http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/10890889/362470
The Argus, Melbourne, Friday 3 March, 1911.
Sydney, Thursday - An officer of the SS Grantala
which arrived in Sydney today, said that the vessel
was sheltering in Bowling Green Bay about the time
the Yongala should have been in that vicinity. So
thick were the rain squalls that no glimpse could
be obtained of the powerful light on Cape Bowling
Green, only five miles away. As to the stability of the
Yongala, the officer held no uncertain opinion. A finer
sea boat would be harder to find. Supporting that the
Yongala had been caught in the wind and was making
heavy weather of it, she would be alright as long as she
kept in deep water, but as soon as she touched a rock
either with her nose or keel, she would capsize almost
instantly, for the rock would prevent her righting, and
soon as she heeled over the numerous decks would
catch the wind and act like the planes of an aeroplane.
That is what probably happened, and in that case
nothing but what floated out through a hole in the
vessel's bottom would float to the surface. The officer
expressed the opinion that any disaster that occurred
in a ship of which Captain Knight was in command
was beyond the power of man to prevent.
This would certainly explain why the sound of a whistle followed by an explosion at Ayr was not associated with the flare of a socket signal and detonator. The argument that more Lighthouses along the Queensland coast would have prevented the disaster does not hold water under circumstances such as this. As it was, Yongala foundered within her designated course to Townsville. She was not blown off course.
The officer in question contradicted himself to some degree. After extolling the virtues of the Yongala he went on to say that her 'numerous decks (and prominent funnel) would catch the wind and act like the planes of an aeroplane'. This is a clear description of a steamer with a significant top hamper prone to heeling over.
which arrived in Sydney today, said that the vessel
was sheltering in Bowling Green Bay about the time
the Yongala should have been in that vicinity. So
thick were the rain squalls that no glimpse could
be obtained of the powerful light on Cape Bowling
Green, only five miles away. As to the stability of the
Yongala, the officer held no uncertain opinion. A finer
sea boat would be harder to find. Supporting that the
Yongala had been caught in the wind and was making
heavy weather of it, she would be alright as long as she
kept in deep water, but as soon as she touched a rock
either with her nose or keel, she would capsize almost
instantly, for the rock would prevent her righting, and
soon as she heeled over the numerous decks would
catch the wind and act like the planes of an aeroplane.
That is what probably happened, and in that case
nothing but what floated out through a hole in the
vessel's bottom would float to the surface. The officer
expressed the opinion that any disaster that occurred
in a ship of which Captain Knight was in command
was beyond the power of man to prevent.
This would certainly explain why the sound of a whistle followed by an explosion at Ayr was not associated with the flare of a socket signal and detonator. The argument that more Lighthouses along the Queensland coast would have prevented the disaster does not hold water under circumstances such as this. As it was, Yongala foundered within her designated course to Townsville. She was not blown off course.
The officer in question contradicted himself to some degree. After extolling the virtues of the Yongala he went on to say that her 'numerous decks (and prominent funnel) would catch the wind and act like the planes of an aeroplane'. This is a clear description of a steamer with a significant top hamper prone to heeling over.
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| Cape Bowling Green Lighthouse. |
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