Loss of the Helena - Board of Trade Enquiry

"HELENA" (S.S.) 

The Merchant Shipping Acts, 1854 to 1876. 

IN the matter of a formal Investigation held at the Public Board Room, Post Office Chambers, Middlesbrough, on the 7th and 8th days of January 1889, before CHARLES JAMES COLEMAN, Esquire, Judge, assisted by Captains WILSON and HORE, into the circumstances attending the stranding of the British steamship "HELENA," of Hartlepool, off Europa Point, Spain, on or about the 26th ult. 

Report of Court. 

The Court, having carefully inquired into the circum-stances attending the above-mentioned shipping casualty, finds, for the reasons stated in the annex hereto, that the "Helena" was lost by an error of judgment on the part of the master in estimating his distance from the shore whilst rounding Europa Point in a strong current, and that when the current changed to the port bow the vessel suddenly sheered in, and struck before she could recover her position under the starboard helm. The Court does not deal with the master's certificate. 

Dated this 8th day of January 1889. 

(Signed) Charles James Coleman, Judge. 

We concur in the above report.  
(Signed) R. Wilson, Kennett Hore, Assessors. 

Annex to the Report. 

The "Helena," official number 72,660, which forms the subject of this investigation, was an iron screw steamer, built at West Hartlepool, in the county of Durham, by Messrs. Irvine & Co., in the year 1877, and owned by Mr. Robert Irvine, and others, of the Harbour Dockyard, West Hartlepool, shipbuilders. 

She was schooner-rigged, two-masted, and of 1,613.65 tons gross, and 1,042.70 registered tonnage, giving 570.95 tons as the total deductions for crew and propelling space. Her length was 258.5 ft., breadth 34 ft., and depth of hold 19.5 ft., and she was fitted with two inverted compound surface condensing direct-acting engines by Messrs. Blair & Co., of Stockton-on-Tees, in 1877, of 140 horse-power combined, the diameter of the cylinders being 32" and 60", and length of stroke 39".

She carried four boats, two of which were lifeboats 22 ft. long, and two jolly-boats about 18 ft. long. They were properly fitted and supplied with oars, masts, rudders, rowlocks, thowlpins, baler, breakers, &c., but the sails of which, there were two only for the lifeboats, were stowed or kept in the vessel's sail locker. She had three compasses in use and a spare one, viz., one on the bridge, by which the courses were set and steered and the vessel navigated, one aft, and the other below in the cabin, used as a tell-tale. They were all in good order and properly adjusted, and the vessel was well found and fitted and properly equipped for the voyage. She was commanded by Mr. James William Morris, who holds a certificate of competency, as master, numbered 82,695, and who was appointed to her on the 3rd of June 1886. 

The "Helena" left Mariarpete for Gibraltar, Spain, on the 5th November 1888 with a crew of 20 hands all told and no passengers, and with about 2,030 tons of rye as cargo, her draught of water at the time of leaving port being 20 ft. 4 in. forward and 20 ft. 4 in. aft. She proceeded on her voyage, all well, and on November the 25th at 8 p.m. passed Cape de Gata at a distance of about 3 miles, from which a course was shaped to steer along the coast. When about 30 miles off the rock a course was set for Europa Point, and it was made, bearing right ahead, on the afternoon of the 26th, the weather being fine and clear, the sea smooth, and the wind blowing a light breeze from the westward. When about two miles off the land, the steamer's head being S.W. and going about 6 1/2 or 7 knots an hour, Europa Point seems to have been bearing about 1 to 1 1/2 points on the starboard bow, and the master gave orders to port the helm a little, which was done, and the course continued. All hands were on deck.

The mate and some of the crew were employed getting the anchors over the bow, the second mate and two hands being at the wheel on the bridge steering by the side of the master; and in a little while the order seems to have been given "to port" again, and "to mind the port helm," the master stating that he meant to round Europa Point at about 600 yards: no actual course appears to have been given, and the vessel was being brought round gradually under the port helm by simply judging the distance from the shore by the eye. At about 4.10. p.m. the vessel suddenly, according to the evidence, took a sheer of about 6 points to starboard, and although the helm was immediately put hard-over to starboard, before she could recover herself she struck on a rock and remained fast, the lighthouse on Europa Point bearing, as the master stated, about E.N.E. and distant about 300 yards. 

The engines were at once stopped. The water rushed into the engine-room, and in three minutes was up to the bottom of the cylinders, and the engine-room was abandoned. Soundings were then taken round the sides of the vessel, and five fathoms were found on the starboard how, 5 aft, and on each quarter, but on the port bow and amidships there was only 1 1/2 and 2 1/2 fathoms. The boats were got out, and assistance came from the harbour; but nothing could be done to move her, and only about 120 tons of the cargo was saved. At eleven o'clock that night the mate and the principal part of the crew left the wreck for the shore, leaving only the master, chief engineer, and cook and steward on board, but on their return the next day (the 27th) the stern was nearly under water, and the vessel became a total wreck and was abandoned. 

It was stated that there had been strong easterly winds for some days before, but that on the wind changing to the westward on the 26th, the currents had again set to the eastward at a much accelerated rate, and which the master was quite unaware of, as he had no book of directions for the western part of the Mediterranean on board. it is the opinion of the Court that the "Helena" was rounding the point gradually but closely on the port helm, and that when the direction of the current changed from the starboard to the port bow, the vessel was rapidly edged in to the shore at a much greater rate than the master imagined, and that when she took the sheer she was much nearer to the rocks than he supposed, and there was not time for the vessel to recover herself (with a strong current running) before she struck, and that the master committed an error of judgment in estimating his distance from the shore, which was too close to be prudent. 

The Court takes into consideration the evidence of the master, who had twice rounded the point in the same vessel at the same distance off shore, and of David Michael, the mate, who has held a master's certificate for 14 years, and who had, he stated, rounded this point some 50 or 60 times. and quite as near or nearer than the "Helena" rounded it on this occasion. The second officer and the two men at the wheel were not called, and although they were steering the vessel, and might have been expected to give very valuable and material evidence as to the casualty, it cannot be said that their statements, which were put in and read over in Court, in any way seriously affected the evidence given by the master and mate. 

The Board of Trade desired the opinion of the Court on the following questions:

1. Whether upon arriving off Europa Point at about 4.30 p.m. of the 26th November last a safe and proper course was set and thereafter steered, and whether due and proper allowance was made for tide and currents? 

2. Whether safe and proper alterations were made in the course from time to time thereafter, and whether due and proper allowance was made for tide and currents? 

3. Whether the vessel was kept a prudent distance from the land? 

4. Whether a good and proper look-out was kept? 

5. What was the cause of the casualty? 

6. Whether the vessel was navigated with proper and seamanlike care? 

7. Whether the master and officers are, or either of them is, in default? 

In the opinion of the Board of Trade the certificate of James William Morris, the master, should be dealt with. 

To which the Court replied as follows:

1. A safe and proper course could not have been said to have been set or steered considering the tide and currents, for which sufficient allowance had not been made. 

2. We have answered this question in answering No. 1. 

3. The vessel was not kept a prudent distance from the land, as there was not room for the ship to recover herself if she took a sheer by the current. 

4. A good and proper look-out was kept. 

5. The ship being steered too close to the land. 

6. In the circumstances it cannot be said that the vessel was navigated with seamanlike care while rounding Europa Point. 

7. The master alone is in default. 

Taking all the facts of the case into our consideration we have decided upon dealing with it as an error in judgment only on the part of the master in judging his distance from the land. At the same time we think that the inquiry was a very proper one. It is somewhat singular that a rock, called a "pinnacle rock," is suggested as existing within three hundred yards of Europa Point, and yet there is no direct indication to mariners of the actual existence of such a rock. 

The Court makes no order as to costs. 

Dated this 8th day of January 1889. 

(Signed) Charles James Coleman, Judge. 

We concur in the above report.  
(Signed) R. Wilson, Kennett Hore, Assessors. 

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