THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 7тH JUNE, 1890.
GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION.No. 241.
527
The following Finding of the Marine Court of Inquiry into the stranding of the British Steam- ship Felbridge, Official Number 95,455 of London, is published for general information.
By Command,
Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 7th June, 1890.
FINDING.
W. M. DEANE, Acting Colonial Secretary.
We find that the British Steam-ship Felbridge, Official No. 95,455 of London, of which JOHN RUTHEN, the number of whose Certificate of Competency as Master is 014,389, issued at South Shields, was Master, left Saigon for Hongkong on the 30th April, with a full cargo of rice and paddy.
That fine weather was experienced and nothing of note took place until the morning of the 3rd May when at about 4.20 the ship struck on the North Shoal, Paracels Group.
That she remained fast until the 6th about 9 A.M. when as a result of jettisoning about 400 tons of
cargo she came off, and as the vessel was not making more water than could be kept under by the pumps the Master determined to proceed on his voyage and arrived at Hongkong on the 8th May.
It appears from the evidence before the Court that at 3.40 P.M. on the 2nd, an observation for longitude was made by the Master and the result of this observation, the Master states, was to place the ship in longitude 110°.42' E. the latitude at noon on that day being 14°.50′ N. From this position, a course of N. E. was steered with the intention, the Master states, of passing from 17 to 18 miles West of North Shoal.
On reference to Admiralty Chart No. 2661A, however, it is found that a course of N. E. laid off 17 or 18 miles West of the Shoal and cutting the latitude which it is stated was obtained at noon, viz., 14.50 N. and which it may be assumed was correct, gives a longitude of 110°.50′ E. or 10 miles East of. the position determined by the Captain for noon of that day. Again working back from this position. and allowing a N. by E. course from noon of the previous day, it appears that a current of 33 miles in 24 hours or about 1.3 per hour to the Eastward was experienced between noon of the 1st and noon of the 2nd. The ship struck on North Shoal 16 hours after the noon observation of the 2nd during which period if the current before experienced had continued the ship would be set rather more than 20 miles to the Eastward, and as the course steered was to take her only 17 or 18 miles to the West- ward of the Shoal, this set would place her directly on it.
The Master states that the first day after leaving he experienced a set of 6 miles to the Westward in 20 hours, but the following day, he found a slight set to the Eastward. He does not appear, however, to have noticed when laying down his position on the 2nd that, even assuming his deter- mined longitude to be correct, he had experienced a set of 20 miles to the Eastward.
It thus appears that the casualty was brought about through due allowance not being made for a current which with more careful observation would have been apparent.
Speaking generally, the evidence shows that the method of conducting the navigation of the Felbridge was not conducive to the detection of errors. The Master relied almost entirely on his own unchecked observations, and the Mate accepted without investigation the Master's result, and the Log as kept by the Mate was useless and for all practical purposes might have been altogether dispensed with.
The Court cannot fail to notice that this want of provision for the careful conduct of the ship extended also to the manning of the Felbridge. She was a vessel of 1,336 tons Register and had, apart from her Engine Room staff, a total of only 11 all told. The evidence of the Mate as to the distribution of duty amongst the 3 hands of his watch shows a state of things which may be said to court casualty.
After careful consideration of the circumstances above stated, the Court are of opinion that the casualty was caused by the wrongful default of the Master in that he navigated his vessel with insuffi- cient care and neglected to allow for the set of the current in verifying the position of his vessel from time to time on the course set; and they therefore direct that his certificate be suspended for a period of three months from this date.
The Court also desires to express an opinion that the Mate, GEORGE DAY, who holds a Certificate of Competency as Master No. 016,140, issued at Bristol, is deserving of censure for the careless manner in which he performed his duty of keeping the Log and his neglect to acquaint himself of conditions under which the ship was being navigated.
Given under our hands at Hongkong, this 30th day of May, 1890.
Approved,
F. FLEMING,
Officer Administering the Government.
4th June, 1890.
R. MURRAY RUMSEY, Ret. Com., R.N.,
President of Court.
A. S. MILLS, Lieut., R.N.
ED. LE BOUTILLIER, WILLIAM YOUNG,
JAMES EDWARDS,
› Masters Mariner.