July 5. 1888] 



NATURE 



223 



announcing that the s.s. Teddington had foundered after 

 striking an unknown rock 5 miles north-east of the Avocet's 

 rock, or in latitude 14 23' N., longitude 42 42' 30" E. 

 This seemed sufficient, and the Court dissolved without 

 any attempt to cross-examine the Avocefs officers on her 

 position. The Admiralty telegraphed for a ship of war 

 to proceed from Aden to examine the spot. The Griffon, 

 therefore — whose captain had sat on the Court held there, 

 and had concurred in the finding that the Teddington had 

 struck on an unknown rock — spent over a week in 

 traversing the area including both positions, sounding 

 and dragging a chain cable suspended from her quarters, 

 but found no sign of shallow water or rock. On her 

 return to Aden, a fisherman announced that he knew the 

 rock, and the Griffon returned with him, only to find that 

 his rock was a well-known one 40 miles from the spot 

 required. 



Any further action was then suspended until the full 

 report of the Teddington disaster was received. The 

 official report of the Court held at Aden was long before 

 it arrived in England, though the protest of the master 

 was received before many weeks. 



This stated that the Teddington was on her way north, 

 and on June 9, at 6 a.m., she passed 5^ miles eastward of 

 Abu Ail, where she got a good position and the error of 

 her compass, and thence steered to pass 5 miles east of 

 the position given for the Avocet danger ; calm, and 

 weather fine. At 8.30 she struck heavily, nothing being 

 seen under the stern, and no land in sight. Course was 

 at once steered to the south-west, into the track of steamers, 

 when the s.s. Cairo was met with, and the crew taken off, 

 the Teddington foundering shortly afterwards. The 

 master gave his position as in latitude 14 24' 30" N., 

 longitude 42 42' 30" E., or \\ mile north of the 

 telegraphed position ; but cause was afterwards seen to 

 prefer the latter. 



A statement was shortly after received from another 

 ship that they passed the Teddington, abandoned and 

 low in the water, at a time four hours later than that 

 given for her foundering. This contradiction seemed to 

 require explanation. 



Before the official report arrived, the master of the 

 Teddington called at the Admiralty by desire on 

 August 4, and gave his account by word of mouth. 

 His relation was so straightforward, and it was so evident 

 on cross-examination that the ship had been navigated 

 with great care, that it was clear that another and closer 

 search must be made. Captain Free explained that the 

 Teddington had been lost sight of in the haze, as the 

 Cairo steamed away ; and that it was believed she had 

 then sunk. 



The position now given, being 5 miles from the straight 

 track that steamers usually endeavour to follow, gave 

 much more probability to the existence of a rock than the 

 Avocefs report, which placed it exactly in that direct 

 route. Orders were therefore at once sent to H.M. sur- 

 veying-vessel Sylvia — then in the Mediterranean — to 

 proceed to the spot, and institute a minute search early in 

 October, when the climatic conditions are most favourable 

 to that work. 



In September a reply was received to inquiries made of 

 the master of the St. Oswald as to the position of his ship 

 when signalled by the Avocet. This showed that the St. 

 Oswald had found, when Jebel Zukur was sighted, that she 

 was considerably to the eastward of the correct course, 

 and that the position given by the Avocet was some four 

 miles in error. The position now given was 14 21' N., 

 42 41' E., placing the Avocet within \\ mile of the 

 Teddington's danger. This greatly strengthened the 

 evidence, and showed that a general strong cross-set 

 must have existed on the morning that the Avocet was 

 lost, sweeping the whole trade to the eastwards. 



Unfortunate occurrences delayed the Sylvia, and when 

 she arrived on the scene, the strong southerly winds had 



already set in. Nevertheless, a close search was accom- 

 plished, especially of the ground embracing the two best 

 positions of the Avocet and Teddington, and extending 

 far on either side. Six weeks were spent in this search, 

 but no danger nor considerable shoaling of the water 

 could be found. The heavy sea which caused her to part 

 her cable, carry away anchor stocks, and do other damage, 

 and also placed considerable difficulties in the way of 

 marking the area with beacons, seemed also to afford a 

 means of sighting the rock — had it existed — by the break 

 that would probably be seen on it. When, however, the 

 chart of the search was received, it was noticed that in 

 one spot, nearly midway between the Avocet and Ted- 

 dington positions, there was a slight shoaling of the 

 water ; a small area of 28 and 30 fathoms existing 

 among the general depths of 35 fathoms. The Sylvia 

 had anchored on this, and had commenced to search it 

 carefully with the boats, but the freshening gale drove her 

 from her anchors before the whole area was examined. 



The indication afforded by this area, the slope of the 

 sides of which was only a few degrees, was very slight, 



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but it was evidently necessary to re-examine it before 

 it could be certainly stated that no small danger existed. 

 H.M. surveying-vessel Stork was therefore directed to 

 make a fourth search on her way to the East Indies. 



Steering out from the mainland to the eastward, the 

 Stork struck a depth of 28 fathoms at 8 a.m., April 25 ; 

 but passing over it, the spot was not again found until 

 late in the afternoon. The ship was then anchored with 

 a light anchor in 26 fathoms of water, and the boats began 

 to search. Just before dusk 6 fathoms was found. The 

 night was luckily fine, and next morning the search was 

 renewed, concluding in finding — not 100 yards from the 

 ship— a small coral mound on which in one spot was a 

 depth of only 15 feet at low-water summer level of the sea. 

 Before, however, the examination was quite complete, the 

 wind suddenly freshened, causing the ship's anchor to 

 drag, and the ship to drift directly towards the rock. To 

 clear this the cable had to be slipped, and the Stork thus 

 narrowly escaped passing over the rock that she had just 

 found. 



