THE LOST YONGALA.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3241, 10 June 1911, Page 7

THE LOST YONGALA.

MARINE INQUIRY CONTINUED.

A SERIES OE SUGGESTIONS.

[UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT.]

BRISBANE, June 9. At the Yongala inquiry, Mr Wareham said that she was a stiff ship, fully equipped with nautical instruments. The captain was an excellent seaman. He had no orders to push the ship owing to keen competition. He had heard _of no complaints by passengers as to the Yongala’s excessive rolling. He thought the vessel was immune from any sort of disaster than striking a rock. Judging from the small quantity of cargo recovered, a very small hole would have been torn in the bottom, and tlie vessel would have foundered very quickly. She cost £102.000, and was insured for £65,000, the company carrying the balance of the risk. Captain Hansen, a stevedore, gave evidence that the Yongala’s cargo was safely stowed. It was impossible for any cargo to have shifted. She had never been so light on the upper deck. She rolled a bit, but not more than other ships. Captain Bothwell, Government pilot, was of opinion that the Yongala met the full force of the gale at midnight, and simply foundered. The search he made disclosed no evidence that the vessel had struck a rock. Possibly some of the cargo had shifted; otherwise a vessel like the Yongala would have weathered the storm. He did not. suggest any negligence in the stowage. There was nothing lacking in either tlie ship, officers, or crew. Mr. Leslie, superintendent of wharves, deposed the Yongala was a tender but safe ship. Sbe rolled heavily, and it took only a few tons on either side to give her a list, but sbe righted steadily, and there was no danger. She could not- have been better found and equipped. The cargo might have shifted. He never knew it to do so. His opinion was that the disaster was caused by the steamer striking some obscured object or obstruction. Other evidence supported the seaworthiness and proper equipment of the vessel. There were no complaints by the captain or officers against the sailing capacities of the steamer.

NO TRACE DISCOVERED

SEARCH STEAMER'S FRUITLESS ERRAND.

(Received June 9, 9.20 p.m.) , BRISBANE, June 9.

The steamer “Porpoise,’.’ which has been .searching for the" Yongala since May 6th, has returned, having been unsuccessful. Members of the party walked around Nares Rock at low tide, but there was. no sign of the bottom having been disturbed. A trailing spar sunk to a depth of sixteen fathoms over the stern, failed to touch anything.