Wreck Report for 'Bessie Morris', 1888

(No. 3547.)

"BESSIE MORRIS" (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 29th and 30th days of May 1888, before THOS. STAMFORD RAFFLES, Esq., Stipendiary Magistrate, assisted by Captains BROOKS and BRAGG, Nautical Assessors, into the circumstances attending the stranding of the British Steamship "BESSIE MORRIS," of Liverpool, about nine miles E. of Gibraltar, on the 2nd March 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 said stranding was caused by the ship's course having been continued too long near the land instead of being hauled off to the southward at 4 a.m. on the 2nd of March.

Dated this 30th day of May 1888.

 

(Signed)

T. S. RAFFLES, Judge.

We concur in the above report.

 

(Signed)

ED. BROOKS,

 

 

 

J. THRELFALL BRAGG,

Assessors.

Annex to the Report.

This was an inquiry into the circumstances attending the stranding of the British steamship "Bessie Morris," of Liverpool, about 9 miles E. of Gibraltar, on the 2nd March last. Mr. Morton appeared for the Board of Trade, Mr. Shand was counsel for the master, and Mr. Harold Bateson was for the owners.

The "Bessie Morris" is a screw steamer, built at Port Glasgow in 1880, of 200 horse-power combined, and of 1,728.95 tons gross, and 1,119.50 tons registered, registered at Liverpool. She was the property of the s.s. "Bessie Morris" Company, Limited, and Mr. Edward Clouston Thin, of Liverpool, managed her. She was commanded by Mr. William Guy Brown, who holds a master's extra certificate of competency, No. 25,967, and she had a crew of 23 hands all told. She left Fiume on the 23rd day of February last with a cargo of 2,170 tons, consisting of flour, grain, and currants, drawing 19 ft. 4 in. forward and 20 ft. aft. All went well till midnight on the 1st of March, when they were off Calabarras Point. At 1.30 a.m. on the 2nd they were abeam of the point, bearing N. by W., distant 2 to 3 miles. The master at 1.35 a.m. set a course W. 3/4 S. southerly by the standard compass. The weather was then clear but showery. They were going half speed up to 2 a.m., when they went on at full speed, about 9 1/4 to 9 3/4 knots an hour. The master then left the deck for his chart-room just behind the wheel-house, leaving the deck in charge of the chief mate. At 4 a.m. the master was again on deck, when the second officer took charge, and he went to the chart-room again in about ten minutes, leaving orders with the 2nd mate to call him when he saw the Europa and Ceuta Lights. He was awakened a few minutes before 5 a.m. by the ship striking, when he rushed on deck and found the ship ashore a little N. of Gaudiana river. The engines were immediately reversed, but the vessel fell broadside on and remained fast. The sea rapidly came in, filled the stoke-hole, and stove in the upper deck hatches, and three of the boats were smashed. The master sent six men ashore in the starboard life-boat, and eventually they were all got away from the ship. The ship was got off and partially repaired at Gibraltar, and afterwards came to Liverpool. She was very materially damaged.

On the close of the evidence Mr. Morton asked the following questions:-

1. Were the compasses in good order?

2. Were the errors known to the master, and proper corrections applied to the course?

3. Were the boats on the vessel in a good and seaworthy condition?

4. Were proper means taken to ascertain and verify the ship's position at 1.30 a.m. on the 2nd March?

5. Was a safe and proper course then set and steered, and due allowance made for currents?

6. Was the master on deck when the safety of the vessel required his personal supervision?

7. Having regard to the state of the weather, was the vessel navigated at too high a rate of speed?

8. Ought the lead to have been used?

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

10. What was the cause of the stranding of the vessel, and was serious damage occasioned to the vessel thereby?

11. Were the master and second officer or either of them in default in regard to any of the above matters?

And stated that in the opinion of the Board of Trade the certificates of the master and second officer should be dealt with. Mr. Batson and Mr. Shand then addressed the Court.

The Court gave judgment as follows:-

1 and 2. The Court is of opinion that the compasses were in good order. The errors were known to the master, and proper corrections were applied.

3. The evidence was conflicting on this point, the sailors asserting that the boats were not in good order, and the officers saying the contrary. But three of the boats were smashed when the vessel grounded, and the starboard life-boat carried six of the crew ashore, but she also had been damaged in launching and could not return.

4. Proper measures were taken to ascertain the ship's position at 1.30 a.m. on the 2nd March, which placed the ship 2 miles S. by E. of Calaburras Light.

5. The course set and steered from 1.35 on the 2nd was a safe course up to 4 a.m., but the Court did not consider that it was the most desirable course to take. No allowance was necessary to be then made for currents.

6. It would have been better had the master remained on deck after 4 a.m. He placed too much reliance on the lights of Europa and Ceuta being seen. In the then state of the weather he should not have done so, for not being clear he should have hauled the vessel off to the southward without waiting to see the lights.

7. The vessel was not navigated at too high a rate of speed.

8. The soundings about this locality being very deep, it was not necessary to use the lead.

9. The look-out was placed, but apparently nothing was seen to alarm them till the casualty itself, when broken water was seen, but too late to avoid the danger.

10. The Court was of opinion that this vessel was stranded owing to a course having been set and maintained after 4 a.m. too far north of Europa Point, whereas it should have been at that time altered to the southward, and especially as the weather had become thick and rainy. Serious damage was caused to the vessel by the casualty.

11. The errors committed by the master in the navigation of his vessel were mainly errors in judgment, but the Court declined to deal with his certificate and that of the second mate. The master ought to have remained in charge on deck after 4 a.m., but he had excellent testimonials of his previous conduct, and they took that into consideration.

The Court thinks that the attention of the Spanish Government should be called to the statements made by the master and officers of this ship as to the plundering of the vessel after the casualty.

 

(Signed)

T. S. RAFFLES, Judge.

We concur in this report.

 

(Signed)

ED. BROOKS,

Assessors.

 

 

J. THRELFALL BRAGG,

 

Liverpool, 30th May 1888.

54010-39. 180.-6/88. Wt. 23. E. & S.