In my last post I dealt with the excellent narrative of William Henry Pearson Baker in which he described the working of the coal down below and the difficulties incurred as a trimmer of coal. Another trimmer by the name of William Craig Marshall gave his account of the unpleasantness of trimming coal in the bunkers. In many newspaper reports his name appeared with his comments but always in every case portholes were not mentioned. In the Annex to the main report of the Waratah inquiry only three lines of his account were published. The statement (herewith) of Mr. Marshall appears to be an honest account given by him.
COPY
WILLIAM CRAIG MARSHALL, on his oath saith;
I am a trimmer on the ss Ulimaroa trading between Sydney and the Bluff, New Zealand via, Hobart.
My home is 114 Victoria Avenue, Albert Park (near Melbourne)
I was formally a trimmer on the ss Waratah. I first joined the Waratah at Port Melbourne Railway Pier on January 9th 1909. I sailed on her to London via, Adelaide, Durban, Capetown, Las Palmas and Plymouth. I left her in London on the 7th of March, 1909, and re-joined her in London about eight weeks later, and returned with her to Australia, I was paid off in Sydney in June 1909.
I had no previous experience of ocean- going ships or of Australian Coastal ships before joining the Waratah. I originally joined her so as to have a trip to Scotland to see my relatives there. My home is in Australia, and I left the vessel when she arrived back there.
When I was going to England on her after we passed Albany there were five days of rough weather.I did not like her when she was rolling. When I was down in the bunkers I was just alongside the starboard portholes in the upper 'tween decks. Sometimes those portholes were not properly fastened something would go wrong with the screws so they could not be fastened tightly. This was not repaired until after about two or three days of the rough weather.There were two or thee portholes that were in this condition. I don't remember now exactly, what was the matter with the screws, but I knew at the time. While they were defective water would come in every time she rolled. (It came in badly) and wet us while we were working. Part of the water ran away down into the bunkers. Each day we swept and bailed out what was left. One day during the five days of bad weather I came out of the forecastle head with my watch (other crewmen) and was going up the ladder by the dining saloon on the port side on my way to the stoke-hold.There was a heavy sea on. It was breaking right over the forecastle head. The sea came right over us, and wet us through several times.I was afraid of being washed overboard. During the five days I am referring to, the Waratah was pitching and rolling badly. She would go right down by the head or the stern, but always came up very quickly. When she was rolling she would some times come back with a gentle swing and sometimes with a jerk.We had another spell of bad weather when we left Capetown this time it lasted four days.The portholes were alright at the time, the ship behaved better than she did off Albany. She pitched just as much as she did before, but did not roll as much. After that we had fine weather for the rest of the voyage to Plymouth. After we left Plymouth it was very rough and windy, but there was nothing about the ships behaviour to remark upon.
When coming out to Australia we had fine weather right through, When going to London the ship had a slight list to starboard. Two or three times Mr.Hamilton, one of the engineers told us to take coal from the starboard side to try to right her, but when we did it made no difference to the list. My belief was the boat was top heavy, and on that account, and because I did not like the way she rolled, and because of the list I was anxious to get out of her. Several times I heard firemen in the engine room talking among themselves and saying that they thought the engines were not to good, and they did not care about it, and they thought something would go bung. This occurred both on the homeward and outward trip, I thought they were trying to frighten me. Sometime after I left the boat, I was in Hobart, it would have been about the middle of July 1909 I think. I met there Mr. Thomas who was a fireman on the Waratah at the time I was on her. I asked him how she got on in Sydney. He said "she was top heavy," and the coal-lumpers refused to coal her because she was all one sided. They refused to go back unless they got double there money.
(sgd) William Craig Marshall.
The foregoing deposition of William Craig Marshall was taken and sworn before me on this 22nd day of March 1910.
(sgd) Archy Dunn J.P.
Justice of the peace.
ss Ulimaroa which William Marshall was a trimmer on when he made his deposition.
Upper 'tween deck portholes port side , coal was stacked on this deck.
Ships porthole with screw clamps.
COPY
WILLIAM CRAIG MARSHALL, on his oath saith;
I am a trimmer on the ss Ulimaroa trading between Sydney and the Bluff, New Zealand via, Hobart.
My home is 114 Victoria Avenue, Albert Park (near Melbourne)
I was formally a trimmer on the ss Waratah. I first joined the Waratah at Port Melbourne Railway Pier on January 9th 1909. I sailed on her to London via, Adelaide, Durban, Capetown, Las Palmas and Plymouth. I left her in London on the 7th of March, 1909, and re-joined her in London about eight weeks later, and returned with her to Australia, I was paid off in Sydney in June 1909.
I had no previous experience of ocean- going ships or of Australian Coastal ships before joining the Waratah. I originally joined her so as to have a trip to Scotland to see my relatives there. My home is in Australia, and I left the vessel when she arrived back there.
When I was going to England on her after we passed Albany there were five days of rough weather.I did not like her when she was rolling. When I was down in the bunkers I was just alongside the starboard portholes in the upper 'tween decks. Sometimes those portholes were not properly fastened something would go wrong with the screws so they could not be fastened tightly. This was not repaired until after about two or three days of the rough weather.There were two or thee portholes that were in this condition. I don't remember now exactly, what was the matter with the screws, but I knew at the time. While they were defective water would come in every time she rolled. (It came in badly) and wet us while we were working. Part of the water ran away down into the bunkers. Each day we swept and bailed out what was left. One day during the five days of bad weather I came out of the forecastle head with my watch (other crewmen) and was going up the ladder by the dining saloon on the port side on my way to the stoke-hold.There was a heavy sea on. It was breaking right over the forecastle head. The sea came right over us, and wet us through several times.I was afraid of being washed overboard. During the five days I am referring to, the Waratah was pitching and rolling badly. She would go right down by the head or the stern, but always came up very quickly. When she was rolling she would some times come back with a gentle swing and sometimes with a jerk.We had another spell of bad weather when we left Capetown this time it lasted four days.The portholes were alright at the time, the ship behaved better than she did off Albany. She pitched just as much as she did before, but did not roll as much. After that we had fine weather for the rest of the voyage to Plymouth. After we left Plymouth it was very rough and windy, but there was nothing about the ships behaviour to remark upon.
When coming out to Australia we had fine weather right through, When going to London the ship had a slight list to starboard. Two or three times Mr.Hamilton, one of the engineers told us to take coal from the starboard side to try to right her, but when we did it made no difference to the list. My belief was the boat was top heavy, and on that account, and because I did not like the way she rolled, and because of the list I was anxious to get out of her. Several times I heard firemen in the engine room talking among themselves and saying that they thought the engines were not to good, and they did not care about it, and they thought something would go bung. This occurred both on the homeward and outward trip, I thought they were trying to frighten me. Sometime after I left the boat, I was in Hobart, it would have been about the middle of July 1909 I think. I met there Mr. Thomas who was a fireman on the Waratah at the time I was on her. I asked him how she got on in Sydney. He said "she was top heavy," and the coal-lumpers refused to coal her because she was all one sided. They refused to go back unless they got double there money.
(sgd) William Craig Marshall.
The foregoing deposition of William Craig Marshall was taken and sworn before me on this 22nd day of March 1910.
(sgd) Archy Dunn J.P.
Justice of the peace.
