THE CHINA MAIL, AUGUST 8, 1989.
Pare
TARANTULA MISHAP Navigating Officer Appears At Court-Martial
Ship Navigated
By Eye
the facts of the grounding.
Cross examined,
Captain Flynn PRINCE
said the document was a statement of fact and not a statement of de- fence. It was not required by re- gulations and had not been volun- time cautioned. teered by accused, who was at no
"THAT THE SHIP WAS NAVIGATED BY EYE, AS WAS THE ́NORMAL CUSTOM IN THE WEST AND PEARL RIVERS, THAT TAP SIAK KÖK, URMSTON ROAD, WAS CONSIDER-ruled that the document was not After an adjournment, the Court ED PART OF THE PEARL RIVER, THAT THE LANDMARKS admissable. AT RED POINT WERE OF NO ASSISTANCE TO ACCUSED, AND THAT THE GROUNDING OF THE SHIP WAS, AT MOST, AN ERROR OF JUDGMENT, WAS THE DEFENCE OF LIEUT. COMDR. LEES ON BEHALF OF LIEUT. HENRY FRANCIS ORMSBY HALE, OF H.M.S. TARANTULA, WHO TO-DAY APPEARED BEFORE A COURT MARTIAL ON H.M.S. TAMAR CHARGED WITH NEGLIGENTLY STRAND ING OR HAZARDING H.M.S. TARANTULA ON JULY 11, ON A ROCK NEAR TAP SIAK KOK.
Captain Wylie, of H.M.S. Ihot bearing, but from 1230 onwards Tamar, presided and other mem- had been gradually increased to 11 bers of the Court were Lieut. knots. Comdrs. Murray Smith, Oliver Bellisis, Rust and Knapp.
The prosecution was conducted by Captain A. Bridge, of H.M.S. Eagle.
The following circumstantial letter was read to the Court by Captain Bridge:---
represent
to pass
PRINCE KANIN VISITING
THE EMPEROR
Tokyo, To-day,
the bridge at 13,12 hours when the panese General Staff, was inform-
Captain Flynn said that he left
Prince Kanin, Chief of the Ja course and position of the shiped yesterday evening. by General was to his entire satisfaction, and Itagaki, the War Minister, of the which was ascertained. at S. 32 E results of a discussion the latter by which reckoning the ship would have passed Tap Siak Kok at a had had with Admiral Yonai, Min- safe and normal distance of 24 ister of the Navy. to. 2% cables. He left navigation ed, who had, as customary, his of the ship in the hands of accus- authority to make any alterations course without reference. He returned when the ship struck
to the
HIGH PRAISE
as
one
on
the
MOTORISTS FINED
his
General Itagaki, Prince Kanin left Following the conversation with for Hayama, the Emperor's summer ALTERED COURSE
residence, in order as he ex- The Accused intended
pressed himself towards circles about four cables to
connected with the General Stąff--- Westward of Black
the South Witness said he had known to report to the Emperor on an Point. This accused for position was reached at about 1812. two After passing Black Point the Ac-accused
"important question within year and months. His opinion of
own sphere of competence." cused intended the ship to pass not the bridge was one in whose skill
an officer
Trans-Ocean. -
Sir, I have to
less than one cable off Tap Siak and reliability, witness had circumstances under which H. M. Sing Black Point was S.32 degrees would be no exaggeration to say he the Kok. The magnetic course on pass- most complete confidence and it "Tarantula" grounded on a rock off E. This course would have taken had been impressed by accused as Tap Siak Kok, Urmston Road, Can- the ship only about two cables off the calmest and most dependable morning, Mr. P. B. Wilson, of At the Central Magistracy this ton River, on Tuesday, 11th July the submerged rock off Tap Siak officer who had worked with him. 1939, with a view to the trial by Kok. At 1317 the Accused altered
No. 138, Kennedy Road, was (Court-Martial of Lieutenant Henry course to S. 35 degrees E. magne- he had watched accused continu- failing to carry a licence disc on Witness continued, and said that fined $5 by Mr. R. Edwards for Francis Ormsby Hale, Royal Navy, tic, an alteration` towards the land. ously over the Pearl and West Riy-the windscreen of his car. hereinafter referred to as the Ac-This alteration of course cannot be ers area, since he joined the ship
justified in view of the possibility and had often for all intent
Mr. I. Rudolf, of Courtland Hotel, Since 1st July, 1939, the Accused of an indraught towards the land, purposes had the ship in his hands Road,' Mr. S. F. Godley, of
and Mr. T. Edwards, of No. 4c Hillwood has been borne on the books of moreover, the ship H. M. S. "Tarantula", and is still sufficiently far in already, and
was heading in intricate places where a
the local | Royal Scots, Mr. J. C. Lucas, of $0 borne,
if knowledge of conditions was ne- the Royal Engineer office, Stanley, made at this time, it should have West and Pearl Rivers for the apa similar offence. any alteration of course was to be cessary. beer to seaward.
It had been the custom on
and Mr. Nigel, of Johnson, Stokes the and Master, were fined $5 each, for
intervals so that one man could Court that his car cleaner had wip- and lieutenants to be made at such Road, was fined $3. He told the pointment of commanding Officers Thomas Yip, of No. 20 Robinson teach the others. Witness consi-ed the licence disc off before he
cused.
**
On Tuesday, 11th July, 1939, H. M. S. "Tarantula" was on passage from Canton to Hong Kong and at ..about 1235 was approximately 7 by the Accused, the exact track Since no shore fixes were taken Cables South Westward of Ma Chau made good by the ship after pass Island.
At about this time the Ac-ing Black Point cannot be deter-dered him, in fact, "a spare cap used the car. cused took over as Officer of the mined; but it is evident that the Afternoon. Watch. The Captain of Accused was steering too close in to-morrow appoint him with com- tain" in event of sickness and would H. M. S. "Tarantula," Captain to the land and, further, failed to Francis Cyril Flynn, Royal Navy, observe that the ship was getting had directed that the ship should dangerously near to it, for at 1822 pass through Urmston Road and the ship grounded on a submerged | had placed the safe navigation of rock close to westward of Tap Siak the ship in the hands of the Ac-Kok, probably that shown on the cused.
chart half a cable off that point.
NORMAL PRACTICE
by
that area.
"
plete confidence to any gunboat in STRUCK ROCK
wheel and followed the instructions A. B. Price said he was at the of the Officer-on-watch in connec “QUITE INADEQUATE”
tion with alterations of course. At The ship was being piloted
Although it may be held that course was S 46 E.
the time of the grounding, the eye and the Accused had the Cap-four cables was a safe distance at was at all times on the bridge and The officer tain's authority to make alterations which to pass Black Point, I con- checked up on his instructions. of course as requisite without re sider that an allowance of not less Giving evidence on his own be ference to him. This is evidently than one cable off Tap Siak Kok half, accused said he took over the the normal practice in ships of the was quite inadequate, bearing in watch at 13.30. He altered course West River Flotilla. This unortho- mind that the submerged rock is so that the ship would pass Tap dox practice is followed in the West shown on the chart. to be about Siak-kok. When he struck the rock, -and Pearl Rivers and Delta Chan half a cable off the point, and also he put the engines full astern, but nels since normal methods of navi-bearing in mind the possibility of when he found her stuck, stopped gation are inapplicable in such an indraught towards the land the engines. waters, and the use of the eye com- Urmston Road is about a mile and bined with local knowledge becomes a half wide and there is no justi- to navigate by eye in that area and He added that he had been taught asurer guide.
fication for taking a ship so close was able to judge the distance froia cannot be contended, however, only hidden danger in this locality parts
to Tap. Siak Kok off which lies the land. The river that this method of navigation is I consider that the grounding
was shallow at necessary or applicable in the local H.M.S. "Tarantula" was primarily
in some ity where the ship grounded. The due to faulty and negligent -pilotage of a vessel through Urms- tion on the part of the Acc
ton Road is a matter of plain navi- that he steered too cle
land and failed to
· gation similar to that in any pilot
age waters. By making
hand fixes combined with
bearing of Red Point -
· Kok Island a ship c
Wand more through
..
est and most
por:
places.
atá
and had
26 TIMES THROUGH He agreed it was better Bep in in de
water than in shallow, but would be harder to Judge from land. He thought navigate safely by eye tirmiston Road as that was that had been practiced. had vigated the ship • 28 past that point and had. al- sen about cable distanc
as there was mainland behind. Com- mander McCarthy said that about 1% to 2 cables was a safe distance for a gunboat from the shore.
Comdr. Forbes said that naviga- tion by eye, local knowledge and ability to judge. distance by were the essentials for navigation in the West and Pearl River area. compass was made, and if use was Very little use of the standing
eye
the officer to leave the bridge. made, it would be neccessary for
The court is proceeding.
FOOD PROBLEM WITH GASTRITIS
For years, doctors wanted to
food that would not ir ritate the inflamed stomach walls atients suffering from gas- at the same time the patient's severe cases of gas- foods are out of the van liquid foods are ammed. Yet the patient.
new strength to re- his exhausted body. In Horlicks, doctors and nurses have found an ideal food.