The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1887-04-02 00:00:00

THE KAPUNDA INQUIRY:

On Tuesday morning Mr. H. C. Itothery, 'the
Wreck Commissioner, who, with Captain Methuen,
Captain Parish, and Vice-Admiral Curme, as nautical
assessors, has been holding an inquiry into the loss of
the emigrant ship Kapunda, with 299 liver, off the
South-east coast of Brazil, on the 20th of January
last, delivered judgment. Mr. Charles Hall, Q.C.,
having summed up the case on behalf of the Board of
Trade, the Commissioner said the facts of the case
were simple and practically undisputed, and the Court
had had no difficulty in arriving at a decision. Having
narrated the circumstances of the collision as detailed
in evidence, he said the assessors found that the
Kapunda had more than the full complement of boats
and life-saving apparatus required by the Act of
Parliament, and that they were ready and fit for use.
The Ada Melmore also had her full complement, but
all her boats were fastened down, and were not ready
for use. The assessors, however, having regard to
the fact that she was a cargo vessel and had rounded
the Horn, were not prepared to hold the officers to
blame for not having their boats in a more fit and
ready state. With regard to the question of the oil
supply of the Ada Melmore, there was certainly a
shortness of paraffin on the homeward journey. Fur-
ther, it was clear that one of the side lights was not
properly trimmed; and the Court, therefore, were
not prepared to say that the lights were in a proper
state. Answering the very important question as to
whether the Ada Melmore exhibited the lights re-
quired by the regulations; and, if not, did the neglect
'to do so contribute to the causes of the collision, the
Commissioner said it was admitted that the regula-
tions for preventing collisions at sea had been in-
fringed in this respect. In respect to the navigation
of the vessels after each had sighted the other
immediately before the collision, the Court found that
the Kapunda, had acted rightly, but that the Ada
Mel more had violated the regulations in not keeping
her course. The master of the same vessel had not
done quite all that the court thought he might have done
to save life, though they were mindful of the damaged
condition in which the Ada Melmore was after the
collision. The next question was, Were both vessels
navigated with proper and seamanlike care? It was
Impossible to doubt this with regard to the Kapunda,
and the charges which had been brought of disorderly
proceedings in connection with theatrical representa-
tions had broken down. But the Ada Melmore was
sailing without side-lights, and the evidence in regard
to her navigation was confused and contradictory.
As regards the master of the Kapunda, no blame could
be attributed to him; but the court held that the master
of the other vessel was to blame for not repairing his
side-lights on his arrival at Valpariso, and for not carry-
!. g them according to the regulations ; and the result of
is conduct had been the loss of two vessels with
'heir cargoes and nearly 300 lives. In all the circum-
stances of the case they had had grave doubts whether
they should not cancel his certificate, but the asses-
sors were of opinion that they could not accuse the
master of wilfully leaving the passengers on board the
Kapunda to their fate; they would suspend his certi-
ficate for two years. With regard to the chief officer,
he had been guilty of most unseamanlike conduct, but
the Court, while regarding it as a grave error of judg-
ment, were not inclined to deal with his certificate.
On the application of Mr. Freed, Captain Milliken
was granted a mate's certificate, it being stated that a
wife and nine children were dependent upon him.