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Whiskey on the Rocks
Political patronage has always been a sticky issue regardless of the country and Canada is no exception. Prime Minister Laurier’s long-standing rule to always have a prominent Quebec figure at the head of the Department of Marine and Fisheries and by extension, the Navy, resulted in a rather large amount of this patronage. One of these promises was to Bowman Brown Law, a liberal member of parliament for Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. Coinciding with the Old Home Week celebrations in Yarmouth and across the coast of Nova Scotia, Brodeur was called to Britain for the Imperial Conference. Wishing to have Niobe tour Yarmouth and the surrounding coastal towns for the festivities and to help drum up support for the Liberals and their navy, MP Law contacted the naval staff to hopefully schedule a visitation. The Chief of Staff and his Secretary both denied the request. Sending Niobe off to amuse citizens would be a disruption of her current training scheme and a gross misuse of government resources. MP Law was not deterred and asked again, being declined for a second time. MP Law demanded that the Chief of Staff cable Minister Brodeur in Britain and remind him of the promise he made, the Naval staff did no such thing. MP Law faced potential backlash from the local population if the navy did not show so furiously, he made a daring move.
MP Law was in a fairly good relationship with William Stevens Fielding, the former Premier of Nova Scotia, and the current Minister of Finance. Even though Fielding was also in London, he intervened on Law’s behalf, sending a telegram to the Naval Service in Ottawa asking for MP Law’s request to be granted. Brodeur had barely arrived back in Canada before MP Law was on him regarding the promise, this time getting a signed letter from the Minister granting the visit. Just before this signed letter though, the naval Chief of Staff had tabled a memorandum in complete protest of the visitation. Commander Roper rightly pointed out in this paper that the opinions of the naval staff members should be obtained before the Minister promises anything regarding movement of naval assets. Rear Admiral forwarded the memo, expressing his complete support and condemnation of the delay in training. Kingsmill added to the memo with his opinion that it would be impossible to carry out the required training related to the vessel if these visitations became customary. This mess for lack of a better term, clearly demonstrates the issues the Royal Canadian Navy suffered from in its early days but nonetheless, Brodeur sent Niobe to Yarmouth. Arriving on July 14, Niobe participated in the festivities rigorously. The ship was effectively skeleton crewed in port as all of the crew possible were rotated out to enjoy the activities. The ships band was the busiest out of their compliment, being lent to the town for the duration of their stay. Over 4,000 guests would tour the ship over its 5 day escapade while a formal ball would be held to honor their presence. Niobe would depart Yarmouth on July 19 following a rapid deterioration of the weather into a heavy gale. After visiting many other ports of call, Niobe found herself off Cape Sable on the night of July 30. As the ship crept through dense fog at 7.5 knots looking for the southwest ledge buoy, they passed the buoy and due to the visibility and heavy tide, Niobe found herself crashing into ‘Pinnacle Rock’. As the Commander had just reached the bridge but not fast enough to avoid the grounding, Niobe was lifted by the swell and thrown back against the rocks. Crew members were thrown off their feet with multiple sustaining minor injuries as the hull was shredded against the seabed.
US revenue cutter Androscoggin, rather similar atleast in outward appearances to her Canadian fisheries enforcement counterparts.
The ship was heavily damaged, the only thing keeping the ship afloat was zealous damage control efforts and the fact the boiler rooms themselves stayed relatively sealed. After everything was said and done, Niobe had lost her stern post and rudder with after most section of the keel being completely destroyed. The starboard propeller was gone while the port propeller had lost half its blades. The port engine room had completely flooded, and its opposite was enduring 16 feet of water. The ships freeboard had been reduced to only 10 feet at its highest point over the waterline and the largest puncture in the hull was measured as 25 feet long and 10 feet wide,. It was later noted that according to Commander Macdonald, “there was 19 holes in the ships bottom large enough to drive an automobile through.” Niobe sent out a call for assistance and was almost immediately responded to by the US revenue cutter Androscoggin. The cutter kept a wide birth to Niobe and prepared to take on survivors if the damage worsened. Niobe eventually worked her way off the rocks however even with both bow anchors down alongside a stern anchor, the sea was violent to the point of dragging Niobe stem first back into the rocks. Luckily hitting around the reinforced ram bow, this did comparatively little damage. The 16 men in the two boats launched to send out the stern anchor were lost in the fog when the 5-inch-thick ropes holding them snapped.
The ships CGS Stanley, CGS Lady Laurier and the tug McNaughton all arrived in under a few hours from Yarmouth to deliver additional damage control equipment and personnel to assist Niobe. The ships boats were put out a few feet over the water to allow prompt launching in case the ship foundered as over 300 enlisted men and boys were brought up on deck before painstakingly being taken off by rescue ships. Miraculously, Niobe held together long enough to move under her own steam to a safe inlet, Shag Harbor, 10 miles up the coast. She made a respectable 7-mile jaunt in 24 hours on half a propeller and no rudder, having to be assisted by the tug along the way. The inlet itself was chosen for its rather shallow depth of 36 feet and a soft sandy bottom, if Niobe were to founder, she would be recoverable and all crew could likely escape. During this time, divers assessed and used mats to repair some of the larger openings within Niobe’s hull. The damage below was immense, and the divers exclaimed when they came topside that they were not sure how the ship was still afloat. The additional pumps and shoring materials made Niobe safe enough for the return trip home and as a tow, the cruiser HMS Cornwall was dispatched to bring them to Halifax. Cornwall had been training cadets off Newfoundland before she was dispatched and somewhat humorously, also managed to fall victim to the rocks that got Niobe. 2 miles away from where Niobe hit, Cornwall managed to ground herself briefly and take on 2,000 tons of water but worked herself off in enough of a condition to bring Niobe home.
HMCS Niobe in drydock following her grounding damage, some of the impact can be seen covered by the wood near the bow.
As Niobe slid into Halifax harbor and was pier side, the chopping block of the Admiralty was readily awaiting its next victim. Rear Admiral Kingsmill knew this firsthand and it was more than likely possible he would be down one or more officers by the time this was all over. Kingsmill himself would release a letter to the press congratulating the conduct of the Canadian enlisted personnel during the accident,
"The discipline on the Niobe by the boys and young recruits was everything that one could wish for. With the ship in the position she was, a gale of wind blowing and dense fog overall, the Canadian boys behaved fully up to the traditions of the British Navy. The discipline left nothing to be desired. Of course, the ship's crew and officers displayed fine discipline, but I am speaking now of the Canadian boys and recruits."
After Cornwall was repaired and Niobe cycled into the dockyard for a stay that would last 6 months, the hellish procession known as an Admiralty court martial was now underway. Anticipating this, Commander Macdonald personally cabled London and requested the court martial, seeking to clear his name. Due to the rather bare nature of the Canadian officer structure, the Royal Navy was required to send the entire 4th Cruiser Squadron to Halifax in order to have enough officers to properly hold the appeal. The cruisers HMS Leviathan, Berwick, Essex and Dongal were all present with their officers. The witnesses charged were Officer of the Watch Lieutenant Lord Allister Graham, Navigating Lieutenant James White and Commander Macdonald, all three charged with the causing, or suffering to be caused, the stranding of Niobe.
Graham’s defense largely rested upon the conclusion that it was unfair to hold him responsible for the stranding of the ship when he had been relieved of the watch before the accident had occurred, which was perfectly fair. While he was diligent enough, it was found that he should have stayed on the bridge during such a troubling period. Graham was well aware of the existence of the Cape Sable lights, and the time they should have been discernible from the ship however, when this time passed and the lights were not seen, he did not immediately report the fact to Commander Macdonald or the Lieutenant White. It was the duty of Graham to place lookouts above and below to ensure the safety of the ship, but he did not think he had a chance, as the fog closed around the ship very rapidly. Graham would place lookout duties with himself. Graham failed to ascertain position of the ship by cross bearings of the local lights. In the end though, he was sentenced to be reprimanded, little more than a black mark for his record however, Graham felt and expressed that he had held a rather good record as an officer, which Macdonald and White backed up thoroughly. Graham was lucky, Lieutenant White was not so.
At the age of 24, Lieutenant White had moved to Halifax with his wife and two children when he retired from the Royal Navy due to over staffing of navigators. He took up a position with the Royal Canadian Navy until the accident had occurred. This section of the court martial is often highly debated as White himself was much more articulate with a substantial argument compared to Graham yet, was given the harshest punishment of all. White had been extremely tired due to not sleeping the day before and took his leave, instructing Graham to let him know when the Cape Sable Lights were spotted, this never came. White rather convincingly argued that the stranding was due an abnormal tide, which was impossible to foresee, an uncharted rock or a mixture of the two. The abnormal tide was indeed proven due to the aggressive nature of Niobe’s damage and the existence of uncharted rocks have been amply proven by the grounding of Cornwall. White also maintained he had not been informed of the facts as he should have been and Commander Macdonald went on record stating, "Up to the night in question, I have had the highest opinion of you as a navigating officer. You have always been most careful, conscientious, and exact, and I have complete confidence in you as a navigating officer. I also consider you an excellent pilot." Regardless of these facts though, he was sentenced as guilty and summarily dismissed from Niobe.
When later asked to comment about the affair, White simply stated "The Niobe went ashore and someone had to suffer for it”, leaving it at that.
Commander Macdonald of HMCS Niobe.
The final person to be tried was Commander Macdonald himself and as White’s career had for all practicalities already been sacrificed at the alter, Macdonald had a chance to successfully prove himself of any wrong going. His presentation to the court was as follows,
"At 9:58, after getting away from Yarmouth, I rounded Blonderock buoy, and shaped course S.74 E. The night was very clear. Up to this time no abnormal tide had been encountered, and nothing to lead me to suppose that any corrections other than those allowed for in tide tables would be necessary, I am firmly of the opinion that Lieutenant White's computation of tides was the correct one, which the point of our stranding proves, and that had there not been an abnormal tide the ship would have made the southwest ledge buoy even in thick weather. About 10:15, I gave my night order book to the officer of the watch on the forebridge and pointed out to him that the ship was making the southwest ledge buoy, to see that the ship was not set in to northwards, and on no account to get to port of his course, but to keep generously to starboard. At this time, the night was extremely fine and starry, I then went into my cabin on the forebridge. On being called at midnight, I came out of my cabin and found that the ship had run into a fog. I called out Lieutenant White's name and was informed that he was not on the upper bridge. I then sent for him. As the reduced speed had not enabled me to hear the southwest ledge buoy’s whistle, I determined to haul out, and went into the chart house to determine a course, and had just leaned over the chart when the ship took ground. The time from my first being informed that the southwest ledge buoy was sighted to the time of grounding was about 20 minutes. I beg to state that the cause of our grounding was an abnormal tide, due either to the gale, the previous night in the Bay of Fundy, or to perhaps a hurricane in the West Indies. I would ask the members of the court to place themselves in my position on the night in question, to remember that at 10:25, when I gave the order book and instructions to the officer of the first watch, the night was exceptionally fine, exceptionally clear; that no abnormal tide had been experienced, and that I was kept in ignorance of the fact that Cape Sable light had not been seen when we were closely approaching it; that when I was called about the time I expected to be, I was definitely informed that the buoy had been seen and heard immediately before the fog closed down in the position I expected it to be seen. I am of the opinion that neither the charts, tide tables nor sailing directions give the seaman, not possessed of local knowledge, any idea of the danger of the locality. I am not claiming to have grounded on an uncharted rock, though this may well be the case, and I think that this locality probably abounds in uncharted rocks, which only ships of deep draught discover."
Following his explanation and consideration by the court, Commander Macdonald was found to be free of any guilt and as was tradition, was given his sword back by the ranking officer of the court. On a personal level though, many officers held Macdonald in a lower regard, assuming him negligible for not ensuring his crew had been following proper procedures.
Canada would be deprived of half her naval fleet for a substantial and vital period in its history. When Niobe would emerge from the drydock in January of 1912, she faced a far more hostile nation.
MP Law was in a fairly good relationship with William Stevens Fielding, the former Premier of Nova Scotia, and the current Minister of Finance. Even though Fielding was also in London, he intervened on Law’s behalf, sending a telegram to the Naval Service in Ottawa asking for MP Law’s request to be granted. Brodeur had barely arrived back in Canada before MP Law was on him regarding the promise, this time getting a signed letter from the Minister granting the visit. Just before this signed letter though, the naval Chief of Staff had tabled a memorandum in complete protest of the visitation. Commander Roper rightly pointed out in this paper that the opinions of the naval staff members should be obtained before the Minister promises anything regarding movement of naval assets. Rear Admiral forwarded the memo, expressing his complete support and condemnation of the delay in training. Kingsmill added to the memo with his opinion that it would be impossible to carry out the required training related to the vessel if these visitations became customary. This mess for lack of a better term, clearly demonstrates the issues the Royal Canadian Navy suffered from in its early days but nonetheless, Brodeur sent Niobe to Yarmouth. Arriving on July 14, Niobe participated in the festivities rigorously. The ship was effectively skeleton crewed in port as all of the crew possible were rotated out to enjoy the activities. The ships band was the busiest out of their compliment, being lent to the town for the duration of their stay. Over 4,000 guests would tour the ship over its 5 day escapade while a formal ball would be held to honor their presence. Niobe would depart Yarmouth on July 19 following a rapid deterioration of the weather into a heavy gale. After visiting many other ports of call, Niobe found herself off Cape Sable on the night of July 30. As the ship crept through dense fog at 7.5 knots looking for the southwest ledge buoy, they passed the buoy and due to the visibility and heavy tide, Niobe found herself crashing into ‘Pinnacle Rock’. As the Commander had just reached the bridge but not fast enough to avoid the grounding, Niobe was lifted by the swell and thrown back against the rocks. Crew members were thrown off their feet with multiple sustaining minor injuries as the hull was shredded against the seabed.
US revenue cutter Androscoggin, rather similar atleast in outward appearances to her Canadian fisheries enforcement counterparts.
The ship was heavily damaged, the only thing keeping the ship afloat was zealous damage control efforts and the fact the boiler rooms themselves stayed relatively sealed. After everything was said and done, Niobe had lost her stern post and rudder with after most section of the keel being completely destroyed. The starboard propeller was gone while the port propeller had lost half its blades. The port engine room had completely flooded, and its opposite was enduring 16 feet of water. The ships freeboard had been reduced to only 10 feet at its highest point over the waterline and the largest puncture in the hull was measured as 25 feet long and 10 feet wide,. It was later noted that according to Commander Macdonald, “there was 19 holes in the ships bottom large enough to drive an automobile through.” Niobe sent out a call for assistance and was almost immediately responded to by the US revenue cutter Androscoggin. The cutter kept a wide birth to Niobe and prepared to take on survivors if the damage worsened. Niobe eventually worked her way off the rocks however even with both bow anchors down alongside a stern anchor, the sea was violent to the point of dragging Niobe stem first back into the rocks. Luckily hitting around the reinforced ram bow, this did comparatively little damage. The 16 men in the two boats launched to send out the stern anchor were lost in the fog when the 5-inch-thick ropes holding them snapped.
The ships CGS Stanley, CGS Lady Laurier and the tug McNaughton all arrived in under a few hours from Yarmouth to deliver additional damage control equipment and personnel to assist Niobe. The ships boats were put out a few feet over the water to allow prompt launching in case the ship foundered as over 300 enlisted men and boys were brought up on deck before painstakingly being taken off by rescue ships. Miraculously, Niobe held together long enough to move under her own steam to a safe inlet, Shag Harbor, 10 miles up the coast. She made a respectable 7-mile jaunt in 24 hours on half a propeller and no rudder, having to be assisted by the tug along the way. The inlet itself was chosen for its rather shallow depth of 36 feet and a soft sandy bottom, if Niobe were to founder, she would be recoverable and all crew could likely escape. During this time, divers assessed and used mats to repair some of the larger openings within Niobe’s hull. The damage below was immense, and the divers exclaimed when they came topside that they were not sure how the ship was still afloat. The additional pumps and shoring materials made Niobe safe enough for the return trip home and as a tow, the cruiser HMS Cornwall was dispatched to bring them to Halifax. Cornwall had been training cadets off Newfoundland before she was dispatched and somewhat humorously, also managed to fall victim to the rocks that got Niobe. 2 miles away from where Niobe hit, Cornwall managed to ground herself briefly and take on 2,000 tons of water but worked herself off in enough of a condition to bring Niobe home.
HMCS Niobe in drydock following her grounding damage, some of the impact can be seen covered by the wood near the bow.
As Niobe slid into Halifax harbor and was pier side, the chopping block of the Admiralty was readily awaiting its next victim. Rear Admiral Kingsmill knew this firsthand and it was more than likely possible he would be down one or more officers by the time this was all over. Kingsmill himself would release a letter to the press congratulating the conduct of the Canadian enlisted personnel during the accident,
"The discipline on the Niobe by the boys and young recruits was everything that one could wish for. With the ship in the position she was, a gale of wind blowing and dense fog overall, the Canadian boys behaved fully up to the traditions of the British Navy. The discipline left nothing to be desired. Of course, the ship's crew and officers displayed fine discipline, but I am speaking now of the Canadian boys and recruits."
After Cornwall was repaired and Niobe cycled into the dockyard for a stay that would last 6 months, the hellish procession known as an Admiralty court martial was now underway. Anticipating this, Commander Macdonald personally cabled London and requested the court martial, seeking to clear his name. Due to the rather bare nature of the Canadian officer structure, the Royal Navy was required to send the entire 4th Cruiser Squadron to Halifax in order to have enough officers to properly hold the appeal. The cruisers HMS Leviathan, Berwick, Essex and Dongal were all present with their officers. The witnesses charged were Officer of the Watch Lieutenant Lord Allister Graham, Navigating Lieutenant James White and Commander Macdonald, all three charged with the causing, or suffering to be caused, the stranding of Niobe.
Graham’s defense largely rested upon the conclusion that it was unfair to hold him responsible for the stranding of the ship when he had been relieved of the watch before the accident had occurred, which was perfectly fair. While he was diligent enough, it was found that he should have stayed on the bridge during such a troubling period. Graham was well aware of the existence of the Cape Sable lights, and the time they should have been discernible from the ship however, when this time passed and the lights were not seen, he did not immediately report the fact to Commander Macdonald or the Lieutenant White. It was the duty of Graham to place lookouts above and below to ensure the safety of the ship, but he did not think he had a chance, as the fog closed around the ship very rapidly. Graham would place lookout duties with himself. Graham failed to ascertain position of the ship by cross bearings of the local lights. In the end though, he was sentenced to be reprimanded, little more than a black mark for his record however, Graham felt and expressed that he had held a rather good record as an officer, which Macdonald and White backed up thoroughly. Graham was lucky, Lieutenant White was not so.
At the age of 24, Lieutenant White had moved to Halifax with his wife and two children when he retired from the Royal Navy due to over staffing of navigators. He took up a position with the Royal Canadian Navy until the accident had occurred. This section of the court martial is often highly debated as White himself was much more articulate with a substantial argument compared to Graham yet, was given the harshest punishment of all. White had been extremely tired due to not sleeping the day before and took his leave, instructing Graham to let him know when the Cape Sable Lights were spotted, this never came. White rather convincingly argued that the stranding was due an abnormal tide, which was impossible to foresee, an uncharted rock or a mixture of the two. The abnormal tide was indeed proven due to the aggressive nature of Niobe’s damage and the existence of uncharted rocks have been amply proven by the grounding of Cornwall. White also maintained he had not been informed of the facts as he should have been and Commander Macdonald went on record stating, "Up to the night in question, I have had the highest opinion of you as a navigating officer. You have always been most careful, conscientious, and exact, and I have complete confidence in you as a navigating officer. I also consider you an excellent pilot." Regardless of these facts though, he was sentenced as guilty and summarily dismissed from Niobe.
When later asked to comment about the affair, White simply stated "The Niobe went ashore and someone had to suffer for it”, leaving it at that.
Commander Macdonald of HMCS Niobe.
The final person to be tried was Commander Macdonald himself and as White’s career had for all practicalities already been sacrificed at the alter, Macdonald had a chance to successfully prove himself of any wrong going. His presentation to the court was as follows,
"At 9:58, after getting away from Yarmouth, I rounded Blonderock buoy, and shaped course S.74 E. The night was very clear. Up to this time no abnormal tide had been encountered, and nothing to lead me to suppose that any corrections other than those allowed for in tide tables would be necessary, I am firmly of the opinion that Lieutenant White's computation of tides was the correct one, which the point of our stranding proves, and that had there not been an abnormal tide the ship would have made the southwest ledge buoy even in thick weather. About 10:15, I gave my night order book to the officer of the watch on the forebridge and pointed out to him that the ship was making the southwest ledge buoy, to see that the ship was not set in to northwards, and on no account to get to port of his course, but to keep generously to starboard. At this time, the night was extremely fine and starry, I then went into my cabin on the forebridge. On being called at midnight, I came out of my cabin and found that the ship had run into a fog. I called out Lieutenant White's name and was informed that he was not on the upper bridge. I then sent for him. As the reduced speed had not enabled me to hear the southwest ledge buoy’s whistle, I determined to haul out, and went into the chart house to determine a course, and had just leaned over the chart when the ship took ground. The time from my first being informed that the southwest ledge buoy was sighted to the time of grounding was about 20 minutes. I beg to state that the cause of our grounding was an abnormal tide, due either to the gale, the previous night in the Bay of Fundy, or to perhaps a hurricane in the West Indies. I would ask the members of the court to place themselves in my position on the night in question, to remember that at 10:25, when I gave the order book and instructions to the officer of the first watch, the night was exceptionally fine, exceptionally clear; that no abnormal tide had been experienced, and that I was kept in ignorance of the fact that Cape Sable light had not been seen when we were closely approaching it; that when I was called about the time I expected to be, I was definitely informed that the buoy had been seen and heard immediately before the fog closed down in the position I expected it to be seen. I am of the opinion that neither the charts, tide tables nor sailing directions give the seaman, not possessed of local knowledge, any idea of the danger of the locality. I am not claiming to have grounded on an uncharted rock, though this may well be the case, and I think that this locality probably abounds in uncharted rocks, which only ships of deep draught discover."
Following his explanation and consideration by the court, Commander Macdonald was found to be free of any guilt and as was tradition, was given his sword back by the ranking officer of the court. On a personal level though, many officers held Macdonald in a lower regard, assuming him negligible for not ensuring his crew had been following proper procedures.
Canada would be deprived of half her naval fleet for a substantial and vital period in its history. When Niobe would emerge from the drydock in January of 1912, she faced a far more hostile nation.
- RelativeGalaxy7
- Word Count: 2.6k