By Mr. Haight:
1703. You stated on your direct examination, Capt. Andersen, this morning, that there were standing orders that you should be called in case of a fog. I omitted to ask if there were any orders as to when you should be called in the event of no fog occurring?
- I gave orders when I went below to be called six miles before the ship reached Father Point to take on the pilot.
1704. Did you give any orders as to the course which should be followed to Father Point in reference to the vicinity of the shore?
- Yes, sir, I did. When I
went below we were off Matane and I gave orders to keep 45 miles off shore and not to get nearer.
1705. And to call you when you were about six miles from Father Point?
- Six miles from Father Point.
1706. You have stated on your cross-examination that it is very dangerous to change your course in a fog. Do you mean that that is the general rule?
- That is the general rule.
1707. Why is it dangerous?
- The danger is that it might mislead the other ship - the approaching ship.
1708. You were asked on your cross-examination whether porting your wheel would not have brought the Empress on to your port bow. If the Empress had originally been two, three or four points on your starboard bow
- Impossible.
1709. Wait till I finish the question - your porting your wheel would have brought the Empress on the port bow where you saw her unless your course had been changed a great deal?
- We saw the Empress on the port bow.
1710. But in answer to a question on cross-examination you did say that the porting of your wheel might have brought the Empress off two or three points on your port bow. That would depend, would it not, upon where the Empress was when you began to port?
- Of course.
1711. If she had been approaching you green to green and had got to within two or three lengths of you, is it your judgment that any portion of the wheel would have brought the Empress to the position in which you first saw her when she loomed up in the fog?
- If she had time enough to swing sufficient she might have.
1712. How much would she have swung?
- If she was four points on our starboard she would have swung eight points, or something like that; I cannot say exactly.
1713. You stated that you used the steam steering gear after the collision?
- Yes.
1714. Will you explain what you meant by that?
- We always use the steam steering gear on the ship.
1715. You use it when you turn your wheel?
- Yes, always.
1716. If your wheel is not turned the steam engine is not set in motion?
- The wheel is connected with the engine.
1717. From the time you left Sydney until you reached Montreal, was there any time at which your steering gear was out of order?
- No.
Lord Mersey:
What is the meaning of the question?
Mr. Haight:
I understand Mr. Gibsone’s idea was that perhaps we had navigated with hand gear before the collision.
Lord Mersey:
I had thought of the suggestion and I had rather thought that the answer indicated that, at some time or other, hand gear was being used on the steamboat.
Mr. Haight:
The Captain was a little too technical and thus gave the idea that he had not used the steam gear, when the idea that he desired to convey was that there had been no change at that particular time.
By Mr. Haight:
1718. Was there any hand gear ever used in connection with the accident or before or after?
- Hand gear has not been used since the ship has been built unless to see that it was in order and that in port. We always use the steam gear.
1719. The suggestion was made that possibly you were overloaded and for that reason your boat steered less promptly than she would under other circumstances? How often, since you have been in command, have you carried dead weight cargoes and been loaded up to your marks?
- I have had several hundreds.
1720. In the present trade you always load a full cargo?
- We always do and the ship steered all right after the collision up the river.
1721. While you were making this complete circle and manoeuvring to get up as close to the Empress as you dared to save the lives of the passengers, did you have any difficulty in handling the vessel?
- Not the least.
(Witness retired.)