From the Rolls-Royce experimental archive: a quarter of a million communications from Rolls-Royce, 1906 to 1960's. Documents from the Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation (SHRMF).
Newspaper clipping from the 'Sunday Chronicle' detailing the probable cause of the Miss England II disaster.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 174\5\ img173 | |
| Date | 14th June 1930 guessed | |
| BRANCH PICKED UP. "Sunday Chronicle" Correspondent. Windermere, Saturday. LORD TRECKNOCK, vice-president of the Marine Motoring Association, made the following statement to-day as to the cause of the disaster to Miss England II: As representing the Marine Motoring Association I have been asked to make the following statement received from the technical experts as to the probable cause of the disaster: We are agreed that the boat, the engine and transmission gear were all in perfect condition for the two first laps and part of the third, when apparently something happened to cause a disaster. From an examination of the boat before it sank there was no sign of any holes in the main hull of the boat. The tail shaft propeller and two rudders appeared to be intact and undamaged. PROBABLE CAUSE The greater portion of the front step on the port side was torn away. The boat floated upside down until disturbed, when air was seen to blow out through the deck opening on the under side. Later the missing portion of the step was recovered, which furnished sufficient evidence to indicate the probable cause of the disaster, namely, that a floating object was hit by the rear portion of the step, causing it to be turned over. Subsequently it has been learned that 20 minutes after the disaster a waterlogged branch of a tree, approximately three feet long and three inches in diameter, was picked up 250 yards astern of the boat and as near as can be ascertained in its direct path. This could have caused the damage to the step. There is no evidence pointing to any failure of the port machinery. This statement is signed by Messrs. The King and Queen and the Prince of Wales have sent messages of sympathy to Lady Segrave. The Prince's telegram to Lady Segrave, which was received to-day, reads: Please accept my deepest sympathy in yours and the country's great loss.—Edward P. Windermere to-day is a place of mourning. Flags are flying at half-mast and motor-boat races which were to have been held to-day have been abandoned. The police dragged the lake until darkness fell last evening and were out again at 5 a.m. to-day at the scene of the tragedy in the hope of recovering Vic Halliwell's body. The only survivor of the trio who took Miss England II. on her fatal record-breaking run, Michael Willcocks, is this morning stated to be progressing favourably. The inquest was opened at Wray on the other side of the lake this evening, where Mr. G.{Mr Griffiths - Chief Accountant / Mr Gnapp} E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} Page, of Ulverston, the Coroner, having taken evidence of identification, adjourned the proceeding. When the Coroner has issued his certificate Sir Henry's body will be conveyed from Windermere to London. LADY SEGRAVE'S GRIEF So far, I am informed, the question of salvage is not being seriously considered. There is no plant on Windermere sufficiently powerful to lift Miss England from where she lies 200 feet down on the bottom of the lake. Lady Segrave, who, with Mr. and Mrs. Segrave, the father and mother of Sir Henry, is staying at the Old England Hotel, Windermere, has not been seen in public since the tragedy occurred yesterday, when she was prostrate with grief. DRAMATIC SCENE. There was a touching scene at the Bowness pier to-day, when a party of [Handwritten on side] Buckle | ||