PURPOSE OF PIG IRON WAS TO INCREASE DRAUGHT.

Cairns Post, Wednesday 14 June, 1911.

'Edward Northcote, general manager 

of the Adelaide Co.. and master 

mariner, said when the pig-iron was 

placed in No. 2 hold (forward) of the 

Yongala for the West Australian run 

he was not concerned about her stability 

which had been established by experience 

in several voyages. It was put in to make 

the vessel more comfortable and to increase 

her draught.'

By stating that the pig iron was put in Yongala to increase her draught was an admission that Yongala was an inherently tender steamer with a relatively low draught. As it turned out the pig iron did not make Yongala more comfortable due to the increased righting force. Passenger steamers of the time relied on relatively low GM (increased tenderness) for a long slow comfortable rolling pattern.

It was argued at the Inquiry that Yongala had proved her worth by successfully negotiating severe storms off the Great Australian Bight in the years prior to the disaster. But that was when she had the all-important pig iron on board. She was not the same steamer (without stabilising pig iron) when she foundered off the Queensland coast, March, 1911!!