 to 1876.

IN the matter of a formal Investigation held at St. George's Hall, Liverpool, on the 22nd and 23rd days of December 1885, before THOS. STAMFORD RAFFLES, Esquire, Stipendiary Magistrate, assisted by Captains METHVEN and WILSON, Nautical Assessors, into the circumstances attending the stranding of the British steamship "BRETTON HALL," of Liverpool, at Sharkham Point, Devonshire, on the 6th December 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 the said ship was stranded owing to the master having underestimated the distance run from St. Catherine's Head towards Start Point, and an unknown error in the standard compass, combined with thick weather on the land.

Dated this 23rd day of December 1885.

 

(Signed)

T. S. RAFFLES, Judge.

We concur in the above report.

 

(Signed)

R. METHVEN,

R. WILSON,

Assessors.

Report.

This was an inquiry into the stranding of the S.S. "Bretton Hall," of Liverpool, at Sharkam Point, Devonshire, on the 6th December 1885. Mr. Paxton, solicitor, appeared for the Board of Trade, and Mr. Bright, solicitor, for the owners. The "Bretton Hall" was an iron screw steamship, built at Whiteinch, Glasgow, in 1881, of 300 horses-power combined. She was registered at Liverpool of 2,420.94 tons gross and of 1,917.74 tons registered, and she was the property of the "Bretton Steamship Company, Limited," Mr. Robert Elly Graves being manager. She was commanded by Mr. Thomas H. S. Millard, who holds a certificate of competency No. 9272, dated 1st November 1853. He was appointed to this ship in January last, and had made two previous voyages in her to Bombay with railway materials and steam launches, which according to the master very much affected the compasses. She loaded at Antwerp 450 tons of small wrought iron and steel which were stowed in the after and fore holds, and 50 tons of measurement goods in addition. She left Antwerp at 10.30 a.m. on the 5th of December last with a crew of 50 hands all told, 37 being Lascars, drawing 14 ft. 3 in. aft and 10 ft. 9 in. forward, her load draught being 22 feet aft and 21 ft. 6 in. forward. They made the first light off the English Coast, viz. S. Sandhead Lightship, about 11 p.m. on the same day, passing abeam of it at a distance of 3 miles. Up to this point the courses had been various and not recorded. The master then set a course W.S.W. by standard compass for S. Foreland, which they passed at midnight, distant about 4 miles. At 1.45. a.m. on the 6th they were abeam of Dungeness, distant 3 miles. He then altered the course to W. 1/4 S., passing Beachey Head at 4.30 a.m., distant about 4 miles. The master described the weather during all this time as an easterly haze, but they could see 7 to 9 miles. From Beachey Head the master steered W. 1/4 N., passing the Owers Lightship at 8.25 a.m. He expected to make this light one point on the starboard bow, and to pass it at a distance of 3 miles, but he made it four points on the starboard bow just dipping. He attributed this to the compass making a more westerly deviation. He hauled up to the light, and passing it at 4 miles by a four-point bearing set the course thence W. 1/4 N. for St. Catherine's Head, which he made as he expected, being abeam of it at 10.50 a.m., distant 3 1/2 miles. The master then set a course W. 1/2 N. nothing to N=N. 86 W. magnetic, whichhe expected would take the ship 3 miles S. of Start Point. They saw the high land near Durleston and St. Albans Head, distant 8 to 10 miles, but did not see the Bill of Portland when passing it. The master was off and on the bridge up to 5.25 p.m., and he said they could then see 7 to 9 miles. He then went down to tea, telling the second officer, whose watch it was, to keep a bright look out for Start Light on the starboard bow, and that he might first see the loom of the light against the sky, and to call him when he saw the light. The master came up again at 5.50, not having been called, and found the night densely dark. He went into the chart-room to put on his overcoat, and while he was doing so, the first officer, who had relieved the second officer on the bridge after tea, said that about 6.3 p.m. he suddenly saw, when the mist over the land somewhat lifted, land close aboard on the starboard bow. He immediately ordered the helm hard-a-starboard, and rushed to call the master. The vessel altered about 6 1/2 points and then struck. The master on being called rushed out of the chart-room, and going upon the bridge also saw the land on the starboard bow and breakers on the port bow. He immediately ordered the engines to be stopped and reversed full speed, but the vessel struck before this could have any effect right under a cliff. Signals of distress were made, which the coastguard very soon answered. They signalled that the life-saving apparatus was ready. TWO lines were thrown on board, and the ship's ladder was hauled up to the top of the cliff, about 25 feet. The Lascars were rescued by this ladder, and the rest of the crew left her about 5 a.m. on the 7th, the ship being then full of water fore and aft. No life was lost. The vessel became a total wreck.

On the close of the evidence Mr. Paxton put in the following questions.

1. Was the standard compass correct, and, if not, was the master aware of the error?

2. Did the master take proper measures to ascertain and verify his distance from St. Catherine's Head about 10.50 a.m. and his position from time to time thereafter?

3. Was a safe and proper course set and steered after passing St. Catherine's Head, and was due and proper allowance made for tides and currents?

4. Did the weather after 10.50 a.m. become thick, and if so, was the speed of the vessel sufficiently reduced?

5. Ought the lead to have been used?

6. Was a good and proper look-out kept?

7. What was the cause of the stranding of the vessel?

8. Were the master and chief officer, or either of them, in default in regard to any of the above matters?

And he stated that, in the opinion of the Board of Trade, the master's certificate should be dealt with.

The Court gave judgment as follows:—

1. The standard compass could not have been correct. The master appeared, from the entries in the log book of 5th and 6th December, to have been aware that its error was not accurately known.

2. The position of St. Catherine's Head was verified by the master taking a four-point bearing at 10.50. a.m. on the 6th, but no further measures were afterwards taken to verify the ship's position.

3. Assuming that the standard compass was correct within a degree, as the master informed the Cocrt, he set and steered a safe and proper course after passing St. Catherine's Head, and he made due and proper allowance for tide and currents, but he underestimated the speed of the ship, for when he went below at 5.25 p.m. he considered that they were 15 miles from Start Light, whereas the ship must have been some ten miles ahead of his reckoning.

4. The weather was hazy throughout, and at about 5 p.m. there was drizzling rain followed by very dark weather. The speed of the vessel was not reduced, as it certainly should have been, on approaching the Start Light in such weather.

5. The Court considered that the master, not having an exact knowledge of the error in the standard compass, should have used his lead during the afternoon of the 6th.

6. The look-outs were apparently at their posts, but the Court could not understand how the land was not sooner seen.

7. The master greatly underestimated the distance run, and this circumstance, combined with an unknown error in the compass, put the ship ashore.

8. The Court has already pointed out in the course of this judgment that they considered the master of this ship in error in not, under the circumstances, using the lead in approaching land on the afternoon of the 6th, and in not reducing the speed of the ship as he could not be certain of the accuracy of his standard compass. The Court has been in grave doubt as to their judgment, but looking at the long experience of the master, and having given every consideration to his excellent antecedents, they have hesitated to pronounce him in default.

 

(Signed)

T. S. RAFFLES, Judge.

We concur in this report.

 

(Signed)

R. METHVEN,

R. WILSON,

Assessors.

Liverpool, 23rd December 1885.

L367. 2540. 180.—1/85. Wt. 408. E. & S.