Accident Inquiry Report – Wistow Hall (SS)

(No. 7535.)

“WISTOW HALL” (S.S.).

The Merchant Shipping Act, 1894.

In the matter of a Formal Investigation held at Liverpool on the 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, and 14th days of May, 1912, before STUART DEACON, Esquire, Stipendiary Magistrate, assisted by Vice-Admiral JOHN FERRIS, Captain WILLIAM L. MAIN, and Captain JOHN TAYLOR, into the circumstances attending the casualty whereby the steamship “Wistow Hall” was wrecked and totally destroyed on a rock near the Bullers of Buchan, near Aberdeenshire, on the 18th January last, and 54 out of the 58 persons on board lost their lives.

Report of Court.

The Court having carefully inquired into the circumstances attending the above-mentioned shipping casualty, finds for the reasons stated in the Annex hereto, that owing to the fact that the Captain, Mr. W. A. Stoddart, was seriously injured on the morning of the 17th January by a heavy sea which broke over the vessel, and was thereafter confined to his cabin below, and quite unable to attend to the navigation of his ship, and that the Lascar crew were too nervous, the Court has not been able to obtain sufficient evidence as to the causes of the casualty. It appears, however, that the vessel, which left North Shields, in ballast, for Glasgow on the 16th January, encountered a storm of extraordinary violence, in which she rolled heavily and shipped a great quantity of water, with the result that the engine-room was on several occasions flooded, and that at about 2 p.m. on the 17th January the engine-room reported that the fires were extinguished. It would appear that the engines then became choked or out of order. The pumps became choked or out of order, and there was subsequently let go, but the cable parted, and the vessel, having become unmanageable, was driven by the storm on to the rocks, with the above-mentioned lamentable results. The Court is satisfied that every effort was made by the crew and by the life-boat crews and fishermen along the coast in the vicinity to save the lives of those on board the vessel, and it does not appear to the Court that any person is to blame either for the casualty itself or for the subsequent terrible loss of life. The captain appears to have acted with considerable fortitude and energy under very difficult circumstances, and was in no wise responsible for the casualty.

Dated this 14th day of May, 1912.

STUART DEACON,
Judge.

We concur in the above Report.

JOHN FERRIS,
WM. L. MAIN,
JOHN TAYLOR,
Assessors.

Annex to the Report.

This Inquiry was held on the Magistrates’ Bench, Dale Street, Liverpool, on the 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, and 14th days of May, 1912, when Mr. Paxton (Messrs. Avison, Dodd & Co., Newcastle-on-Tyne) appeared for the owners, The Hall Line, Limited; Mr. W. T. Dodd (Messrs. Miller, Tayler, and Holmes) for the master, Mr. W. Alfred Stoddart; and Mr. Charles Forbes was for the National Lifeboat Institution.

The “Wistow Hall,” Official Number 97746, was a British screw steamship built of steel by Messrs. Caird and Company, Limited, Greenock, in the County of Renfrew, in 1890, and registered at the Port of Liverpool. She had two decks, was schooner-rigged with two masts, and six bulkheads, five water-tight, fore and aft. She had two sets of triple-expansion engines, by Messrs. Caird and Company, Limited, Greenock, of 1,060 nominal horse-power, and was propelled by twin screws. She was 343 ft. 3 in. long, 48 ft. 3 in. beam, and 25 ft. 2 in. depth. Her gross tonnage was 3,188 tons, and her net tonnage 1,980 tons. She had two double-ended steel boilers of 160 lbs. working pressure.

She was owned by The Hall Line, Limited, of Liverpool, and managed by and on behalf of the owners by the said company. She was chartered on the 15th January, 1912, to the Ellerman & Papayanni Line, for the carriage of general cargo from North Shields to Glasgow.

She carried four boats, two of which were lifeboats, one on each side of the after part of the bridge deck, and two cutters on the fore end of the bridge deck, either the port or starboard boats being sufficient to carry the whole crew. She had on board 69 lifebelts, which were carried in a box on the bridge deck, 24 socket explosive distress signals, 24 blue lights, and 12 of the company’s rocket signals. She was provided with two anchors and cables, and supplied with ample hand and deep-sea leads and lines. She passed through her second special survey, No. 2, to the satisfaction of the Surveyors of the British Corporation for the Survey and Registry for the Port of Newcastle, just previous to her sailing on this voyage.

The vessel left the Tyne at 8.30 a.m. on the 16th January, bound for Glasgow under the command of Mr. W. Alfred Stoddart, who holds a master’s certificate of competency, No. 02233, with a crew of 57 hands all told, 14 being Europeans and the remainder Lascars, and there was also on board a pilot to assist the master in navigating the vessel round to Glasgow.

The vessel carried 665 tons of water ballast, 1,038 tons of bunker coal, and 23 tons of fresh water in the fore peak, making a total of 1,723 tons. Her draught of water was 12 feet 1 inch forward and 16 feet 10 inches aft.

After adjusting compasses, the vessel steamed into North Shields, and landed the adjuster and the Tyne pilot. The vessel proceeded on her voyage to Glasgow, at noon, via the Pentland Firth. The course set and steered was N. 3° W.; the weather was clear, with a strong south-east wind and cross sea, and there was heavy appearance of the weather getting worse. At 3.15 p.m. the Court finds that she was then about 8 miles south-east of Buchan Ness, when the wind increased to a heavy south-east gale, and a very high, confused sea was running. During the night the wind increased to a heavy south-east gale, and at 8 p.m. the vessel made about three knots per hour. Between 5 a.m. and 7 a.m. of the 17th January, the wind appeared to be easing off on the weather side. When, however, which was then the case, the wind shifted away N. 19° W. to N. 16° W., and shortly after 7 o’clock it was discovered that the water was gradually entering the vessel. No. 2 hatch was split. The vessel’s course was altered to N.W., dead before the wind, for the purpose of securing another tarpaulin over the hatch. The chief officer and several of the crew were engaged at the work, and the master was also on the main deck, when without any warning a tremendous heavy sea swept on board, and when the water cleared away it was found that two Lascar seamen had been killed, the mate’s arm broken and his spine injured. The master at once shouted to the pilot and second officer, who were on the upper bridge, to put the vessel round to the eastward and head the sea. The master was then carried below to his stateroom. Helpless, and confined to his bed, shortly before the vessel struck the rocks. The chief officer, although helpless and suffering great pain, would not consent to be taken to his berth, but was carried into the wheelhouse, and remained there until the vessel went ashore. The vessel was now practically under the charge of the second officer, with the pilot to assist him, and the vessel’s head was kept to the eastward, but judging from the position of the vessel afterwards, and whose starboard side must have been on her course, it would appear that the master again on her course.

Two seas of enormous roll heavily and to ship heavy seas over all, and it would appear that water was getting into the stokehold and engine room through the alleyways; the pumps were put on, but from the evidence it would appear that one of the pumps and suction pipes got choked, and the water then began to wash over the stokehold plates, preventing the firemen from keeping steam up in the boilers. Bailing was then resorted to with buckets. At 2.10 p.m. the chief engineer, the second officer, and the master’s berth and told him the fires were drowned out. He told them to hoist signals of distress, and to make the first assistance offered. The vessel was drifted helplessly, heading N.E., a south-east gale continuing with hurricane force, and in the meantime the deck was swept fore and aft. Shortly after, the master insisted the pilot where the thought they were, and the pilot replied that the vessel was then about 30 miles south-east of Buchan Ness, which position appears to have been correct, as subsequently overhauled. During the day no vessels or land were sighted, and from 6 p.m. rockets were fired at intervals of about 20 minutes, and continued throughout the night. At 8 p.m. the engineer and second officer reported to the master, and told him they had done all they could, and that they could not get the water out, and that the vessel was still rolling heavily, and at 9.30 p.m. the funnel guys were carried away and the funnel rolled over the ship’s side. The weather and the condition of the vessel were so bad that it was impossible for the crew to do anything but hold on to prevent themselves being washed overboard, and thus the vessel drifted. At midnight the weather cleared a little, although the south-east gale continued to blow with hurricane force, with a tremendous heavy sea running. At 0.30 a.m. of the 18th January, Buchan Ness Light was sighted, bearing S.S.E., distant about 12 miles. When this was reported to the master he ordered “Full anchors to be let go,” and the pilot answered “I cannot let go, the wind holds on to the vessel.” At 1.30 a.m. the port anchor was let go and 130 fathoms of cable paid out, but it only held for a short time, and at 1.55 a.m. the cable parted. At 3.30 a.m. the distress rocket signals gave out, then blue lights and company’s signals were used, and, eventually, all flares were exhausted, to attract the attention of those on shore. It appears that nothing further could be done by the crew to save the vessel. The second mate, who was managing the drifted helplessly ashore. At 6 a.m. it was seen by those on board that the vessel was driving ashore. The second mate then went to the master and told him that the vessel was almost ashore, and they dressed him and lashed lifebelts round him, and then carried him on deck, placing him on the bridge deck. At 7 a.m. lifebelts were served out to all the crew, and they all remained together to wait for assistance or until they were washed ashore. As it was impossible to lower any of the ship’s boats, the vessel struck the rocks near the Bullers of Buchan, and broke up almost immediately, and was overwhelmed by the sea. All the crew perished with the exception of the master and three Lascars, who were washed ashore more dead than alive.

By the evidence of the lighthouse keeper at Buchan Ness, which was corroborated by the coastguards at Peterhead and Port Erroll, it appears that two steamers were sighted, in difficulties and making distress signals, between 4 a.m. and 6 a.m. on the 18th January. The lighthouse keepers, lifeboat stations, and coastguard stations were in constant communication by telephone, and vessels were signalled to go outside. One steamer succeeded in getting round into the Moray Firth, and the Peterhead party of coastguards, with lifeboatmen, which was then looking out for and coming from Port Erroll party which was following the “Wistow Hall,” and eventually arrived at North Haven in good time to endeavour to save life. They were joined by the lifeboat crews and fishermen working in a surf that ran 20 yards up the beach. John Donald, chief officer of the Port Erroll party, fired two rockets as the “Wistow Hall” came on shore, and put two lines from the cliffs over forecastle head and aft the forecastle. He could see one of six men, but the seas were washing clean over the ship so that it was impossible for them to get the lines. The three Lascars who were saved were very exhausted, and those who restored Mr. Stoddart to life deserve great praise for their exertions in bringing him round after two hours’ unconsciousness. The Court have already expressed their opinion as to the behaviour of all concerned in their endeavours to rescue the 54 unfortunate men who were drowned.

Undoubtedly there was, and is, a very good look-out kept round the coast, but it would appear that binocular glasses, although supplied to the look-out signal stations, are not supplied to ordinary coastguard stations, which only have the usual naval telescope. If such is the case, this point may be worthy of consideration without delay.

At the conclusion of the evidence, Mr. Paxton, on behalf of the Board of Trade, submitted the following questions for the consideration of the Court:—

1. Was the vessel supplied with proper and sufficient anchors and cables?
2. When the vessel left North Shields on the 16th January last, having regard to the weather, was she in proper trim and sufficiently ballasted for a voyage to Glasgow?
3. What was the cause of the fires being extinguished and the vessel becoming unmanageable on the 17th January last?
4. What were the cause of the stranding and loss of the vessel?
5. What were the circumstances in which 54 lives were lost?
6. Were the signals of distress shown by the steamship “Wistow Hall,” seen by any effort made by the coastguards and lifeboat crews in the vicinity to save those on board?
7. Was the vessel navigated with proper seamanship and care?

Mr. Breyne, for the owners, and Mr. Dodd, for the master, having spoken on behalf of their clients, the Court gave judgment as above, and returned the following answers to the questions of the Board of Trade:—

1. The vessel was supplied with sufficient anchors and cables.
2. When the vessel left North Shields on the 16th January last, she was in proper trim and sufficiently ballasted for the voyage to Glasgow.
3. The cause of the fires being extinguished and becoming unmanageable on the 17th January last, was the excessive rolling of the vessel in very heavy weather. It appears that heavy seas broke on board, and that from this cause much water, in some way or another, got down into the engine room and stokehold, with the consequence that about 2 p.m. on the 17th the chief engineer reported that the fires were extinguished. From the evidence of the surviving engine-room Lascars, it would also appear that one pump had become choked or out of order.

As far as can be ascertained from the meagre evidence in its possession, the Court believes that every possible effort was made thereafter to prevent her drifting, except that only in the Court’s opinion, it would have been better if both anchors had been let go instead of only one.

1. The cause of the stranding and loss of the vessel was the extraordinarily heavy gale, and the resulting seas which overwhelmed the ship, rolled her heavily and shipped much water, whereby the engine room and stokehold were flooded and the fires ultimately extinguished. The vessel became unmanageable, and on striking the shore was driven on to the rocks near the Bullers of Buchan.
2. The circumstances in which 54 lives were lost were the stranding of the vessel on a rock-bound coast, and the heavy seas, which broke over her, washing the crew overboard and dashing them against the rocks.

It was impossible to lower any boats in such a sea. It was equally impossible to get any lifeboat to the wreck. The Peterhead lifeboat made a gallant effort to get to the rescue, but was driven back by the weather.

1. The signals of distress shown by the “Wistow Hall” were seen by those on the look-out on shore long before she stranded. The coastguard, lifeboat crews, and fishermen made most energetic, smart, and prompt efforts, and the Court is quite satisfied that every effort possible was made by those on shore to save life.
2. The vessel appears to have been navigated with proper and seamanlike skill and care.

The following is a list of those who lost their lives in the casualty:—

Sk. Elvashahbood …. Coal Trimmer.
Khristodeen Baspurat …. Coal Trimmer.
Sk. Jamali Sh Oosman …. Coal Trimmer.
Cader Mahomed Sk Adam …. Coal Trimmer.
Razilikan Ameerbeg …. Fireman.
Khosa Mahd Sarded …. Fireman.
Mahomed Shafly …. Fireman.
Ignacio Fernandez …. Cook and Baker.
Liguil Fernandez …. Second Cook and Baker.
Beneditto Fernandez …. Saloon Waiter.
Joseph D. Rodrigues …. Saloon Boy.
Diego Fernandes …. First Boy.
Sk. Mohideen Jamalody …. First Tindal, Deck Department.
Esmail Hassadee …. Second Tindal, Deck Department.
Sk. Esmal Aadooram …. Lascar.
Elreno Adam …. Lascar.
Sk. Ensoof Sk Baboo …. Lascar.
Baba Mahideen …. Lascar.
Sk. Hosseim Mahd Jaffer …. Lascar.
Sk. Adam Baboo …. Lascar.
Elrone Sullyman …. Lascar.
Adam Ensoof …. Lascar.
Eloob Abdoorhman …. Lascar.
Sk. Hadeeb Sir Adam …. Tindal.
C. Fernandez …. Topass.

STUART DEACON,
Judge.

We concur in the above Report.

JOHN FERRIS,
WM. L. MAIN,
JOHN TAYLOR,
Assessors.

Liverpool,
15th May, 1912.

(Issued in London by the Board of Trade on the 11th day of June, 1912.)