"Suez" axp ' Ciayaure."
This was an enquiry which occurred in the Har Claymore Winntam Mircaxsox Dope, sw master of the $8, Sues, and w: command of her on the 23rd December, 1885. I finished discharging cargo on the forenoon of that day, and made a ments for gain; guidance of Be. to be towed over by steam-t a quarter to one o'clock Mr. Taylor came on board and asked if I was all ready to start, Ho said he wanted to start at once. asked him it was not rather early, and if two o'clock would not be better; but lee said he wanted to start at once, We went on deck, singled the ropes, and got all ready for st I went on the forecastle with the pilot- to see the tow-rope passed, and the chief officer was there als. Lasked Mr. Taylor if she was " powerful tug, and he aid she was plenty powerful en-ugh to tow us, as ale had towed much heavier shiis than mine. When the rope was fast we went to the bridge—the The pilot then gave Nivgpo Whine. xo; be said he was going on the outside, gested to him that it would be much better to yo inside, as there did no to Lo more room for us between the lorcha boat which was large hulk lushed there was plenty of room, and ordered the tug to go outside the lorcha, The tug-boat was towing ahead. In order to go that way—outside the lorcha—we had to give her " rather Dread sheer-off, na the lorcha was lying pretty close to us; and when we had passed the lorcha, the tide appeared to catch her on the thwart bow, causing her to sheer over across the river. he pilot ordered the anchor to be let go; but before the straightened her up, and the shot across the bows of th which was lying at anchor, the Claymore's n taking us about seven fest abaft the eum bulk-head on the starboard ide, cutting us down about four feet below hor' then water Li She along the stem of the Claymore wu caught the Claymore's and she could not go any furth Claymore had been paying the tite when abe any" collision was i minent, and appeared to all the chain she e-uld. Our shi as her propeller caught the chain of the Claymore, hevied over on her port side, throwing' the hole cut by the stern of the Claymore out of the water. I got a buat ver as soon xs possible and got awnings was han y over plugged ne well as was practi ble, before the tide eased, straight ed up. At the same time the d key and Downton pumps wore kept goi to clear out the water. As soon as the jo eased we got two more ruga to assist in pulling our eteru clear of the Claymore's bow, As sven as we got nur clear of the Claymore, we picked the ruceeded to Boyd's Duck ide the duck-head to await the tide to go into dock. the donkey pump was at that time easily keeping the ship free of water, At midnight the ship was docked.
The Parstext—What was the state of the tide when you began to tow her across 3 Witness—Bivod tide. It had been running for about two hours, We started one, and it was high water at 4 o'clock—spring tide.
What was t of afarring At110 p.m. ion took place at 1.40.
The Witness then marked the p of the hulk and Chins Mercha: the lorcha and the Cliymore on a chart.
In ausuer to further questions, the Witness said—M: There was a fresh westerly wind blowing off the wharf.
The Prustvext—Had you taken steps to ascertain whether it was safe here to move with one tug?
Wituess—I wai rely guided by the pilot. [asked him if the tug was powerful enough, and he anid it was. He did not say anything tome about a second tug at all; if he had anid he required ove of course I would have got one. When I said I made arrangements to go into duck I meant with my sgeuts and with the duck people; I did not gaged him for his local knowledge of the tide ant of tow-boats and so on. My boi were empty at the time, and peuple were in cleaning them. If the pilot had suggested the necessity of two tugs I should most certainly have got them.
Lieutenant Lancetot—Did you consider one tug sufficient Wita inder ordinary circumstances, powerful enough, 1 asked the starting whether another tug on the quarter I do not uk it would have been any nae, with the sheer we took, My ship in 300 feet long, There was no delay in letting go the char. If we had taken the shore channel I think we should have been clear, because we would have kept end on Cuantes Texaguisr, chi Succ, was then sworn, He said—I heard the Captain ask the pilot what power the tug lind; but L could not make out the answer the pilot gave, because I was looks ing over the bows at the time, So far ast know, the Captain's otatement is correct but of course I did not hear all the ques: tions and between the Cxpti and the pilot, Janus DELRoy, sworn, snid—I ain bontswain of the Suet. I remouber the 23rd December. I did not see the pilot come ow board. We began to move the ship at quarter wat one. Previous to that honed the 1 ask the pilot if the tug tow us, and the pilot re-she is a' powerful. boat." heard. The tow li then made fast, and the Captain an went on to the bridge, That took place on the forecast formard ut the time of the cu'lision. As far as my kuowledye extends, +40 Captain's ut is correct. I heard the order by the pilot to lot go the anchor was no delay whatever i i let go Dopod was then—My atovring gear wan all clear and marder, At the time of the collision the helm was hard-astarboard. The helm was put hard-a-stare board ax soon as alle began to fall off.
Anprew Wixosre+, sworn, eaid—I am third mate of the s.s. Suez, 1 was on board on the 23rd December. I hoard the Cup-tain on the bridge aay to the pilot that thought it would be better to go i I did ie what an Epwanp Crate, sworn, said—I am first Claymore, I was on board jecomber last, in charge of At about 1.40 i jerous position to our ship, diately rau on_ to the forecastle head and veered about fifteen fathoms of cable. Swe: struck us a severe blow on side of the stem with her starboard side. After she struck us, another fifteen or mediately e pummpsund wellasounded, twenty tath n ran out. Time
but found no water either in the fore peak or fore hold. I ordered the st board life-buat to be cleared and kept in readiness, and I asked Uxpt. Dodd if I could render any assistance to the Suez. Our was heading about E. by N. at the time, Until the two ships were cleared I stood by to render any assistance required, When 1 asked Captain Dodd if I could render any assistance he thanked me and said there was no occasion. tually two tug-poate came down and cleared the ships. We wore assisted by the tug Fokelin, When my attention was first called to the Suc: she was about two ships' lengths frum us; 1 was therefore not in a m to form avy opinion as to how the accident occurred. We veered out about forty-live
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.