["Loss of the Yongala", The Brisbane Courier (Qld.), Wednesday 21 June 1911, page 5]
LOSS OF THE YONGALA.
MARINE BOARD FINDING.
STABILITY OF THE VESSEL.
"FATE OF THE YONGALA PASSES BEYOND HUMAN KEN."
The Marine Board of Queensland met yesterday and delivered its finding upon the evidence taken concerning the
disappearance of the Adelaide Steamship Company's steamship Yongala.
The Chairman read the finding, which was as follows:--"In complying with the request of the Hon. the Treasurer for immediate steps to be taken to hold a full inquiry under the the provisions of the Navigation Act of 1876 into the circumstances connected with the loss of the steamer Yongala on or about the night of March 23, 1911, between Mackay and Townsville, the board fully realise the difficulty inseparable from the task assigned to them, inasmuch as, while partaking to some extent of the nature of the ordinary inquiry into a marine disaster, the cause of which, by personal evidence and attendant circumstances, is usually ascertainable, its identity with such is impaired in this case by the fact that to enable them to arrive at a definite finding no such testimony is available, and it would therefore appear to the board that in order to account for the total disappearance of the ill-fated vessel, with all on board, the inquiry will chiefly be in the direction of the ship's stability, equipment, and seaworthiness, together with the question of Captain Knight's carefulness and general efficiency as a ship master. Mr. J. T. O'Shea (of Messrs. O'Shea and O'Shea, solicitors) appeared on behalf of the Adelaide Steamship Company."
The names of the witnesses who gave evidence were mentioned, and the board found that the steamer Yongala, official No. 118,332, registered in Adelaide. Captain William Knight master, and owned by the Adelaide Steamship Company, Limited, was on a voyage from Melbourne to Cairns via ports. In view of certain rumours being in circulation reflecting on the ship's stability, the board invited, through the Press, persons desirous of giving evidence to attend the inquiry, which notice, however, met with no response.
The Yongala was a steel screw steamer of 3064 tons gross and 1825 net, length 350ft, breadth 45ft. 2in., depth 27t. 2in., built under special survey in 1903 by Messrs. Armstrong, Whitworth and Co., Newcastle-on-Tyne, from specifications supplied by the Adelaide S.S. Company. Mr. Adamson, the company's superintendent engineer, supervised her building, and gave in evidence that the specifications provided that: After the vessel is completed her centre of gravity is to be ascertained experimentally by inclining her, and curves of stability are to be calculated up to 90deg. inclination at intervals of not more than lOdeg. and for five different conditions of loading to be specified by the company Complete diagrams of results are to be prepared and supplied to the company...
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Mr. Adamson also stated that the machinery, especially crank shaft and shafting, were 20 to 25 per cent stronger than Lloyd's requirements. If further confirmation of the ship's stability and seaworthiness be required, it is to be found in the satisfactory career of the vessel of over seven years' continuous running on the coast of Australia, four of which were in the West Australian trade, where the return journey was always made without cargo in all weathers without accident. In regard to pig-iron ballast being placed in the vessel whilst in the West Australian trade and subsequently removed when the ship was transferred to the Queensland trade, it was explained by the general manager that this ballast, amounting to 164 tons, became unnecessary owing to cargo being obtainable both up and down the Queensland coast. A letter from Captain Knight to the Company at the time confirmed this view, and stated that the ship rolled less and was more comfortable in a seaway. From the foregoing the board is satisfied that the vessel, in construction, stability and seaworthiness was equal to any of her class on the Australian coast. The cost of the vessel was £102,000. The underwriters' proportion of the insurance was £65,000 and the balance was carried by the owners.
The vessel left Brisbane on March 21 with a total dead weight of 1885, fully manned equipped, in excellent trim; draft, aft 22ft. 6in., forward 17ft. 9in., leaving a clear side of 10ft. 6in., with a general cargo and passengers for northern ports, and reached Mackay on March 23. The weight of cargo in the vessel was 667 tons, almost entirely in the lower hold, and was properly stowed. There were 43 tons in the 'tween deck, 40 of which were for Mackay, and 11 tons on the deck, 10 of which were also for Mackay. "The number of persons on board on leaving Mackay were:--First saloon passengers 29, second saloon passengers 19, crew 72, total 120.
The finding then reviewed the evidence from the time the Yongala left the anchorage at Mackay at 1.40 p.m. on March 23. Continuing the finding states:--
It has been given in evidence that several masters, including Capt. Knight, when proceeding from Whitsunday Passage north were in the habit of using the in-shore route passing between Armit and Gumbrell Islands. The board, however, is of opinion, taking into consideration the prevailing weather conditions at the time, that Capt. Knight, as a careful and experienced master, would not use the passage on that occasion...
...and while it is both gratifying and reassuring that the vessel's stability and seaworthiness remain unassailable and the competency and carefulness of Capt. Knight unimpeachable, the board, with no desire to indulge in idle speculation, simply find that, after becoming lost to view by the lightkeeper at Dent island, the fate of the Yongala passes beyond human ken into the realms of conjecture, to add one more to the long roll of mysteries of the sea.
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