AnnualReport-1916 — Page 95

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A. W. Smith, whose certificate of competency was No. 2046 of Victoria, Australia, chief engineer of the British S.S. Wollowra, Official No. 104,811 of Hongkong.

The Court found as follows :---

We find that the charges made against you, Warren Smith, chief engineer of S.S. Wollowra, Official No. 104,811 of Hong- kong, by the master, Mr. B. W. Pritchard, PROVED, and we con- sider that your conduct has been detrimental to all good order and discipline, and the Court would point out that there is only one master on board a ship and that as chief engineer you are head of a sub-department, and as such it is clearly your duty to promptly obey any lawful orders given by the master. That on two occasions dur- ing the voyage, you did wilfully disobey the lawful commands of the master, Mr. B. W. Pritchard, and did treat him with gross disres- pect. We therefore order your chief engineer's certificate No. 2046 of Victoria to be suspended for a period of 6 months and that dur- ing such time a second engineer's certificate will be granted you, but that before your certificate is returned at the expiration of 6 months, a reference from the master or masters under whom you have served must be produced to this office showing that you have obeyed their lawful commands to their entire satisfaction.

(2) On the 6th day of March, 1916, enquiry was made into the circumstances attending the stranding of the British S.S. Kolya, Official No. 95,100 of Hongkong.

The Court found as below:-

We find that the British Steamship Kolya, Official No. 95,100, left Hongkong bound for Christmas Island in ballast at 7.30 a.ni, on the 20th February, 1916, with James Willox, Master, the number of whose certificate is 036,321 of Aberdeen, and George Carpendale, chief officer, and that all went well until abeam of Gap Rock, distant 3' about 11.45 a.m. when a course was set to pass 60′ to the N.W. of North Reef Paracel Island. This course was taken to be S. 56° W. True and was checked by the chief officer while the master was lay- ing it off. The ship was then steered on this course until shortly after 4 p.m. when a deviation of 3° W. having been obtained, the course was altered to S. 60° W. and that course steered without any further check until the ship struck at 5.45.a.m. on 21st February.

We find that these courses were wrongly set and that such courses would take the ship direct to the Point on which she finally struck. The correct course to have steered would have been S. 34° W. True. The Court hold that the stranding was entirely due to the gross carelessness of the master in setting and steering these wrong- ful courses, but taking into consideration that the master took proper action to get the ship off after grounding, we order the master's certificate-foreign going to be suspended for 12 months but grant him a river master's certificate or foreign-going mate's certificate during this period.

The Court orders that George Carpendale, chief officer, is to be severely reprimanded for his carelessness in the navigation of this ship and place the same on record.