Wreck Report for 'Aubrey Peake', 1888

(No. 3717.)

AUBREY PEAKE."

The Merchant Shipping Acts, 1854 to 1876.

IN the matter of a formal Investigation held at the Sessions House, Westminster, on the 24th day of January 1889, before R. H. B. MARSHAM, Esquire, assisted by Captains PARISH and WARD, into the circumstances attending the loss of the British sailing ship "AUBREY PEAKE," off Ameland Island, North Sea, on the 7th day of October 1888.

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 casualty was that the master, Mr. Harry Johnson, neglected to verify his position from time to time by the use of the lead, and improperly took the Ameland Light for the Newarp Light. The Court finds the master in default, and suspends his certificate of competency as master, No. 6,350, for six months, but recommends him for a mate's certificate in the interval.

Dated this 31st day of January 1889.

 

(Signed)

R. H. B. MARSHAM, Judge.

We concur in the above report.

 

(Signed)

ALFRED PARISH,

Assessors.

 

 

C. Y. WARD,

 

Annex to the Report.

This inquiry was held at Westminster on the 24th day of January 1889, when Dr. Hunter, M.P., appeared for the Board of Trade, but the master was unrepresented. The managing owner was present during the inquiry.

The "Aubrey Peake," official number 71,436, was a British sailing vessel, built of wood at Prince Edward's Island in 1874, her registered tonnage being 249 3/100 tons.

She was formerly registered of Liverpool, and later of France, under the name of "Marie Louise."

At the time of her loss she was owned by Mr. George Holden, of Whitstable, and others, Mr. Holden being the managing owner. She was purchased by them in June 1888 for 987l., and was then registered of Faversham as the "Aubrey Peake." Mr. Holden's share, 22/64, was uninsured; the co-owners' shares were insured for 6001.; the freight was not insured. Her dimensions were as follows:-length, 115.6 ft.; breadth, 26.7 ft.; depth 12.9 ft. She was brigantine rigged, carried two boats, and appears to have been in good condition in every respect when she left Uleaborg on the 16th of September last, bound for Chatham with a cargo of about 400 tons of battens and deals; her draught of water on leaving being 13 ft. 3 ins, aft and 11 ft. 4 ins. forward.

She was under the command of Mr. Harry Johnson, who holds a certificate of competency as master, No. 6,350, and she had a crew of eight hands all told, namely, the master, one mate, two A.B's, three ordinary seamen, and one apprentice.

On October 2nd, at 8 p.m., Stangholmgr Light bore N.N.W., at an estimated distance of nine miles. The wind was then S.W. and the vessel was working to windward.

At noon on the 3rd of October the latitude observed was 57.47 N., the longitude by dead reckoning, 8.27 E.; at noon on the 4th of October the latitude observed was 57.14 N., the longitude by dead reckoning, 6.45 E.; at noon on the 5th of October, the latitude by dead reckoning was 56.56 N., the longitude by dead reckoning, 5.40 E.; at noon on the 6th of October, the latitude by dead reckoning was 56.31 N., and the longitude, 5.20 E.

Up to the morning of the 6th October, the wind had been variable, but a strong breeze from the N.W. then sprang up, and the course was set S.W. 1/2 W.

At noon on the 7th of October the latitude observed was 54.24 N., the longitude by dead reckoning being 3.47 E.

The same course, S.W. 1/2 W., was continued, and the vessel was under all sail until 6 p.m., when it was reduced to two topsails, double reefed mainsail, square foresail, main staysail, and fore-topmast staysail. The master was on deck from 6 to 8 p.m., and about 8 p.m., while all hands were stowing the mainsail, a light was sighted, showing three flashes in succession. The master stated that he thought the flashes were at regular intervals of about twenty seconds each, that the three flashes occupied one minute; and without referring to the Book of Lights, which he had on board, or consulting his chart, he erroneously concluded that it was the Newarp Light. A cast of the lead was then taken, giving 13 fathoms; and this was the first time the lead had been used since taking departure from Stangholmgr Light.

The master now altered the course to S.E. by S., to pass outside the Newarp Light-vessel as he conceived, the wind at this time being north. About 8.30 a fixed white light was seen, bearing W.S.W., which the master supposed to be the Winterton Light. At 9 p.m. the course was altered to south. The wind at this time had freshened to a gale, and the weather was somewhat hazy. At about 9.15 p.m., the vessel stranded. The sea being too high to put the vessel's own boats out, signals were made, and a lifeboat came off and informed the master that she had struck on the island of Ameland.

The crew were all landed in safety by the lifeboat, and after remaining at Ameland till the 9th of October, were taken on to Harlingen, and there paid off. The greater part of the cargo was afterwards valued; the vessel became a total wreck, and eventually broke up.

The "Aubrey Peake" not having any chronometer on board, the master, when out of sight of land or lights, was dependent entirely upon the dead reckoning and the lead for the longitude.

The lead was never used until after the light was sighted at 8 p.m. on the 7th of October; nor does it appear that any allowance was made for the easterly current, which the Sailing Directions warn navigators to guard against, especially with the wind from the westward. The result proved that the vessel was very far to the eastward of her assumed position.

One hour and a quarter elapsed after the light had been first sighted before the vessel struck; and had the master, during that interval, duly observed the flashes, referred to his Book of Lights, and consulted his chart, laying down his latitude at 8 p.m. from the noon observation, it must have been evident to him that the first light seen was not the Newarp but the Ameland Light, and that the second light sighted was that on Terschelling Island.

At the close of the evidence, Dr. Hunter submitted to the Court the following questions:-

1. Were proper measures taken to ascertain and verify the position of the vessel at or about 8 p.m. of the 2nd October last?

2. Were the courses set and steered thereafter safe and proper ones? Was due and proper allowance made for tide, currents, and leeway, and was every effort made to verify the ship's position by a frequent and judicious use of the lead from time to time P

3. Was the master justified in taking the Ameland Light for the Newarp Light?

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

5. What was the cause of the casualty?

6. Was the vessel navigated with proper and seamanlike care?

7. Is the master in default?

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

The master declined to say anything, and Dr. Hunter having briefly addressed the Court, judgment was given as follows:-

1. Sufficient measures were taken to verify the position of the vessel at 8 p.m. on the 2nd of October.

2. Up to the morning of the 6th the vessel was working to windward; after which time, when the wind became fair, the courses set and steered were not safe and proper. No allowance was made for tide and currents. No effort was made to verify the position of the vessel by proper use of the lead, until a light was sighted at about 8 p.m. of the 7th, when one cast of the lead only was taken.

3. The master was not justified in taking the Ameland Light for the Newarp Light.

4. A good and proper look-out appears to have been kept.

5. The cause of the total loss of the vessel was, that the master neglected to verify his position from time to time by the use of the lead, and improperly took the Ameland Light for the Newarp Light. If he had referred to his Sailing Directions and chart, he would at once have discovered his mistake, and that he was on the coast of Holland and not on the coast of England.

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

The master is in delault, and the Court suspends his certificate for six months, but recommends him for a mate's certificate in the interval.

 

(Signed)

R. H. B. MARSHAM, Judge.

We concur.

 

(Signed)

ALFRED PARISH,

Assessors.

 

 

C. Y. WARD,

 

54010-237. 180.-2/89. Wt. 23. E. & S.