Wreck Report for 'Cartvale', 1886

(No. 2878.)

"CARTVALE."

The Merchant Shipping Acts, 1854 to 1876.

IN the matter of the formal Investigation held at the Sessions House, Westminster, on the 9th of April 1886, before H. C. ROTHERY, Esquire, Wreck Commissioner, assisted by Captains BEASLEY and PATTISON, as Assessors, into the circumstances attending the stranding and loss of the sailing ship "CARTVALE," on the Harbour Rock, Queenstown, on the 18th of March 1886.

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 and loss of the said ship was due to the pilot in charge, Patrick Harris, having under-estimated his distance from the land when abreast of Roche's Point at the entrance to Queenstown Harbour, and to his having kept the vessel too far to the westward, and thus put her on the Harbour Rock, and that no blame attaches to the master or officers.

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

Dated this 9th day of April 1886.

 

(Signed)

H. C. ROTHERY,

Wreck Commissioner.

We concur in the above report.

 

(Signed)

THOS. BEASLEY,

JOHN L. PATTISON,

Assessors.

Annex to the Report.

This case was heard at Westminster on the 9th of April 1886, when Mr. McConnell appeared for the Board of Trade, Mr. Baden Powell for the owners and master, and Mr. Broad for the pilot of the "Cartvale." Three witnesses having been produced by the Board of Trade and examined, Mr. McConnell handed in a statement of the questions upon which the Board of Trade desired the opinion of the Court, Mr. Baden Powell and Mr. Broad then addressed the Court on behalf of their respective parties, and Mr. McConnell 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 "Cartvale," which was an iron barque, belonging to the port of Glasgow, of 1,249 tons gross, and 1,119 tons net register, was built at Port Glasgow in the year 1872; and at the time of her loss was the property of Mr. John Archibald Roxburgh, of No. 25, Gordon Street, Glasgow, and others. Mr. Roxburgh being the managing owner. She left Samarang on the 14th of November last, with a crew of 21 hands all told, and a cargo of about 1,700 tons of sugar, bound to Queenstown; and at about 3 p.m. of the 18th of March following was off the Old Head of Kinsale. Having there taken on board an unlicensed pilot, she proceeded on her voyage, and at about 5.30 p.m. the same day, when between two and three miles to the eastward of Daunt Rock Lightship, she fell in with the pilot boat "Village Belle," from which they obtained a duly licensed pilot, named Patrick Harris, who thereupon took charge, and at once put her on a north course to make Queenstown. We are told that at this time the wind was moderate from the south, the sea smooth, and the weather somewhat hazy, but not sufficiently so to make it dangerous to enter the harbour; and the vessel proceeded on her course making 4 or 5 knots through the water, and from 2 to 3 over the ground, the tide being from half to 3/4 ebb. Shortly afterwards Roche's Point Lighthouse was observed nearly ahead, but a little on the starboard bow; and she was accordingly continued on the same course, until Roche's Point was brought two points abaft the beam, and distant, according to the estimate then formed by the pilot, about 300 yards. The course was then altered to N. by E., and at the same moment a thick bank of fog came over them, obscuring the light on Roche's Point, and rendering it impossible to see objects at any distance. After continuing on this course for between 4 and 5 minutes the chief mate, who was on the topgallant forecastle looking out, reported a buoy a little on the starboard bow; upon which the pilot at once ordered the helm to be put hard-a-port, and himself rushed to the wheel to help to get it over; but before she had time to answer more than from one to one and a half points, the vessel struck aft, and began beating heavily on the rocks. Finding that they could not get her off, and that she had 6 feet of water in her, they proceeded to get the boats out, and at about 8.30 p.m. they left her, and shortly afterwards the main mast went by the board, and she ultimately became a complete wreck. The rock upon which she struck is the well known Harbour Rock at the entrance to the harbour.

These being the facts of the case, the Board of Trade have put to us the following questions, namely—

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

(2.) Whether a safe and proper course was set for the harbour at or about 5.25 p.m. of the 18th March, and whether due and proper allowance was made for tide, currents, and leeway?

(3.) Whether a safe and proper alteration was made in the course, when the Roche's Point bore E.S.E. 200 to 300 yards distant, and whether due and proper allowance was made for the tide and leeway?

(4.) Whether the total neglect of the lead was justifiable?

(5.) Whether a good and proper look-out was kept?

(6.) Whether the vessel was navigated with proper and seamanlike care? And

(7.) Whether the master and officers are, or either of them is, in default, and whether blame attaches to the pilot?

The case is so simple that it will hardly be necessary to answer these questions seriatim; but I will deal with them all together. We were told by the pilot that it was his practice, in entering Queenstown Harbour, not to steer any particular course, but to steer by the land, keeping at what he believed to be a safe distance from Roche's Point, and when he made the Harbour Rock altering the course, if necessary, so as to pass to the eastward of it, which would bring him into the fair way; and, if he had been, as he supposed he was, when abreast of Roche's Point, only about 300 yards from the land, and had then altered the course to N. by E., that would have taken him safely into the harbour, and well clear of the Harbour Rock. It is obvious, however, as Mr. Baden Powell has said, that he must have been more than 300 yards, probably nearer 300 fathoms from the land, when he was abreast of Roche's Point, and consequently the alteration of the course to N. by E. would not be sufficient to take him outside the buoy. The cause then of the casualty would seem to be that the pilot under estimated his distance from the land when he was off Roche's Point, and so got inside the buoy and on the Harbour Rock. Unfortunately too at the moment when he was abreast of Roche's Point, a thick fog settled down upon them, rendering it impossible for them to see the danger into which they were running, or to make out the buoy until they had got within 30 yards of it.

It does not appear to us that the lead in this case would have been of any use whatever; nor is there any reason to think that a good and proper look-out was not being kept on board, the chief mate, who was on the topgallant forecastle looking out, having seen the buoy as soon as it well could be seen.

It is admitted that the pilot was in sole charge, and that all his orders were promptly obeyed. No blame can therefore attach to the master or to the officers, but the whole blame for the casualty rests with the pilot alone. As some excuse for him, however, it should be observed that he was placed in a position of peculiar difficulty; apart from the danger of dropping the anchor when a ship is under sail, and making, we are told, from 4 to 5 knots through the water, it may be a question whether the pilot would have been justified in bringing up, even if he could have done so, in such a narrow and frequented channel as that between Roche's Point and the Harbour Rock. It must also be remembered that he had no lights by which to take cross bearings, and he had only the eye to guide him in estimating his distance from Roche's Point, always an extremely difficult thing to do whether on land or at sea, more especially in hazy weather. He was also, as he has told us, afraid of getting on the Cow and Calf Rocks under Roche's Point, and therefore kept farther over to the westward than he should have done. His mistake was in under estimating his distance from the land when abreast of Roche's Point, but there is some excuse for his conduct.

 

(Signed)

H. C. ROTHERY,

Wreck Commissioner.

We concur.

 

(Signed)

THOS. BEASLEY,

JOHN L. PATTISON,

Assessors.

L 367. 2658. 200.—4/86. Wt. 12. E. & S.