Wreck Report for 'Angelina', 1888

(No. S 11.)

ANGELINA."

The Merchant Shipping Acts, 1854 to 1876.

IN the matter of a formal Investigation held at the Town Hall, Great Yarmouth, on the 6th and 7th days of June 1888, before RICHARD MARTINS, Mayor, and EDWARD WILLIAM WORLLEDGE, M.A., Esquires, Justices of the Peace for the Borough of Great Yarmouth, assisted by Captains WARD and PARFITT, into the circumstances attending the loss of the British sailing ship "ANGELINA," of Yarmouth, which foundered in the North Sea on or about the 21st day of May last.

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 vessel having sprung a leak, whereby she filled with water and foundered, was not elicited by the evidence. That no efforts were made to find the leak or to stop it, or to obtain assistance. The Court finds the skipper in default, and suspends his certificate of service as skipper for six calendar months from this date. No order is made as to costs.

Dated this 7th day of June 1888.

 

(Signed)

RD. MARTINS, Mayor, EDWARD W. WORLLEDGE,

Justices of the Peace for the Borough of Great Yarmouth.

We concur in the above report.

 

(Signed)

C. Y. WARD,

Assessors.

 

 

WM. PARFITT,

 

Annex to the Report.

This case was heard at the Town Hall, Yarmouth, when Mr. Wiltshire appeared for the Board of Trade, and Mr. Clarke appeared for Mr. William Henn, the owner and skipper. George Cockrill, second hand, who was one of the parties concerned in the case, was not represented by counsel.

The "Angelina," official number 74,707, of the Port of Yarmouth, was a wooden clinker-built dandy-rigged fishing trawler, built at Southtown, Suffolk, in 1876, and was 54.47 tons register. She was fitted with a small steam engine for the purpose of working her fishing gear and clearing the vessel of water; she had also two deck hand-pumps, one boat 16 ft. in length, and was ballasted with about 40 tons of iron ore and pig iron. She was the property of Mr. William Henn, of Southtown, Suffolk, who also commanded her.

In July 1885 she was mortgaged to Hewett & Company, Limited, for 4351. at 5 per cent., 350l. of which had not been paid off, and she was insured in the Short Blue Club for 7001. against total loss only.

The vessel was docked on the 23rd March last, when she had some repairs done to her rudder, and the canting to the landing of one of the planks replaced. On leaving dock on the 28th or 29th of March, she is said to have been in thoroughly good condition in all respects.

She left Yarmouth on the 2nd of April last with a crew of six hands all told, bound for the Horn Reef, to join Hewett's fishing fleet, where she duly arrived, and was engaged in fishing operations until the day of the casualty, fine weather having been experienced during the whole time.

On the evening of the 20th of May the gear was shot, and at 6 a.m. of the 21st the trawl was hauled, and the fish packed ready for delivery to the carrier. Nothing appears to have been done during the day until about 4 p.m., when the gear was again shot, the vessel being under all sail, the wind light and the sea smooth. About this time the skipper went to the engine room to bring forward the fire in the boiler furnace (which had been banked since the morning) to get up steam. He stated that he was only three to four minutes there, but according to another witness he was there a much longer time. According to all the witnesses there was then no water in the vessel. He then went to his dinner in the cabin, which he had scarcely commenced, when the fifth hand reported to him that he heard water rushing into the engine-room. The skipper looked into the engine-room and saw, as he described, "that things were not looking nice," there being a quantity of water in the vessel. One of the deck pumps was rigged and worked for some time, variously stated as from 3 to 15 minutes, after which pumping was discontinued, the boat which was towing astern was hauled alongside, the crew put their effects and some boxes of fish into her, and left the vessel in her, some 20 minutes after water was first heard coming into the vessel. At this time the water was on a level with the top of the cabin seats.

The crew remained near the vessel for a few minutes, and then returned to her, when they found her nearly full of water; they cut away the main halliards, and in about 15 or 20 minutes afterwards she foundered, about 10 miles north by west of Ameland.

No attempt was made by any one to discover the cause of or to stop the leak, nor was any signal of distress made, although there were two smacks within a distance of from 2 to 3 miles.

The crew pulled in the direction of one of the smacks, which was to leeward, but she having tacked, they turned their boat, and pulled towards the other smack, the crew of which had apparently seen the "Angelina" founder, and bore down to the boat. The crew were taken on board the vessel, which proved to be the "Bonnie Lass," of Brixham. They were afterwards transferred to another smack, and taken to Yarmouth.

The third hand told the Court that when lying in his bunk at about 1 p.m., he heard a noise as if the vessel had struck something, but that it was so slight that he paid no attention to it, and went to sleep.

It was suggested by Mr. Clarke, solicitor, who appeared on behalf of the skipper, that the vessel had struck something in the water, and had thereby received damage, but which did not appear until the trawl was shot, when the strain brought on the vessel by it caused the damage to open and let in water; but the Court cannot accept that theory, for the blow, if such did occur, was so slight that it was not perceived by any one on board excepting the third hand, who was half asleep, and it could scarcely have damaged such a staunch and well built vessel as the "Angelina" is described to have been in the manner suggested.

At the close of the evidence, Mr. Wiltshire submitted certain questions on which the Board of Trade desired the opinion of the Court. Mr. Clarke then addressed the Court on behalf of the skipper, and Mr. Wiltshire replied. The following are the questions asked by the Board of Trade:-

1. Whether, when the vessel left Yarmouth, she was in a good and seaworthy condition as regards hull and equipment?

2. Whether her pumps were sufficient, and in good order?

3. What was the cause of the vessel suddenly making water at or about 4.30 p.m. of the 21st May last?

4. Whether every possible effort was made to ascertain the cause of and stop the leak, and to keep the water under, or to obtain assistance to try and save the vessel?

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

6. Whether the master, or second hand, or either of them, are or is guilty of any wrongful act or default causing the casualty under investigation, or in relation thereto?

If the Court is of opinion that the master or second hand have been guilty of any such wrongful act or default, the Board request that their certificates may be dealt with accordingly, or such other punishment imposed as the Court may think fit.

The Court answered the questions as follows:-

1. When the vessel left Yarmouth she was in a good and seaworthy condition as regards her hull and equipment.

2. The evidence of the master and crew shews that they were sufficient. Only one deck pump was used, and of that the bolt was missing, necessitating the use of the cabin poker in its place. The gear of the other deck pump was said to be on board in the cabin, and there is no reason to suppose that, had it been put in use, it would not have been found in order. There was also a steam pump, but as steam was not up in the boiler it was unavailable.

3. The cause of the vessel suddenly making water is entirely a mystery, and is not in any way cleared up by the evidence brought before the Court. The case is full of suspicious circumstances, and it is difficult to conceive that the hull of such a vessel should have sprung a leak in the then state of the weather. The sudden increase of the leak points to the possibility of damage having been done to the supply pipe of the boiler, but whether by accident or design the Court is unable to say.

4. No steps whatever were taken to ascertain the cause of, or to stop the leak, and no signals were made for assistance, although there were two smacks within a distance of from two to three miles. One of the hand pumps was rigged and worked for ten minutes or a quarter of an hour, but as the water continued to gain, further efforts were discontinued, and the crew took to the boat.

5. The vessel was navigated with proper and seamanlike care, excepting the neglect on the part of the master to take any measures either to ascertain the cause of or to stop the leak in his vessel, or to obtain assistance.

6. The evidence does not enable the Court to say whether any wrongful act or default of the master or second hand caused the casualty. But when the leak was discovered, the master, according to his own admission, took no steps himself, or gave orders to his crew with a view of saving the vessel. For this neglect the Court find the master in default. The second hand is not in default.

The Court suspends the certificate of William Henn, the master, for six months from this date.

 

(Signed)

RD. MARTIN,S Mayor, EDWARD W. WORLLEDGE,

Justices of the Peace for the Borough of Great Yarmouth.

We concur in the above report.

 

(Signed)

C. Y. WARD,

Assessors.

 

 

WM. PARFITT,

 

54010-48. 200.-6/88. Wt. 23. E. & S.