THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 4TH MAY, 1889.
GOVERNMENT NOTICATION.-No.
213.
397
The following Notification is substituted for the one bearing the same number and date published
219 of the Gazette for this year.
at
page
By Command,
Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 4th May, 1889.
FREDERICK STewart, Colonial Secretary.
GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION. —No. 124.
His Excellency the Governor has been pleased to appoint, provisionally, and until Her Majesty's pleasure may be signified, NORMAN GILBERT MITCHELL-INNES, Esquire, Barrister-at-Law, Acting Registrar General, to be an Official Member of the Legislative Council of Hongkong, vice the Honourable WALTER MEREDITH DEANE, absent on leave.
By Command,
Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 19th March, 1889.
FREDERICK STEWART, Colonial Secretary.
GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION.-No. 214.
The following Finding of the Marine Court of Inquiry into the stranding of the British Steam- ship Afghan, Official No. 78,572 of Rochester, is published for general information.
By Command,
Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 4th May, 1889.
FREDERICK STEWART, Colonial Secretary.
FINDING.
We find that the British Steam-ship Afghan, official No. 78,572 of Rochester, of which THOMAS GOLDING, whose certificate as Master is No. 07,595, was Master, left Nagasaki on 7th April, and experienced thick weather to Turnabout.
That from Turnabout the weather continued thick, and that on the morning of 12th April at about 8 o'clock, the ship struck on N.E. Head of Lema Island.
That she immediately came off and although the bottom was damaged in the Fore Peak, no other serious damage appears to have been sustained.
We are of opinion that the Master appears to have navigated his vessel in a seamanlike and proper manner, and when a casualty was inevitable to have done all in his power.
The casualty appears to have been brought about through the ship being about 10 miles south of her supposed position and the Master having been deceived by the weather, estimating that he could see further than was the case.
We are however of opinion that the Master would have shown more prudence if he had made freer use of his lead, but we do not consider this omission amounted to a default.
That the Court seeing no grounds for blaming the conduct of the Master, returns his certificate, to him.
Given under our hands at Hongkong, this 26th day of April, 1889.
R. MURRAY RUMSEY, R.N., President of Court.
A. S. MILLS, Lieut., R.N.
GEO. HEASLEY,
WM. S. DUNCAN, JAMES YOUNG,
Me
Masters of Mercantile Marine.