Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-10
NAVAL OFFICER TALKS
cARELEssNESS MARKED ACTIONS
OF MADIANA,s CAPTAIN.
Sensible Thing Would Have Been to
QiBf
Turn Ship Around-0ibbs
Hill Light.

Officials OF the United States navy have
taken more than a passing interest in the
proceedings Of the court of inquiry into the
wreck Of the British steamer Madiana of
Hamilton. Bermuda, last month. After
fully considering all the circumstances at
tending the loss of the ship. and the evil
dence adduced before it, the court arrived
at the following conclusions:
THAT from sights taken at $50 am. and
at noon on Monday, the 9th of February,
the ship was assumed by the master to be
in latitude 34.54 longitude 66.44. and that
from this assumed position a course s.
by E. 4 E. was set for a point seven miles
east of st. David's, and that according to
the testimony of both the master and
mates, this course was neither varied nor
altered until within few minutes OF the
ship striking.
Tie course set having been so main
tanned, the court is of opinion that If this
noon position had been a correct one the
ship would not have struck on reef 241s
miles to the westward of the point to
which her course was set, unless her COM
pass was at fault, or unless strong cur
rents had carried her out of her course;
No evidence, however, has been adduced
before US to show any error in the com
pass or the presence of any such currents
I'VE, therefore, are of opinion that the
position determined at noon on MONDAY,
9th of February, was an Inaccurate one
and led toward the loss of the ship. we
also come to the conclusion that at noon
on Monday the master assumed that ne
had 1S9 miles to run in order to reach
the point steered for, namely, point seven
miles east of st. Davids, and that from
that time until the ship struck ne con
timed at full speed, and although the snip
ran out her distance her speed was not
sackened nor was her course altered.
The reason given by the master Tor not
doing SO is that he saw no lights we are
of the opinion that, after the master had
completed his distance, and had falled 10
pick up the light, he was not Justined IN,
and acted very injudiciousiy by, continulng
to run his ship at full speed, especially
when he knew that the course set Wouio
take him within a few miles only OF dan
gerous reefs.
Committed an Error.
Further, we Of opinion that the mas
ter committed an error by steadying the
ships head at east SO soon after having
been informed by the mate of his having
seen breakers on the lee bow, and that this
error, in conjunction with the inaccurate
position before referred to, contributed TO
the loss of the ship.
1--WE further find that the master was not
aware of the decreased visibility OF the
Gibbs Hill light In our opinion the failure
to inform himself thereof was serious
omission on the part Of the master
1.-The court cannot pass over without com
ment on the failure to produce the snip
log and other Books, which might have been
OF assistance on tine inquiry. We al W
opinion that greater care should nave peeh
taken to preserve these important records:
1.-The requirements of section AZ OF the
merchant shipniug act. with reference 10
I the periodic adjustment of the compasses'
| do not appear TO have been complied with.
| and the court regards this as most serious
| omission BIS
| men who understand and speak English
! should be employed to steer British pas
| senger ships Wege3onerate the remaining
officers and thescrew' from all blame for the
| loss of the ship. -
Naval, Omeer's Comment.
| A well-known officer of the United States
navy, now in charge Of one of the i'm
portant bureaus Of the Navy Department,
| who read the ta3.iIAbny adduced before the
court of inquiry in, full, and the findings
of the court, today made this comment:
1.-THE captain testified that his compass on
| the course he was steering had l6 degrees
| deviation, and also that the deviation table
which he was using was one that ne mao
| had nine years. In this connection, he SAID
| that the ship had never been swung In order
| to determine the deviation of the compass
| for the last ten years. Considering the
| varying nature Of the cargo, and the differ
| emit latitudes to which vessel of this class
| goes it is clearly evident that the master
| had been most careless to say the least.
| when the mate saw breakers and re-
ported to the captain, the only sensible
| thing for him to have done was to turn
| the Ship around on the opposite course and
| keep In the open sea until daylight showed
| him where he was.
| at cannot be understood why he did not
| know of the decreased visibility Of Gibbs
| Hill light. These notices to mariners are
issued by all maritime nations, and every
! effort is made to place them where mariners
| can have access to them.
From the evidence of Mr. Hollis, 1t would
| appear that the afternoon sight gave posi-
| tjon which was DrObably Very nearly cor
| rect When the captain found out that the
morning and afternoon sights did not agree
| by a considerable difference in longitude, it
| should have been warning to him and
| made him more careful in running his dis
/ lance and in looking for breakers or reefs.
1 --Ss-