The Hawaiian gazette., 1909-12-24
MACAULAY WAS
NOT TO BLAME
Court Of Inquiry Finds That the
Veteran Pilot Did His
Full Duty.
ERrnm Weanesday Advertlser.l

A maritime court of inquiry, com
1,sed Of Captain Josselyn of the Amer
iran bark Nuuanu; Captain Drew of the
American bark r. 2. Rithet and Cap
ram Clarke, the harbormaster, sat yes
arrday TO hear testimony regarding the
sKsrandinp of the British ship Celtic
Chief two weeks ago near the entrance
10 Honolulu harbor channel. In con-
ending its labors, this court gave a
Summary of its findings to Superin-
4sndent of Public Works Campbell, who
nuaouneed that the board finds Capt
y r. Macaulay, the pilot who had
Aoar,led the Celtic Chief on her arrival,
IN the performance of his duties as
7alot had done everything within his
rtver to aid the vessel in coming to
3 proper anchorage and under no cir
srumstances can he be blamed for the
vessel having gone upon the reef.
The board of inquiry was merely an
advisory body called by Mr.. Campbell,
There being nothing in the law requir-
snp him to convene such board, but
run being seafaring man, the super
fntendent decided that a board of ship
raptains, to take testimony and reduce
,
rould give a better opportunity to
reach definite conclusion as to the
suIpahility, or otherwise, of the pilot.
Captain Macaulay is thus fully exon
srated from any blame for the vessel s
pilikia.
Anchors Not Ready.
From Captain Macaulay's report it
is shown that when the Celtic Chief
came along toward the channel, the
Piiot boarded the vessel and gave orders
n, wear ship and take in sail, The cap
rain thought otherwise, whereupon Cap.
cain Macaulay resorted to other maneu.
rsrs to bring the ship down from the
1ate she was then travelling so that
Sie anchors could be let go. He had
Esecrtained from the captain that an
doors were in readiness for any de-
nands made upon them, but when he
rallied TO the first mate to let 60 the
ssartoard anchor, he received no re-
s5,onse until after shouting several
rimes he was informed that the anchor
was damned, but that the port anchor
roud be dropped, whereupon he gave
rercmptory orders for that one to be
aropped over. But the critical time
had come and eventually the ship came
m contact with the reef. Captain Ma.
sanlay's report, in full. follows:
Pilot Macaulay's Report.
Pilots report of the arrival of the
British ship, Celtic Chief, on December
), 1909:
THIS ship was reported from Diamond
Read signal station at 1850 p. m, De
sember 5, 1909. The wind was blow
Ing from the northeast, the weather
mas good and the barometer was 29.9S
The pilot left his station at 5:35 p. m.
and boarded the said ship at $3.50 p
m. of said date. The ships draugh
Of water was 81 feet.
Upon the ship being sighted from
che pilot station, off Diamond Head
the pilots, Captain Lorenzen and Captain
Maeaulay put off to sea in the SAINT
soas, for the reason that there wer,
Sws vessels approaching the harbo
very close together at the same time
We took with us in the pilot boat twt
red lanterns and one green lantern. TIL,
green lantern we placed on the blacl
Annoy on the outer and Eva side o
Tho channel leading into Honolulu har
Dor. The red lantern we placed on tn
fairway buoy off the anchorage of He
Es6luln harbor. After doing so, we pre-
seeded to the ships as quickly as posi-