THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 18TH MAY, 1895.
GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION. —No. 217.
523
His Excellency the Governor has been pleased to recognise, provisionally, Vice-Consul R. EISWALDT as in charge of the Imperial German Consulate, during the temporary absence of the Consul for Germany.
By Command,
Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 17th May, 1895.
J. H. STEWART LOCKHART, Colonial Secretary.
GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION.-No. 218.
The following Finding of the Marine Court appointed to enquire into the loss of the British Steamer Pekin, Official No. 95,860, is published.
By Command,
Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 16th May, 1895.
FINDING.
J. H. STEWART LOCKHART, Colonial Secretary.
We find that the s.s. Pekin, Official No. 95,860, of Hongkong, of which GEORGE PARKER was Master, left Foochow on a voyage to Amoy at 1 P.M. on May 2nd. She was a vessel of 118 tons Register and 40 Horse Power having one Certificated Deck Officer besides the Master and one Engineer holding a First Class Engineer's Certificate
That Turnabout" was passed at 8 p.m. that evening, and that "Ockseu" was passed at 1.20 the next morning 2 miles distant bearing S. E. by S. (mag.).
That at about 4.30 on the morning of the 3rd the vessel went on shore on the southern point of Meichen Sound, and that she was afterwards abandoned.
The causes which led to a casualty which found the ship 10 miles out of her course in less than 4 hours are not made very apparent by the evidence, but the navigation was conducted in a somewhat loose manner, and the whole question appears to be whether the error of the compass was known and properly applied.
There is no evidence as to the last occasion on which the error was determined, nor anything reliable to show that its amount and direction were ever sufficiently known for the purpose of safe navigation.
The weather was fine though probably foggy, and prudence should have suggested a slower speed when the weather became thick, as also the use of the lead, this latter precaution if adopted would have shown at once that the ship was not making good her intended course, the whole watch however were employed, one at the wheel and the other on the look-out, and thus there was no one for the additional precaution.
The Court are of opinion that the Master was guilty of a wrongful act or default in navigating his vessel in an unseamanlike and careless inanner, and it therefore directs that his Certificate of Competency No. 86,046 (Belfast) be suspended for a period of 6 months from this date.
Given under our hands at Hongkong, the 14th day of May, 1895.
R. MURRAY RUMSEY, Retd. Comdr., R.N.,
F. W. LOANE, Lieut. R.N.
President of Court,
C. H. S. TocQUE, Commander P. & O. s.s. Verona.
EDWARD PORTER, Master s.s. Braemar.
GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION. --No. 219.
The following Returns of Deaths are published.
By Command,
Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 18th May, 1895.
J. H. STEWART LOCKHART, Colonial Secretary.