The Warwickshire Herald. — 1899-05-11 (Birmingham, West Midlands, England)

THE STELLA INQUIRY.  CAPTAIN'S SEAMANSHIP  CONDEMNED. The Board of Trade Inquiry into the loFs of the Stella was continued on Friday at the Guildhall, Westminster. _ . .  John Iludden, chief steward of the Vera, examined by Mr. Aspinall, said that something like sixty rescued passengers were got upon the vessel. Previous to the survivors corning aboard witness gave instructions to his staff to have plenty of tea and coffee ready for them. He directed that no charge was to be made for any refreshinent they had. As they came aboard he gave instructions for the ladies to be taken to the second.class ladies' cabin, ! which was close to the gangway. His orders were carried out, except in the case of one or two ladies who preferred to remain upon deck. Witness then produced a document shewing that the survivors had the following refreshments free of charge: 20 breakfast. 50 cepn of tea and coffee and bread and butter; 45 glasses of brandy, 17 glasses of gin, and 5 bottles of soda-water. So far as witness knew everybody who asked for refreshments had them, and if any charge was made it would be on the assumption that they were not survivors, but Vera Passenger*. Mr. 'Rife, of Coventry, • Stella passenger, said that at the tune the vessel struck the captain was not en the '.bridge. He was within 41t. or sit, of witness on the deck abaft the funnel on the port side. He could say that. emphatically. This concluded the evidence. Counsel then addressed the court on behalf of relatives of deceased passengers. Mr Richards said he thought it had been clearly established that the Wells had been lost through improper navigation*. and, moreover, it had been proved that there were not a sufficient number of officers on board to work the boats in case of emergency. It seemed to hint that the captain pursued a course of moral suicide, and that the loss of the vessel was caused by noseamanlike navigation, by the ship being run at excessive speed on a dangerous course in a thick  fog. Mr. Giles said there was the clearest evidence of rashness and neglect on the part of the captain, and no man with a proper regard to the safety of the labile would have acted as he had done. Mr. Monroe, on beffalf of the relatives of the late Alderman Collier, .of Godalming, said that while nobody would wish to accept the words of the captain about keeping his time or breaking his neck in their literal sense, still, toey afforded the Fr atest possible argument that he intended to keep his time. So far did he go in that direction that he was actually a quarter of an hour before his time. Other counsel having attributed the accident to the captain not having slowed down or taken soundings, and to his conduct being due to the endeavour to keep time, Mr. Winter said his view was that the ship was lost by the indiscretion of the captain. The evidence had shewn that the log line was thrown over the vessel at the Needles about ten minutes after it should have been, and this, perhaps, put , the (-Wain out of his bearings, and was a possible extlanation of why he rushed through the fog at , such a great speed. To go along as he did seemed I to have been the act of a madman. Sir Robert Reid, on behalf of the South Western Railway Company, said that the company regarded the late captain as an admirable seaman, and they went beyond what was required by the Board of Trade in the prevision of life-saving app:ianees. M to the suggestion of racing, Sir Robert remarked that the company had been earnestly desirous, as. was gleam by the regulations they had issued, to preveit anything in the nature of imprudent navigation, and it was hardly credible that any senaible body of directors would for the pureoses of their • VCSl4eig keeping time, do anything which was ealea, lated to be of a reckless character, and which would \ be ,d a minims character to them financially. Timehing upon alb complaints which had been main, as to the treatment of survivors on the Vera, lair RoFert said lie thought it contemptible that gentle! men ithould come muttering these things against I officers who did their best to treat them with kindness and consideration. It was a lamentable disaster, IA he thought the court would come to the conclusion that the officers and men, and above all the captain, slimed a noble spirit and courage.