THE GLOVES OFF.

Geelong Advertiser, 6 April, 1911.

WAS THE YONGALA" TENDER?"

SYDNEY, "Wednesday.—Mr. Lawrence, 

secretary of the Merchants' Service Guild 

of Australasia, has communicated with 

Mr. Tudor, Minister for Customs. requesting 

that a full and exhaustive inquiry be made 

into the complaints regarding the constructive 

stability, ballasting and loading of the steamer

Yongala. "What" the exact nature of the

complaints are Mr. Lawrence is not disposed 

to say at present, but he points out that at 

the present time there is no authority in the 

Commonwealth or State laws to prevent a 

vessel similar to the Yongala proceeding to sea, 

and if wrecked, to permit of compensation, to 

be claimed by the relatives of those, lost.

Along the wharves, wharf-laborers, who stated 

that they had frequently loaded and unloaded 

the Yongala, stated that she was a very "tender'' 

ship, and wanting in stability. She would hardly 

stand up straight against the wharf, and was 

what was known as a "cranky" ship. They further 

stated that quite recently pig-iron ballast to stiffen 

the vessel had been removed, and the vessel 

was so deprived of her artificial righting lever,

which should have been unnecessary had she 

been properly constructed in the first place. 

In addition, the men stated that most of the 

cargo on the last trip of the Yongala was 

"measurement," and not "dead weight" and 

was "so placed around the centre of gravity 

that the balance of the vessel was impaired, 

if not destroyed." 

Asked what they thought had happened to the 

Yongala. the men gave it as their opinion that 

the steamer turned turtle in the gale. They 

ridiculed the idea that she struck Nares Rock,

and referred to the manner in which the

wreckage was coming ashore, and its

deposition as far north as Lucinda

Point in support of their opinions.

The absolute truth of the matter.

Yongala at Melbourne.

courtesy Trove