Ship wrecked

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After all, most of the best destinations in the world are on your door step. The weather conditions have been kind here in Guernsey with another scorchio evening of diving on the SS Dagenham.

"DAGENHAM" (S.S.).

IN the matter of a Formal Investigation held at the Municipal Buildings, West Hartlepool, on the 27th and 28th days of May, 1909, before LANCELOT ROBSON and ROBERT JOBSON, Esquires, Justices of the Peace for the County Borough of West Hartlepool, assisted by Commander C. K. MCINTOSH, R.N.R., and Captain C. B. GRAVES, F.R.G.S., into the circumstances attending the loss of the British steamship "DAGENHAM," of West Hartlepool, through stranding on or near the North-West Grunes Rocks, about six miles from the Hanois Light, Guernsey, on or about the 8th April, 1909.

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 vessel stranded upon the Les Grunes de l'Ouest, off the north - west coast of Guernsey, owing to the master steering too fine a course after passing the Casquets and not making due allowance for the set of the tides and also neglecting to take proper bearings of Les Hanois lighthouse after it appeared in sight.

The Court finds that the loss of the steamship "Dagenham" was caused by the default of the master, Herbert Denyer, and suspends his certificate, No. 040725, for a period of three months from the date hereof, and recommends that he be granted a chief mate's certificate during the period of such suspension

Annex to the Report.

The "Dagenham" was a British screw steamship, built of steel, at Sunderland, in 1907, and registered at West Hartlepool, her Official Number being 124,344. Her dimensions, according to the register, were, length 239.3 feet, breadth 36.0 feet, depth of hold 15.6 feet, length of engine room 40.3 feet, and she had a registered tonnage of 885.37 tons. The vessel was fitted with triple expansion engines, built by Messrs. Richardson, Westgarth & Co., of Middlesbrough, the diameter of the cylinders being 19 inches, 31 inches, and 51 inches, with a length of stroke of 36 inches, the indicated horsepower being 980, and the speed 10 knots. She was owned by Messrs. Furness, Withy & Co., Limited, and the registered manager was Stephen Wilson Furness, of Baltic Chambers, West Hartlepool. On the voyage in question she was under the command of Mr. Herbert Denyer, whose certificate of competency as master is numbered 040725. The "Dagenham" had three compasses, one on the top of the wheelhouse amidships, one on the bridge deck before the wheelhouse, and a spare one. These compasses were last adjusted by Morton, of South Shields, in June, 1908. She had two lifeboats and one small boat, and a sufficient number of lifebelts for all on board.

The vessel left the Tyne on the 6th day of April, 1909, bound for St. Malo, with a cargo of 1,930 tons of coal, on a draft of 15 feet 5 inches forward and 17 feet 5 inches aft. The crew consisted of 18 hands, including the master and two mates, each of whom held a master's certificate. Everything went satisfactorily until the evening of April 8th. At 3.05 p.m. on that day Cape La Hague was abeam, on the port side, distant 5 miles. At 4.10 p.m. the Casquets lighthouse was abeam, distant 2 miles. The course at this time was W.N.W. magnetic, and was continued until the lighthouse bore S.E. by S., when the course was altered to S.W. 3/4 W. magnetic. At about 5.10 p.m. the Les Hanois lighthouse was sighted on the port bow, and shortly afterwards a bearing was taken, which showed that the vessel was being set in towards the land. The master, noting this, altered the course at 5.25 p.m. to W.S.W. magnetic, but no other bearings appear to have been taken of this lighthouse, and the course of W.S.W. was continued until the vessel struck a 6.05 p.m. The weather, from passing Cape La Hague, rounding the Casquets, and up to the time of stranding, was fine, with light breeze and a haze over the land, the sea being quite smooth. At the time the vessel struck the master and chief mate were on the bridge, and orders were immediately given by the master to put the engines full speed astern, which was done, and the engines were then worked ahead and astern alternately until 6.25 p.m., but the vessel remained fast. Soundings had in the meantime been taken, and a depth of 10 fathoms was found aft, seven fathoms forward and 17 feet amidships on the starboard side. These soundings showed that the ship was held on a pinnacle of rock amidships. The vessel was now found to be making water rapidly. Fearing an explosion of the boilers, the master then ordered all hands into the boats, as the position of the ship appeared hopeless. The boats were kept in close proximity to the ship, and at 8 30 p.m. the master and second engineer boarded her to make an inspection. They found her practically full of water, so returned to the boat and finally abandoned the steamer. The master remained in one of the boats in the vicinity till 2 a.m. on April 9th, when the ship broke in two, about amidships. All the crew were eventually safely landed, but the log-book and other ship's papers were, according to the evidence of the chief mate, lost whilst getting ashore through the surf.

On reviewing the evidence, it appeared to the Court that too fine a course bad been set from the position where the Casquets lighthouse bore S.E. by S., as the master, according to his own statement, had simply allowed that the west-going tide would counteract any indraft towards the land due to the flood tide, and had, therefore, set a course magnetic to pass only about three miles outside any outlying danger. This was too fine for safety, as was proved when the lighthouse of Les Hanois appeared in sight on the port bow and then finding, as he did, the steamer set in to the eastward of her course it was the duty of the master to haul out more to the westward and take repeated bearings of Les Hanois, until he had it on a safe and proper bearing. The course was, however, only altered to W.S.W. and no further bearing was taken until she struck. All the witnesses agreed that the weather was fine and clear, with a haze over the land. The master attributed the casualty to being set in by the tide more than he anticipated, and also to the state of the atmosphere causing him to be misled as to his distance from the land. The chief and second mates, in their evidence, confirmed the master's statement as to the somewhat peculiar haze prevailing over the land, but the second mate admitted that he thought at the time that the ship was being navigated too close to the shore. The land was in sight all the time on the port hand after passing the Casquets, but no attempt was made by cross bearings to verify the position. According to the evidence no disturbance of the water or tide ripple was observed near the place of stranding. All proper and reasonable efforts appear to have been made to free the vessel from the rocks, but without avail. The ship made water so rapidly after striking the reef that the pumps were practically useless, but the second engineer, who was on watch at the time, appears to have acted with commendable promptitude in taking all proper precautions after the position seemed hopeless. He was on duty alone, it being the time of changing the firemen's watches, and he remained below until ordered on deck by the master. He was commended by the Court for acting as he did in a most trying time.

At the conclusion of the evidence, Mr. Corder read and submitted the following questions upon which the Board of Trade desired the opinion of the Court:—

(1) What number of compasses had the vessel; were they in good order and sufficient for the safe navigation of the vessel, and when and by whom were they last adjusted?

(2) Did the master ascertain the deviation of his compasses by observation from time to time; were the errors correctly ascertained and the proper corrections to the courses applied?

(3) Was the vessel supplied with proper and sufficient charts and sailing directions?

(4) Were proper measures taken to ascertain and verify the position of the vessel when abeam of the Casquets lighthouse at or about 4.10 p.m. on the 8th April last; were safe and proper courses thereafter set and steered, and was due and proper allowance made for tide and currents?

(5) Were proper measures taken to ascertain and verify the position of the vessel from time to time after Les Hanois lighthouse was sighted on the afternoon of the 8th April last?

(6) Was a good and proper look-out kept?

(7) Where and upon what did the vessel strand, and what was the cause of the stranding and loss of the ship?

(8) Was the vessel navigated with proper and seamanlike care?

(9) Was the loss of the steamship "Dagenham" caused by the wrongful act or default of the master?

The master having addressed the Court, the Court replied to the questions as follows:—

(1) The vessel had three compasses; one on top of the wheelhouse, one on the bridge deck in front of the wheelhouse by which the courses were set and steered, and a spare one. They were in good order and sufficient for the safe navigation of the vessel. They were last adjusted in June 1908, by. Morton, of South Shields.

(2) The master stated in Court that he did ascertain the deviation of his compasses by observation from time to time, and the errors, as ascertained by him, were correctly applied to the various courses steered.

(3) The vessel was supplied with one blue-backed chart of the English Channel and the sailing directions relating thereto, published by Messrs. Imray, Laurie, Norie & Wilson, Ltd., 1907. The Court is of opinion that this was a somewhat meagre equipment for the navigation of the vessel.

(4) Proper measures were taken to ascertain and verify the position of the vessel when abeam of the Casquets lighthouse, at or about 4.10 p.m. on the 8th April last. Safe and proper courses were not thereafter set and steered, inasmuch as proper allowance was not made for tide and currents.

(5) Proper measures were not taken to ascertain and verify the position of the vessel from time to time after Les Hanois lighthouse was sighted.

(6) A good and proper look-out was kept.

(7) The vessel stranded upon Les Grunes de l'Ouest, off the N.W. coast of Guernsey, owing to the master steering too fine a course after passing the Casquets and not making due allowance for the set of the tides, and also neglecting to take proper bearings of Les Hanois lighthouse after it appeared in sight.

(8) The vessel was not navigated with proper and seamanlike care.

(9) The loss of the steamship "Dagenham" was caused by the default of the master, Herbert Denyer, and the Court suspends his certificate No. 010725 for a period of three months from the date hereof, and recommends that he be granted a chief mate's certificate during the period of such suspension.