RMS Oroya (c.1892)

[Album collected and compiled during a visit to Australia] [ca. 1887-ca. 1892]

Courtesy of the State Library of Victoria.

The following is a report of the wreck of the “Oroya” courtesy of www.plimsoll.org:

Description: BOT Wreck Report for ‘Oroya’, 1895
Creator: Board of Trade
Date: 1895
Copyright: Out of copyright
Partner: SCC Libraries
Partner ID: Unknown

Transcription

(No. 5124.)

“OROYA” (S.S.)

FINDING and Order of a Naval Court held at Her Britannic Majesty’s Consulate at Naples, on the twenty-sixth and twenty-seventh days of March 1895, to investigate the circumstances attending the stranding of the British steamship “OROYA” when leaving the port of Naples on the 4th day of March 1895, and to enquire into the subsequent conduct of the master, mates, and the crew of the said vessel, and into the circumstances of the loss of the lives of four seamen of the said vessel, namely, J. Bass, William Hallam, John Veysey, and J. Skinner.

The “Oroya” was a screw steam vessel of 6,057 tons gross, and 3,266 net registered tonnage, official number 93,712, built at Barrow in 1887, and belonging to the port of Liverpool.

It appears from the evidence of the Court that she sailed from London on or about the 22nd February 1895, bound for Australia with a general cargo and a crew of 160 bands all told as well as 262 passengers.

She arrived at Naples on the 2nd March 1895, and was timed to leave as soon as the mails were received on the 4th March 1895.

At 4.30 a.m. on the 4th March 1895, the “Oroya” was lying to, her port anchor inside the breakwater, with a strong south-westerly wind blowing, but the said ship was not swung to the wind, but with her head to the northward of west, proving the existence of a strong current that swept along the breakwater; then Captain Routh weighed and took the “Oroya” out of the port stern first. He stopped the engines about a quarter of a mile outside of the Red Gas Buoy, off the breakwater, bearing N.N.W.; then proceeded to turn the ship round to starboard and get to sea; then found he had not turning room to get the ship right round, and alternately steamed ahead with port helm and astern with starboard; but all this time the ship was being driven towards the shore by a strong south-westerly wind, and considerable sea acting broad on her port beam and her leeway, was also accelerated by a strong surface current driving the ship further to the shore, and retarding her manÅ“uvring power. At 5.23 a.m. the “Oroya” touched the ground, but it was not observed on deck till 5.28 a.m., when she was still going astern, head S.E., when she was stranded off Fort Villena, 2,100 yards from the Breakwater Light, with her broadside to the wind and sea, which eventually drove her some 300 ft. further up the beach.

The Court, having regard to the circumstances above stated, finds as follows:—The Court is of opinion that on his leaving the shelter of the breakwater the ship should have made a greater offing astern, and then turned to seaward to port, where Captain Routh would then have had the Breakwater Lights close on his starboard hand to verify his position, and that Captain Routh was in error in not having an anchor ready for letting go, by which he could have brought her head to the wind, and that he was guilty of a grave error in judgment in not verifying his position on the chart by the Breakwater and Mole Lights when a glance would have shown him his precarious position, and again in taking the leadsman out of the chains.

The Court is also of opinion that an experienced officer should always assist the captain, verifying the ship’s position while still in shoal waters; also that for a ship of the “Oroya’s” size (6,000 tons) she is undermanned with executive officers; also that after the stranding of the ship, captain, officers, and men did their utmost to save life and property, that the capsizing of the lifeboat by which four seamen were drowned was a regrettable accident, and that it acquits the fourth officer of all blame, and that the discipline shown by the ship’s company was a credit to their service and country.

The Court beg to tender their thanks for the great assistance rendered by Admiral Commendatore Corsi and the Royal Italian Naval Service, whereby the whole of the passengers were saved, and further, their appreciation of the gallantry of three Italian fishermen (Fraglesso Nicola, Mormone Carnime, Amendola Vincengo) in saving the lives of five of the crew of the ship’s lifeboat, which capsized in the heavy surf; and finally, the Court wishes to testify to the perfection of the build of the “Oroya,” which has successfully stood unimpaired the enormous strains to which she has been subjected since she has been stranded on a lee shore.

The Court, in pursuance of the powers vested in it by Section 23 of 25 & 26 Vict. c. 63., therefore orders:—That a copy of a report or a statement of the case upon which the investigation was ordered, having been furnished to Reginald Lamy Routh before the commencement of the investigation, his certificate of competency as master, No. 01,788, issued by the Board of Trade, and dated the 1st day of October 1894, be, for the wrongful default aforesaid, suspended for the period of three calendar months from this day, viz., 27th March 1895.

(Signed)

E. NEVILLE ROLFE, H.B.M. Consul at Naples, President of Naval Court,

ALFRED WYNDHAM PAGET, Commander Royal Navy, Commanding H.M.S. “Dolphin,”

JOHN N. ROBIN, British Merchant, of the firm of Maingay, Robin & Co., Naples,

Members.

A. H. DANIEL, Lieutenant Royal Navy, H.M.S. “Dolphin,”

CHAS. F. OSBORNE, Lieutenant R.N.R., Master s.s. “Olympia,” of the Anchor Line,

Issued in London by the Board of Trade on the 16th day of April 1895.

81564’252. 110’4/95. Wt. 60. E. & S.