Year: 1873

The Board OF Trade have ordered an inquiry TO
take place at Plymouth into the circumstances at
tending the loss OF the Loeb Earn, which VIII be
held at once. The deposition OF the Captain,
William Robertson; Berggren, the man who was
on the look out, and the man who was at the wheel
when the collision occurred, were to-day taken oy
Mr.. Kingston for the Collector OF Customs. They
are as follows:-


CAPTAIN WILLIAM ROBERTSON


deposed that he was master OF the ship Loeb Earn,
OF The port OF Glasgow OF the registered tonnage OF
the ship was owned by the Glasgow shipping
Company, s6 Buchanan street, in that city;
OF iron at Glasgow in the year 1869, aud was
classed in Lloyd's List at Liverpool A II years;
that the crew consisted OF so hands, including
deponent; that the deponent's certificate is of
competency, and Is numbered 26.S67; the vessel
rom London on her intended VOYAGE % on the IatS
day OF November last, at SIX r. NJ, the weather
being fine and the wind blowing light; the ship
was In good condition and well found, and was
bound for New York on Saturday, November p,
at about two A. NJ, weather clear. wind south
southwest true blowing a moderate breeze, ship
was in latitude 40 81 north, longitude 35 West
when the third officer came below and told depo-
nent that there steamer coming too clOse
deponent at once went on deck and saw steam
er's masthead light and a red light about point
or point and quarter on the port bow, and ap-
parently very near; the Loch Earn at the time was
heading west half north true sails, sharp
braced up on the port tack under all plain san,
and going 101a knots an hour; deponent
observed that both OF the lights on board
his ship were burning brightly; they
were carried one on each bow deponent, on COM
ing on deck, at once called out to the man at the
helm, lizard a-pOrt,0 and he replied that IL was
hard a-port; the steamer then sarboarded her helm,
and ran across the ships bow; deponent ordered
the ateryards to be braced, as collision appeared
inevitable but before the braces could be let go
steamer stem on on the starboard side amidsh1ps;
the two ships immediately separated; the after
hall OF the crew shortened sail, and the remainder
cleared away the port lifeboat; the two SHIPS were
then about 40 yards apart, the Loeb Earn being
hove-to, when a boat from the steamer came
alongside; a deponent asked the officer In
charge OF her whether the steamer was
hurt, and he replied that she was injured, but did
not say that she wanted any assistance, and no
signal OF distress being hoisted deponent did not
believe that she was seriously damaged; while
talking to the officer deponent observed that the
steamer was settling down; he at once lowered
and four men. and the cutter - and Id starboara he
boat followed as soon as they could be got out;
but before any OF the boats could reach the steamer
she had sunk, being about Is minutes after she
Havre, from New York for Brest and Havre; the
the spot until haf-past eleven A. NJ, during which
time they had brought about 70 persons on board;
Loeb Earn, having on board an officer and four
men from the steamer, did not again leave the
ships SIDE TO render assistance; the mas
ter OF the steamer came ON board depo-
nent's ship in boat belonging TO the
steamer with tour or five OF his own crew, soon
after the first boat had lett the Loeb Earn; 1t was
found that the bow OF the Loeb Earn was
pletely stove in but the collision bulknead was APP
parently unnured and the ship made no water
about noon the American ship Trlmountan, In
answer TO signal OF distress, bore down, and all
who had been saved, except two OF the passengers
and fireman, were taken on board, and she pro-
ceeded on her voyage to Bristol; the next day the
Loeb Earn was trimmed by the stern, and barr
backing OF sails, was formed to protect the bulk
head; when the ship lifted forward 1t was seen
that the stem and bow plates were smashed in
down to the forefoot; on the Gath it blew gale
from southwest, with heavy sea, and, in spite
OF every effort to strengthen the bulkhead by
shores, 1t started IRON the StringerS on both SIDES
and 1t necessary to keep the ship in
the trough OF the sea, as the water poured
in whenever she came head to sea; from this
time the bulkhead became daily weaker; on the
2sth it blew strong gale from the west and the
ship rolled heavily in the trough OF the sea; at two
A. M. it was found that the opening between the
bulkhead and the strlngers had increased, and the
water was coming IN on both ,a SIDES t WITH great
NJ, when five inches only were in the well; at six
A. M. the ship British Queen hove in sight. and de-
ponent sent a liieboat with request to stand by;
the bulkhead was now completely started from the
frame on both sides, and the crew refused to stay
ing and, owing to the very heavy sea, 1T was prob
able the bulkhead might give way at any moments
ship, and the port ifehoat and another being got
out, all hands, after considerable difficulty on
the British Queen, latitude As deg north, longitude
80 deg 80 min. west; before leaving the ship the
well was sounded and three feet SIX inches of
water lound but the ship beng very much down
by the stern this did not represent the quantity OF
water actually in her; nothing more was seen OF
the Loeb Earn; depOnent considers that ii the
steamers helm had been ported instead OF star
boarded when he arrived on deck the collision
would not have occurred.


CARL BERGGREN, ABLE SEAMAN,


stated that on Friday, November Il, midnight,
weather clear, blowing fresh breeze, he commenced
his watch as lookout man, and was stationed on
the topgalant forecastle the ship on the port
tack, close hauled under all plain sail except roy
as about ten minutes before two A. M. deponent
saw the masthead light and the red light Of
steamer ABOUT Two points on the port bow and
ee a the IL gs o PIlI his 81 p
had observed them about quarter of an hour pre-
viously and saw that they were burning, and he
now looked at them again and they were still burn
Ing brightly; on reporting the steamers light the
third mate came forward, and, having observedit,
went aft again; the second mate then came for
ward and told deponent to take the red light Off
the stage and hold 1t up, which he did; the steamer
to 5
red light was lost sight OF and the green one be-
came visible; she then blew her steam whistle.
being about two lengths OF depOnent's
snip of; almost Immediately the two ships
came into collision, and deponent, seeing what
did not see how the ships struck they at
went clear Of each other; all hands then
the snip was going down; but on the carpenter
sounding the pump and no water being found, the
sails were clewed up and the yards braced; the
ships were then about hall a mile from each other;
boat then came alongside from the steamer and
all hands set to work to get out the boats; the port
ileboat was the first got OUT and deponent, the


first mate and two apprentices went in her, but be-
fore she had left the ships side the steamer had
sunk; deponent ontinued in the boat NTH about
ten A. NJ. picking up persons and taking them
on board; after returning with the first boat load
deponent met the other two boats Of his ship row.
ing TO the spot; while deponent was still in the
boat, at about nine O'Clock A. NJ, a ship came
down, and all who had been saved, except three,
were put on board and she proceeded; witness
then went on to describe what had occurred since;
wnen the crew told the captain they wanted to
leave to ship he asked II any would remain with
him, but all refused.


Alonz0 Sewell, able seaman, OF the Loch Earn,
deposed-On Friday, the 2lst November, near mid
night weather cloudy but no fog wind about
westsouthwest, blowing about 10knot breeze,
he came on deck and was stationed at the wheel;
the ship was heading west-northwest close hauled
on the port tack, under all plain sail alter depo-
nent had been az the wheel about one and half
hours he saw In the distance, about one and half
points on the port bow, a light which he for some
time took for star; shortly afterwards the Sec
ond mate. who had been standing near deponcnt,
went forward; as soon as he got forward he called


lIas ata.l ~ xxl.