Cross-examined by Mr. Purves: Q.—You have described yourself as a chief officer? A.—Yes; I will show you my discharges if you like.
Mr. Purves: Oh, I don’t want to see them. What vessels were you chief officer of? A.—The S. S. Omeo, and also two sailing ships.
Q.—Did you examine the lines of the Alert? A.—Yes; I saw her out of the water in the dry dock in the River Yarra. In most good trust worthy ships’ bottoms there is a floor running a long way foreward and aft; but when working in the after hold of the Alert, the floor was so fine that one could not stand on it.
Q.—What height was the casing around the engine room and stoke-hole? A.—It was about seven feet above the deck of the vessel, and when the doors on each side are closed the only way water can get in is through the top.
Q.—Did you ever see a sea go as high as that? A.—I have seen a sea go over a ship’s foretopsail yard.
Q.—What ship was that? A.—The Royal Bride.
Mr. Purves: The Royal Bride, I presume, stood on her head to accomplish that remarkable feat. (Laughter.)
Q.—Seas that would go over the topsail yard would also go down the funnel? A.—I should say so. I have seen steamers at Greymouth with bags tied over the funnel.
Q.—Then the water would be just as likely to go down the Alert’s funnel as her grating? A.—No; it would not be just as likely that the sea would go down the funnel as the grating; but seas might come over the weather side, and a good deal go down the grating. I do not say sufficient would go down that way to sink the ship.
Q.—How many tons of water do you calculate the Alert would ship through the pantry window in the course of a minute? A.—Nearly twenty tons. It would depend a good deal on the height of the water outside. If the vessel were on her beam ends, and the window covered with water, enough would rush in to knock everything down.