LIVERPOOL MERCURY
Saturday Feb 8th, 1913
INQUEST INTO THE DEATH OF CAPT GRIFFITHS
PILOTS EVIDENCE AT THE INQUEST
The Liverpool Coroners inquiry relative to the death of Capt GRIFFITHS, Master of the Corporation hopper BETA, which sunk in the Mersey Channel on the night of Thursday, January 9th, 12 lives lost, was concluded on Thursday, the jury returning an open verdict.
Mr A. H. MAXWELL and Mr W. R. HOWARD, [instructed by Messers ASHLEY and CLOTHIER ] were for the owners of the FLEETWING; Mr GETHING [instructed by Messers BATESON, WARR and WIMSHURST ] represented the owners of the AMBROSE, and Mr SHARMAN appeared on behalf of the relatives of the deceased.
Fred Arthur JONES, Fisherman, stated that he sailed on the FLEETWING along with his brother who was Captain and his uncle.
On the 9th, of last month they proceeded from Ormes Head to the Crosby Channel, which they reached shortly after 5’o’clock. They continued to beat up towards Liverpool with two men on the lookout foreward. While tacking witness saw the lights of a small steamer suddenly appear about 200 yds on the port quarters.
She got dangerously near the FLEETWING, and his brother shouted out, so as he could be heard aboard the BETA, ”What are you doing aboard that ship? You are coming on to us”
The BETA ported her helm and tried to avoid the FLEETWING, but the vessel collided, the FLEETWING being struck between the two masts. Witness and his brother jumped onto a small boat to get on the BETA, this they did successfully, and found on the hopper the other members of the FLEETWING’S crew.
The trawler was made fast to the BETA, and then they saw the saloon lights of a large steamer close to. A man on the hopper shouted, “Full steam ahead Skipper”.
Witness was at that moment thrown down by the impact of the collision between the liner and BETA. A boat was lowered aft, but got stuck and the occupants were washed out. A good many men seemed to have been thrown out into the water and witness saw the propeller of the BETA out of the water.
Witnesses brother asked him for help and he passed along to him a rope. He however never saw his relative again. Witness struggled for some time in the water, and was eventually picked up.
JONES expressed the opinion that if the BETA had not ported she would have got clear of the FLEETWING, and probably the mishap would never have occurred. The FLEETWING did not alter her course.
By Mr MAXWELL:- The crew of the BETA did all they could to save life.
THE MATES STORY
Samuel FRYER, Mate of the BETA for 23 years stated that when making for the Crosby Bar he noticed that the vessel was slowing down, immediately afterwards he heard the command,”Turn back full speed”. Witness saw the sails of the fishing boat as the latter went aft on the starboard tack. Capt GRIFFITHS shouted to the fishermen, “What kind of thing is that to do?” The BETA immediately afterwards struck the FLEETWING on the portside about amidships. Witness attributed the accident to the trawler tacking across the BETA’S bows.
After the crew of the trawler had been got aboard the BETA, witness noticed the lights of the AMBROSE. Sharp blasts were given from the BETA and these were answered from the liner. The BETA’S engines were reversed but the AMBROSE continued coming along, and struck the hopper on the portside bow. Capt GRIFFITHS was on the bridge, and witness went to the star-board side of the vessel. The BETA was then rapidly sinking.
Witness at length found a lifebelt, which he put on and jumped into the sea. He was in the water 20-25 mins, before being picked up by a boat from the AMBROSE, “It seemed an age”, added the witness.
The Coroner congratulated him on his recovery.
PILOTS EVIDENCE
Henry J. EVANS, 1st Class Pilot, who had been appropriated to the WHITE STAR LINE for the past 12 yrs, explained how, on the day in question he boarded the BETA, to return to Liverpool after piloting the S. S. SUEVIC, out of port.
He described the events that followed upon the collision with the FLEETWING, which occurred while he was in the cabin. It was very dark at the time. Witness went on deck and saw the crew of the FLEETWING coming aboard. At that time witness took notice of the port, starboard and masthead lights of the BETA.
The Coroner:- Were the lights burning brightly?
Witness:-The three were burning brightly Sir.
They had not been shaken off by the collision – No
You say the collision was rather slight ;-
Yes the collision with the fishing boat.
Just after the crew of the FLEETWING were rescued [continued the witness] he heard 4 blasts from a whistle, which was the usual warning of an approaching vessel. He then saw some light, which turned out to be the AMBROSE. At that time the FLEETWING was lying in the same direction as the BETA.
Just before the AMBROSE struck her he heard 3 blasts from the BETA’S whistle.
When the AMBROSE struck, the BETA heeled over to the starboard and commenced to founder at once. Witness put on a lifebuoy before he was flung into the water. He was picked up by a boat from the AMBROSE. Whilst rowing around they heard a voice from the steamer MAY to the effect that a man was floating under the port quarter and they were afraid to move the propeller.
The small boat picked up the body which turned out to be Capt GRIFFITHS. He was taken on the MAY and every effort was made to return animation, but it was in vain.
CAPTAIN OF THE AMBROSE CALLED
The next witness was William Henry PONTET, Master of the BOOTH Liner AMBROSE. He deposed that just after passing Formby light, two lights, were reported on the starboard side and thay were about a mile off when they first saw them. One light was ahead of the other.
The AMBROSE was steaming at about 11 knots, when they were 800/1000 feet away, the bright light of one vessel disappeared and a green light showed up. . Shortly afterwards the pilot of the AMBROSE ordered the helm to starboard, and the engines were slowed. They passed the vessel with the green light by about 100 feet.
Witness noticed she was a small sailing craft heading away from the AMBROSE. When she had got abeam the pilot gave the order,”Steady”. He blew a blast of the whistle indicating that the AMBROSE was porting her helm. Just as he gave that order the white light of the vessel in front disappeared, and the masthead and red light showed up. She gave 5 blasts of the whistle. That conveyed no message to witness. The pilot of the AMBROSE gave 2 blasts of the whistle, then hard-a-starboarded the helm. The vessel answered the 2 blast signal, and then opened up her port light.
By that time a collision seemed inevitable. The pilot ordered the engines full steam astern. At this time the AMBROSE had not gone off her course. They struck the other vessel which turned out to be the BETA, and which sank in about a minute.
The engines were stopped, the emergency boats were got out and rope ends thrown over.
Witness announced that the BETA turned round on the starboard side. It struck him that the BETA was trying to get back on the wrong side of the Channel, trying to pass between the AMBROSE and the buoy. There was no confusion of the AMBROSE.
The Coroner:-Is it in your opinion that the collision was due to the BETA suddenly turning round as you described – Yes Sir it may be that.
She was obliged to turn round suddenly, having regard to what happened between her and the FLEETWING? – Well of that I cannot say.
By Mr MAXWELL- After, they passed the FLEETWING the BETA’S stern light disappeared, and red lights came in.
5 SHORT BLASTS
Matthew H. BIRD, Pilot of the AMBROSE, stated that when he blew his one blast the BETA answered with 5 short blasts, which possessed no significance. He agreed with Capt PONTET that the turning round of the BETA was the cause of the collision.
Witness:- In the first place I could have avoided a collision if the BETA had shown me her port light, instead of giving me her starboard light. The BETA seemed to have been going round on her starboard helm, and then changed her mind.
Charles H. JONES, 2nd Officer on the AMBROSE, agreed with the two previous witnesses, that if the BETA had not manoeuvred in the way described the collision would not have occurred.
The look out man on the AMBROSE said he heard, 4 blasts from the BETA, just before she opened up her green light. She never blew again. If the BETA had not turned the AMBROSE would have cleared her.
A Juror asked what the 4 blasts of the BETA would mean.
Capt PONTET replied he did not know. There were only three service signals, 1 blast, port, 2 blasts starboard, 3 blasts, going astern.
The Coroner said he knew there were only, 3 service signals, but he understood, 4 blasts conveyed a warning.
Mr EVANS, the WHITE STAR Pilot, explained that any, number of blasts over 3 were meant to attract the attention of an approaching vessel to the fact that something had happened.
The Coroner told the Jury that, they had nothing to do with the question of liability, but had to decide whether anybody was criminally responsible for the accident.
THE VERDICT
The Jury returned a verdict to the effect that Capt GRIFFITHS died from shock and immersion caused by a collision between the AMBROSE and the BETA, following upon a collision between the BETA and the FLEETWING.
LIVERPOOL MERCURY
15th, February, 1913
VICTIMS, CREW OF THE BETA
William G. HUGHES, Master, 84 Empress Rd, Kensington
Andrew B. MCKINLAY, Mate, 12 Rhyl St, B'Head
Thomas G. W. STURT, Seaman, 68 Sandhurst, Aigburth
James P. WOOD, Engineer, 34 Cliford Rd, Poulton
George CULLON, aged 32, Fireman, 67 Miles St, Park Rd [ body recovered ]
Luke FOSTER, Sailor's labourer, 121 Toxteth St
William James BEDFORD, aged 36, Sailors labourer, 18 Dingle Mount [ body recovered ]
Hugh MCLOUGHLIN, Sailor's labourer, 40 Chaucer St, Bootle
James Arthur PALLISER, aged 37, Sailor's labourer, 63 Schubert St, Bootle [ body recovered ]
George YOUNG, aged 26, Sailor's labourer, 20 Arthur St, Seaforth, [ body recovered ]
John William WAKE, aged 37, Beachwood Rd, Litherland [ body recovered ]
Crew member Alfred SLATER, was saved.
Copyright 2002 / To date