Wreck Report for 'Cairnsmuir', 1885

(No. 2622.)

"CAIRNSMUIR" (S.S.)

The Merchant Shipping Acts, 1854 to 1876.

IN the matter of a formal Investigation held at Edinburgh on the 31st of July and 3rd of August 1885, before ANDREW RUTHERFORD, Sheriff substitute of the Lothians, assisted by Captain H. C. KENNEDY and Captain GEORGE HYDE, into the circumstances attending the loss of the S.S. "CAIRNSMUIR," on rocks off the Island of Tiree, upon the 6th of July 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 cause of the loss of this vessel was the careless navigation of the master, John Georgie, whose certificate is No. 28,103, and the Court accordingly suspends the certificate of the said John Georgie for three calendar months from this date.

Dated this 3rd day of August 1885.

 

(Signed)

ANDREW RUTHERFORD, Judge.

We concur in the above report.

 

(Signed)

H. C. KENNEDY,

GEORGE HYDE,

R.N.R.

Assessors.

Annex to the Report.

The "Cairnsmuir," official number 70,779, was an iron screw steamer, built at Govan, in the county of Lanark, in 1876. Her dimensions were 290.3 feet long, breadth, 33.7, and depth, 23.9 feet. Her gross tonnage was 1707 and nett 1123. She had two compound vertical direct-acting engines of 220 horse-power combined; owned at the time of her loss by Mr. F. F. Reid, of Leith, and a number of others, Mr. Francis F. Reid being the managing owner. She had 26 hands all told, ten of whom were engaged in the navigating of the ship, six being A.B. seamen. The "Cairnsmuir" sailed from Hamburgh on July 2nd, having taken on board in that port 100 tons of cargo, and bound for Glasgow, where it was intended for her to complete her loading for a port in China. Her draft of water on leaving Hamburgh was 11 + 0 forward and 15 + 0 aft, weather being fine and wind moderate from the north-west. She passed through the Pentland Firth on Monday, 4th July, and passed Cape Wrath between 5 and 6 o'clock of the same evening. The weather then began to assume a dirty appearance-wind coming away from the southwest, and hazy. At 10.30 a.m. the ship was off South Ear Light, kept on the same course till the light disappeared, then went down along the land and kept it close on board, and passed Glass Island about 5.30 p.m. on Sunday afternoon. She then steered south-west-by-south by standard compass, which had two points easterly deviation, south - west - by - west magnetic. The ship kept that course till she had run fifteen miles, when the course was altered to south-by-west standard, south-west-by-south magnetic, for the Ushenish Light, the second mate being in charge of the watch. At 9.30 p.m., the weather clear, the Ushenish Light was passed, the assumed distance of the light, as stated by the master, being from five to six miles. No bearings or soundings were taken to verify the ship's position at that time. The master intended to steer the same course till Skerryvore was passed. The ship was running by patent log, which was put over at Glass Island. it was hauled in when off Ushenish, and then registered 39 miles. The master was on deck all day during Sunday the 5th till 11 o'clock p.m., when he went to the cabin and sat down to rest, not having left any special instructions with the second mate, who was then officer of the watch, as he intended to return to the deck in a short time. The master had set the course at 6.30 p.m. after passing Glass Island. The course set was south-by-west by the standard compass, or south-west-by-south magnetic. The ship carried two compasses, on the bridge a standard compass and a steering compass, and one aft.

The standard compass, which had two points of easterly deviation, was nine feet above the bridge deck and seventeen feet above the main deck. The deviation cards were said to have been lost with the ship, but the master stated that he had tested the compasses both by observations and by bearings, and had found them to be correct. About 4 p.m. on the afternoon of the 5th the master gave orders to the chief engineer to ease down the steam, which was done, and the vessel proceeded at about 6 knots per hour until about 5 p.m., when her speed was increased to about 8 knots, at which rate she continued until she struck. At 11 p.m., when the master went below, the weather was hazy and wind moderate from south-west. The flood stream was running, At midnight the chief officer took charge of the watch, and at 12.20 a.m. on the morning of 6th July called the captain. The weather was still hazy, and the master instructed him to haul in the patent log at 2 o'clock, as he expected that it would then register about 76 miles, which he stated in evidence would have brought the vessel just outside the range of the Skerryvore Light, which is visible for a distance of 18 miles. At 2 a.m. the chief officer again called the master, and told him that the patent log registered 79 1/2 miles, and that the weather continued hazy. The master then told the chief officer "to let her go on a little longer," and still remained below. At 2.45 a.m. the ship struck on a sunken rock, about 2 or 3 miles to the west of Craignish Point on the island of Tiree. Immediately after the ship struck the master went on deck and gave orders to lower the boats. The third engineer, who was on duty in the engine-room when the ship struck, states that an order was given to go full speed astern, but that on trying to reverse the engines they would not move. In a few minutes after striking there was eight feet of water in the engine-room, and the master considered it useless in these circumstances to attempt to keep the water under by pumping. Shortly afterwards the crew took to the boats and lay by the ship for about two hours, when the wind and sea increasing they made for the shore. No lives were lost, but the ship became a total wreck.

Questions for opinion of Court.

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

2. Whether proper measures were taken to ascertain and verify the position of the vessel when Ushinish Light was passed at or about 9.30 p.m. on the 5th July?

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

4. Whether the lead was used, and if not, whether its neglect was justifiable, especially having regard to the thick state of the weather?

5. Whether a good and sufficient look-out was kept?

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

7. Whether the vessel was proceeding at too high a rate of speed, looking to the state of the weather?

8. Whether sufficient care was taken to verify the deviation of the compass?

9. Whether the vessel was navigated with proper and seamanlike care?

10. Whether the master and 1st and 2nd officers or any and which of them are in default?

Answers by the Court.

1. The stranding of the vessel was caused by the careless navigation of the master from the vicinity of Ushinish Light.

2. No measures were taken to ascertain and verify the true position of the ship when Ushinish Light was passed at or about 9.30 p.m. on 5th July.

3. A safe and proper course was set, provided the ship had been in the position in which the master assumed her to be when off Ushinish Light. The master in his evidence stated that he allowed 1/4 of a point to the westward for current.

4. The lead was never used after passing Ushinish Light, and the neglect was unjustifiable, especially having regard to the hazy state of the weather.

5. A good look-out appears to have been kept.

6. The master was not on deck when the safety of the ship required his personal supervision.

7. We are disposed to think upon the evidence submitted to us that the vessel was not proceeding at too high a rate of speed considering the state of the weather.

8. The master took the usual measures to verify the deviation of the standard compass, and satisfied himself that it was correct.

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

10. The Court is of opinion that the master alone is in default, and suspends his certificate, No. 28,103 for the period of three months from this date.

 

(Signed)

AND. RUTHERFORD.

H. C. KENNEDY.

GEORGE HYDE, R.N.R.

Edinburgh, 3rd August 1885.

L 367. 2399. 180.-8/85. Wt. 408. E & S.