536
Enclosure 6.
FINDING OF THE MARINE COURT.
We find that the British Steamship Ying King, Official No. 116,031 of Hongkong, of which ERNEST JAMES PAGE, Certificate of Competency No. 491 of New South Wales, was Master, left Canton at 6 p.m. on the 27th July, 1908, on a voyage to Hongkong, with a full general cargo, about 430 passengers, of whom 3 were Europeans, and 23 crew, besides about 10 in the Compradore's staff, making about 465 souls all told. This is a rough estimate by the Mate.
After leaving Canton, with a light North-easterly breeze, weather clear, sky overcast, barometer falling, all went well until after passing Bogue Forts, when the wind and sea rose, the barometer falling rapidly. At about 11.30 p.m. the Master decided to anchor, on account of the very heavy sea, between Pillar Point and Castle Peak. Two anchors were let go, and with the assistance of the engines held the ship. The weather continued to get worse, the sea breaking over the ship, which finally took a heavy list, from the cargo shifting, and large quantities of water found its way into the engine room, extinguishing the fires at about 2.30 a.m. At about 2.50 a.m. the list suddenly increased and the ship foundered. Of the 465 souls on board only 42 appear to have survived. The Master and about 420 others perishing.
We find that the cause of the foundering was the Typhoou, which passed over the Colony during that night. That all reasonable precautions were taken to ensure the safety of the ship and passengers. That the state of the sea rendered any recourse to boats for saving life out of the question. Finally we desire to record our expression of regret at the grave loss of life.
Given under our hands at Victoria in the Colony of Hongkong, this Eleventh day of August, 1908.
BASIL TAYLOR, Commander, R.N.
Stipendiary Magistrate and President of the Court.
HENRY BUTTERWORTH, Lieut., R.N.,
H.M.S. Tamar.
E. BEETHAM,
Master, British S.S. Empress of India.
CHAS. V. LLOYD,
Master, British S.S. Fatshan.
E. EVANS,
Master, British S.S. Hoi Ming.
Enclosure 7.
REPORT OF CHIEF RESIDENT ENGINEER
KOWLOON-CANTON RAILWAY, BRITISH SECTION.
TYPHOON DAMAGES.
KOWLOON, 4th August, 1908.
SIR,-I have gone right through the line since the typhoon and find that the damage done is very small considering the strength of the typhoon.
Most damage was done at the North Face Tunnel, where the most serious items were, the unrooling of the coolie quarters and the power house.
The unroofing of the coolie quarters drove all the coolies into Hongkong which forced the work to close down for a week. The miners' quarters on the top of the hill suffered also.