(No. 4615.)
"CHERITON."
The Merchant Shipping Acts, 1854 to 1887.
IN the matter of a formal Investigation held at the Town Hall, in the Borough of Newport (Monmouthshire), on the 15th and 17th days of November 1892, before WILLIAM GRAHAM, Esquire, and JAMES WILLIAM PRICE, Esquire, two of Her Majesty's Justices of the Peace, in and for the said Borough of Newport, assisted by Captains CHARLES HENRY JAMES BAKER and JOHN THRELFALL BRAGG, Nautical Assessors, into the circumstances attending the stranding of the British steamship "CHERITON," of Swansea, on or near Söderbriten Shoal, Gotland, on or about the 28th day of August 1892.
Report of Court.
The Court, having carefully inquired into the circumstances attending the above-mentioned shipping casualty, finds, for the reason stated in the annex hereto, that the cause of the stranding of the "Cheriton" was careless navigation on the part of James Luty, the master of the vessel, and the Court finds that he is in default, and suspends his certificate as master, No. 3,629, O.C., for three months from this date.
The chief officer is not in default, but the second officer is blameable for the unseamanlike manner in which he kept his look-out.
Dated this 17th day of November 1892.
(Signed)
WILLIAM GRAHAM,
Justices.
JAMES WILLIAM PRICE,
We concur in the above report.
(Signed)
C. H. J. BAKER,
Assessors.
J. THRELFALL BRAGG,
Annex to the Report.
The "Cheriton," official number 89,127, is a Britishbuilt screw steamer, constructed of steel by John Priestman and Company, Castletown, Sunderland, in the county of Durham, in 1890. She is of the following dimensions :—Length 231.5 ft., breadth 32.1 ft., and depth 17.1 ft., and of 1,125.30 tons gross and 708.85 nett register. She is schooner-rigged, and is fitted with three tri-compound engines of 106 nominal horse power. She has four boats, two of which are lifeboats, the others being 17 ft. and 16 ft. long respectively, all of which are set in chocks, and have davits and tackles fitted complete for launching them. She has also the other life-saving appliances according to the requirements of the Board of Trade. She has three compasses—namely, one a pole, elevated in front of the bridge one for steering by, in front of the wheel on the bridge; and one in a binnacle in front of the after steering wheel, and she appears to be otherwise well found.
On or about the 25th of August last, the "Cheriton," having loaded a cargo of about 1,200 tons (part of which was deck load), at Saint Petersburg and Cronstadt, left Cronstadt bound for Amsterdam, drawing 16 ft. 4 in. of water aft, and 14 ft. 6 in. forward. She was under the command of James Luty, who held a certificate of competency as master, numbered 3,629, and with a crew of seventeen hands all told. She proceeded upon her voyage down the Gulf of Finland, encountering the usual winds and weather of the locality and season, until at about 5 a.m. of the 27th she had Dagerort Light abeam to the S. eastward. From this point a course was set and steered, according to the master's statement, S.W. 1/4 W. magnetic, and the voyage was continued at full speed. At noon of the 27th, this course was altered to S.W. 1/2 W. magnetic, by the master's orders, no allowance being made for tides or currents. The master stated that he expected to make Ostergarn Island Light at about 5 or 6 a.m. on the 28th. This light, however, was not seen, but at 5.45 a.m. on the 28th, the course was altered towards the land, the ship being steered S.W. by W. 1/2 W. Whilst on this course and between 7 and 8 o'clock, the first mate being on watch, land was made out on the starboard bow, the weather being at the time fine but hazy, and the wind light from S.S.W. Soon aferwards, some object was seen which proved to be Nars-Holmen Lighthouse, on the coast of Gotland. No four-point bearings of this object were taken, or any other measures used to verify the vessel's position, but the same course was steered. At 8 a.m., the second mate relieved the watch, when the master and mate went below to breakfast, leaving no instructions whatever with the second mate with reference to the navigation of the vessel. At about 8.30 the second was relieved by the first mate whilst he, the second mate, breakfasted. At about 8.45 Nars-Holmen Light, according to the master's statement, was abeam, at an estimated distance of three to four miles. About 9 a.m. the second mate took charge of the watch, the master retiring to the chart-room, and the first mate turning in to his berth. About 9.15, the second mate states he saw a large beacon on the starboard beam. At about 9.30, the master came on deck, and when the beacon was pointed out to him, he ordered the course to be altered half-a-point to the southward. As this alteration was in the course of being carried out, the man at the wheel saw a beacon, with two balls on a staff, standing up out of the water on the port bow; this he reported to the master, who immediately ordered the helm hard-a-starboard, and as the vessel came round on the starboard helm she took the ground, slightly at first, but eventually remained fast on the Söderbriten Shoal, heading S.S.E., or almost directly towards the beacon. The engines were now stopped and reversed, but it was found she would not move. Soundings were taken round the vessel, when 16 ft. of water were found aft, and 14 to 14 1/2 ft. from amidships to forward. Close to, on the port side, 18 ft. of water were got. Orders were now given to jettison the deck cargo, and pump the water out of Nos. 1 and 2 ballast tanks, and at about 3 p.m. the vessel was floated off. It was now found that the vessel had severely injured herself, and it was necessary to turn on the bilge injection, and to keep all the pumps working in order to keep her afloat. A course was then shaped for Carlscrona, at which port the "Cheriton" safely arrived at 8 a.m. on the morning of the 30th of August. Divers were employed to examine the ship's bottom, part of the cargo was discharged, a new propeller shipped, the old one having had three of its blades broken, and temporary repairs were effected, at a cost of 600l., which enabled the vessel to proceed on her voyage for Amsterdam, where she safely arrived in due course. , She has subsequently arrived at Newport (Monmouthshire), where at the present time she is being permanently repaired at a cost of 3,000l. No lives were lost by this casualty.
At the conclusion of the evidence, the following questions were submitted on behalf of the Board of Trade for the opinion of the Court, and Mr. R. P. Williams, solicitor for the Board of Trade, requested that the certificates of the master and officers of the." Cheriton" be dealt with.
Questions.
1. Whether the vessel was supplied with proper sailing directions and charts?
2. What number of compasses had she on board, where were they placed, and were they in good order, and sufficient for the safe navigation of the ship?
3. When and by whom were they made, and when and by whom were they last adjusted?
4. Did the master ascertain the deviation of his compasses by observation from time to time? Were the errors of the compasses correctly ascertained, and the proper corrections to the courses applied?
5. Whether proper measures were taken to ascertain and verify the position of the vessel at 8.45 a.m. on the 28th August last, and from time to time thereafter?
6. Whether a safe and proper course was then set, and thereafter steered, and whether due and proper allowance was made for tide and currents?
7. Whether proper arrangements were made on board the vessel to provide for an efficient look-out?
8. Whether proper and suflicient instructions were given by the master to the officer of the watch as to the navigation of the vessel during his absence from the bridge?
9. Was the master on deck at a time when the safety of the vessel required his personal supervision?
10. Whether the neglect to use the lead was justifiable?
11. Whether a good and proper look-out was kept?
12. Whether the vessel was navigated with proper and seamanlike care?
13. What was the cause of the stranding of the vessel?
14. Whether the master and officers of the "Cheriton" are, or either of them is, in default?
Mr. Louis H. Hornby, soliciter, appeared on behalf of the master, and addressed the Court after the evidence was given.
The chief officer, second officer, and chief engineer appeared in person, and the chief officer made a statement.
Mr. R. P. Williams replied on behalf of the Board of Trade, and the Court, in giving judgment, replied to the above questions as follows :—
Answers.
1. The vessel was supplied with proper sailing directions, but was navigated by one of Imray & Sons general Baltic charts, dated 1870.
2. She had three compasses on board, one elevated on a pole in front of the bridge, one in front of the wheel on the bridge, by which the courses were steered, and one in a binnacle in front of the after steering wheel. It is the opinion of the Court that at the time of the stranding, the compasses were in good order and sufficient for the safe navigation of the ship.
3. The compasses were made by John J. Wilson, of Sunderland, and adjusted by him on February 8th, 1890.
4. The master did not ascertain the deviation of his compasses by observation from time to time, neither did he pay the attention he should have done to his deviation cards.
5. Proper measures were not taken to ascertain the position of the ship at about 8.45 a.m. on the morning of the 28th day of August, nor from time to time there. after.
6. Having regard to the fact that the master did not ascertain his exact position when Nars-Holmen Lighthouse was abeam, at 8.45 a.m. on the 28th, the Court is not prepared to say that the course steered was either a safe or a proper one. No allowance was made for tide and currents.
7. The look-out was entrusted to the officer of the watch only.
8. The master gave no special instructions to the officer of the watch with regard to the navigation of the ship.
9. The master was not on deck at the time when the safety of the ship required his personal supervision.
10. It being daylight, and land in sight, the Court is not prepared to say that the master was not justified in the ??n-use of the lead.
11. A good and proper look-out was not kept.
12. The vessel was not navigated with proper and seamanlike care.
13. Careless navigation on the part of the master of the vessel.
14. The Court finds that the master of the "Cheriton" is in default, and suspends his certificate, No. 3,629, O.C., for three months from this date.
The chief officer is not in default, but the second officer is blameable for the unseamanlike manner in which he kept his look-out.
(Signed)
WILLIAM GRAHAM,
Justices.
JAMES WILLIAM PRICE,
We concur.
(Signed)
C. H. J. BAKER,
Assessors.
J. THRELFALL BRAGG,
Dated this 17th day of November 1892.
71488—125. 180.—11/92. Wt. 47. E. & S.
