| Unique ID: | 15364 | | Description: | Board of Trade Wreck Report for 'Birthday' and 'Glannibanta', 1888 | | Creator: | Board of Trade | | Date: | 1888 | | Copyright: | Out of copyright | | Partner: | SCC Libraries | | Partner ID: | Unknown |
Transcription
(No. 3649.)
"BIRTHDAY" AND "GLANNIBANTA" (S.S.)
The Merchant Shipping Acts, 1854 to 1876.
IN the matter of a formal Investigation held at the Lecture Hall, Greenwich, on the 29th and 31st days of October 1888, before R. H. B. MARSHAM, Esquire, assisted by Captains PARISH, RONALDSON, and KIDDLE, R.N., into the circumstances attending the damage sustained by the British sailing ship "BIRTHDAY," through collision with the British steamship "GLANNIBANTA." of Newcastle, in the Thames, on the 24th of September 1888, whereby loss of life occurred.
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 collision was caused by the "Glannibanta" not having stopped and reversed her engines in sufficient time to avoid the collision, and not having kept out of the way of the "Birthday," and the Court considers that blame attaches to Mr. Edward Wood, the pilot in charge of the "Glannibanta."
Dated this 1st day of November 1888.
(Signed)
R. H. B. MARSHAM, Judge.
We concur in the above report.
(Signed)
ALFRED PARISH,
A. RONALDSON,
Assessors.
JAMES KIDDLE,
Annex to the Report.
This case was heard at the Lecture Hall, Greenwich, on the 29th and 31st days of October 1888, when the Hon. Mr. Lyttelton represented the Board of Trade, Mr. Nelson appeared for the owners of the "Glannibanta," Mr. Botterell for the master of the "Glannibanta," and Mr. Gaskell for the master of the "Birthday." The pilot, who was also a party to the inquiry, appeared in person, but was not represented by counsel.
The "Birthday" was a wooden sailing vessel, ketch-rigged, built at Charlton, in Kent, in the year 1879, and registered at London, official number 81,547, of 65.17 tons. Her length was 82 feet, breadth 19 feet, and depth 7 feet. She was owned by Mr. George Alexander Rooke, of Bermondsey, who was also managing owner, and was commanded by Mr. Richard Lewis Lower, who holds no certificate.
On the 22nd of September last she left Yarmouth in ballast, bound for London, the crew consisting of four hands all told. On the 24th of September, about half-past 2 p.m., she was working up the River Thames on the starboard tack, in Bugsby's Reach, heading towards the Upper Derrick on the south shore with all sail set. The weather was clear, with a light breeze from the N.N.W. to N.W., the tide three-quarters flood, running about two knots. About 50 feet from the derrick she stayed and went about on the port tack.
This occupied about two minutes, the wind being very light, and she having just steerage way. After going round, she fell off four or five points before coming up to the wind, when she headed about N. by E. At that time a steamer, which proved to be the "Glannibanta," was about a quarter of a mile above them, coming down the reach. After getting round on the port tack-the steamer then being about 60 yards from the ketch, which was in about mid-channel and about 250 feet from the derrick-two blasts of the whistle were heard from the steamer, which the master of the ketch understood to mean that they wanted him to go about, the steamer then being under the starboard helm. The master of the ketch stated that he did not tack, the wind being very light, and not having yet got close to the wind. When just north of mid-channel the steamer struck the ketch just abaft the midships on the port side, her engines at the time of the collision going astern. The blow was a heavy one, cutting through the covering board and four or five planks down, and upsetting the deck, the damage showing that the steamer must have still had considerable way on her.
At the time of the collision the master of the ketch was at the helm, and Thomas Evans, one of the deck hands, was standing abaft him, and fell or was knocked overboard by the force of the collision. The unfortunate man could not swim, and nothing was seen of him except his arms just above water for a moment abreast of the steamer's bridge. A boat which was being towed astern of the steamer arrived on the spot almost immediately, but the man never rose again and was drowned.
The "Glannibanta" was a screw steamship, built of iron, at Sunderland, in 1875, registered at Newcastle, official number, 70,236, of 534.85 net tonnage, and 853.49 gross. Her length was 200 ft., breadth 30 ft., and depth 15 ft. 6 in. She was schooner rigged, 3 masted, and was owned by Mr. Ferdinand Raine and others, Mr. Charles Richard Fenwick, of London, being managing owner.
She left Deptford Creek about 1 p.m. on 24th of September in water ballast, bound for Sunderland, under the command of David Owens, who holds a certificate of competency, No. 015,986, with a crew of 16 hands all told, and in charge of Mr. Edward Wood, licensed pilot for exempted vessels only. She rounded Black-wall Point about 2.30 p.m., going easy about 4 knots, and then saw the "Birthday" about half to three quarters of a mile off, standing on the starboard tack towards the south shore. Seeing her flying jib shaking when she was about mid-channel, and thinking that she was then going round, the pilot stated that he stopped the engines, but seeing her fill again went on easy ahead. This was not borne out by the evidence of the chief engineer, which the Court accepts, who stated that from 2.35 to 2.45 the engines were going slow, and were not stopped until he received an order to go full speed astern, which was given just before the collision.
After the ketch had, according to the pilot, gone about 2 lengths south of mid-channel, he observed her putting about at less than a quarter of a mile from the steamer, and about 4 points on her starboard bow. The captain, according to his own and the pilot's statement, then blew two blasts to indicate that the steamer was under the starboard helm, and when about 60 yards from the ketch and a little north of mid-channel blew four blasts more. The pilot, as he stated, then saw the master of the ketch put the helm up, and thereupon hailed him to haul his headsails down and put his helm down, immediately afterwards stopping and reversing full speed astern.
Both the pilot and the master acknowledge that there was room to have gone under the ketch's stern had the steamer not already been under a starboard helm. The collision occurred almost immediately afterwards, the steamer striking the ketch at right angles. The unfortunate man Evans was seen to be overboard, only his arms being above water for a moment. Watermen's boats were towing astern, and one of them, with two men in it, pulled at once to the spot, but nothing more was seen of the man. There are two material points in this case in which the evidence is very conflicting. Firstly as to the distance the ketch was from the upper derrick when she tacked, the steamer stating that the ketch could have gone much further across towards the south shore, and the ketch that she stood as close to the derricks as it was prudent before going about. The ketch's statement is fully borne out by the evidence of several independent witnesses, and is accepted by the Court as correct. Secondly. The pilot's statement is that the ketch's helm was put up, and that she paid off several points before the collision. This statement is not supported by the evidence of any other of the witnesses, and is contradicted not only by those on board the ketch, but also by one of the steamer's crew and by independent witnesses.
The Court is satisfied that the ketch never altered her course.
These were the facts of the case, and on the conclusion of the evidence the Hon. Mr. Lyttelton, on behalf of the Board of Trade, put to the Court the following questions:-
1. Did the "Glannibanta" comply with Articles 14 and 21 of the Rules and Bye-laws for the Regulation of the Navigation of the River Thames?
2. Was the master of the "Birthday" justified in not attempting to get out of the way of the "Glannibanta"?
3. Was a good and proper look-out kept on board both vessels?
4. Were both vessels navigated with proper and seamanlike care?
5. Whether every possible effort was made by those on board both ships to save life?
6. Whether the master of the "Glannibanta" and the master of the "Birthday" are, or either of them is, in default, and whether blame attaches to Mr. Edward Wood, the pilot of the "Glannibanta?"
And stated that the Board of Trade were of opinion that the certificate of the master should be dealt with.
The counsel for the respective parties then addressed the Court, the pilot was heard, Mr. Lyttelton spoke in reply, and the Court gave judgment as follows:-
1. The "Glannibanta" did not comply with the Articles 14 and 21 of the Rules and Bye-laws for the Regulation of the Navigation of the River Thames. She disregarded Rule 14, inasmuch as, though going at a slow speed, the engines were not stopped and reversed in sufficient time to avoid a collision; and also Rule 21, inasmuch as she did not keep out of the way of the sailing vessel. There were no causes beyond the control of those navigating the steam vessel which would make it unsafe or impracticable for her to keep out of the way of the sailing vessel.
2. The master of the "Birthday" was, under the circumstances, justified in keeping his course.
3 A good and proper look-out was kept on both vessels.
4. The "Birthday" was navigated with proper and seamanlike care; the "Glannibanta" was not.
5. Every possible effort was made to save life.
6. Neither the master of the "Glannibanta," nor the master of the "Birthday" was in default.
The Court consider that blame attaches to Mr. Edward Wood, who was a licensed pilot in charge of the "Glannibanta," for not stopping and reversing the engines in time to avoid a collision, or using other means available in order to keep out of the way of the "Birthday."
(Signed)
R. H. B. MARSHAM, Judge.
We concur in this report.
(Signed)
ALFRED PARISH,
A. RONALDSON,
Assessors.
JAMES KIDDLE,
LONDON:
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1888.
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