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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
certificate issued at London in 1886. I have been on the 17. Sang since 16th October. She is a new ship not arrived off Lyemoon about 9.45 pm, on the 20th January. I loft the bridge the land of Tautu and the second atate ¦ relieved us. I went to the forecastle hend to get in achurs pody. The Captain was ou the bridge. The night was heavy and the top of the Penk was covered with mist. I did not get any sal instructions to keep a look-out. There Wits
look-out man, a Chinaman. There
also poured criticisms upon me, and if I had lis- tened to them none of the "Cantlie fads" would have come off. (Laughter.) Obstacles aot but as stimulants, criticism is either useful in sugges- tion, or I treat it with the motto "they say-off what say they let them say." Ladies and gen. tlemen, I have done. I can only thank you and only tell you how I appreciate all your kind words and handsome presente. Many a time when I wrote to some prominent meniber of the community concerning the fatherance of one of Cantlio's fads," I got in reply, "Don't bring anymore schemes forward; we want a rest." Ladies and gentlemen, my doparture will favour that end, but until I myself am at rost I will cherish the remembrance of this day, and all the good wishes you have bestowed upon me. I leave this colony and the College of Medicine for Chinese with the hope that I shall be able to do something for its fartherance in England. There is one thing that is inconstant about this colony, namely, that lecturers come and go, but there is one thing that is constant and that is the desire of Chinese for the knowledge of Western medisine. (Loud applause).
Hon. Ho KAI- I beg to propose a vote of thanks to our Chairman, Mr. Coxon. (Applause).
The CHAIRMAN-I thank you for your vote of thanks. I beg to express your thanks to Dr. Cantlie for what he has told us. We have come to this conclusion-that the social, scientific, and | literary success of our great empire beyond the is due to such men as James Cantlie. (Loud applause).
sens
The meeting then terminated.
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[February 13, 1896.
the ship from time to time. The captain made on remark to me about the position after com. ing through the Pass. I was stationed by the telegraph on the bridge. I did not take any- notice of the position of the ship's head, as I. was at the end of the bridge and the compass was in the centre. I do not know the lights of the harbour, and did not take particular notice of them. I have been to Hongkong about half a dozen times before. but never while on the bridge. I remember a buoy being reported WAY wship in the way of tho from the forcastle. I remember passing lights on steaner between leaving Lyenoon and strik | thestarboard side shortly before. I do not remem. ing the Cust Rorks. She struck about ber ever seeing those lights straight ahead; to the twenty minutes past ten o'clock. I could best of my recollection they were always on the not say what speed she was going; I suppose starboard bow. The course was altered between it was three or four knots. I heard the tele. the time we left the Pass and striking, but I do graph bell ring on two occasions. I did not not know how many times. The captain gave his get any orders from the captain. I could orders verbally to the quartermaster. I did not not say what ecurses were being steered, form an opinion that the course was altered to Before I left the bridge I understood from the counteract any set of the ship to starboard; the captain that he was going to make for Kellett question did not strike me at all. When the Island. I noticed the lights at Hungbom buoy was reported I think, but I am not certain, Docks. I did not see the rocks before striking. the captain went a little more to port. He took but a minute or two before. I saw a buoy on the his glass and examined the buoy, and it was starboard bow and I reported it. do not shortly after that the ship struck. Ido not know know what buoy it was: "I think it was one of whether the tide was with or against us as the Dock boys. It was an ordinary white we came through the harbour. The engines drum buoy. There was a flood tide at the time. were eased to "slow" about twenty minutes I had consulted the captain on the subject of after coming through the Pass; we were hardly going into the harbour. I asked him where he opposite the Dock lights then. The telegraph intended to anchor, and he told me. I did not was rung only on this occasion before we struck. disenss the salicet of tide, currents, or
We passed the buoy not a ship's length away. the general navigation of the ship beyond The full speed of the ship was 8 or 9 knots. saying that it was a flood tide and there were The captain was on the bridge the whole time, strong currents. I had been to Hongkong before, except when he went to consult the chart. I and have entered the harbour on a similar night. think he went down about three times, and was. Dr. Cautlie received the warmest of send. The captain told me he was well acquainted away only a very short time. The captain was offs" on Saturday morning when he left for with Hongkong harbour and know the currents perfectly sober. I have never seen him under England by the China. First of all he bade | well. After the ship struck we manœuvred her the influence of drink. When the buoy was farewell to Boores of friends outside his office in to see if we could run ashore. Previous to that reported the captain rushed down to the chart Wyndham Street, and in order to emphasise in a policeman had boarded the ship. We found room and immediately came up again, and the the strongest manner his high popularity a the ship was rapidly making water and the holm was starboarded. I think. oracker two or three yards long was fired and policeman was called in order to give us informa blazed away for fally ten minutes. He was
tion of the whereabouts of a sandy beach. The conveyed to the ship in a launch ohartered by ship did not miss the rocks, but after striking the Chinese College of Medicine, and in his she plans off. Hier head was pointed for North honour the flag of the College was displayed for Point and she was taken across the harbour and the first time. A very large number of launches benchied very easily just inside the line of the containing friends accompanied him to the telegraph cable. There was a loadsman in the steamer, and musical honours were accorded him chaius. I do not know why the captain came in by the band of the Hongkong Regiment at the cast outrance; perhaps it was because he Music was also supplied by the terrific | knew it letter and it was nearer than the west banging of crackers, and as the China got entrance. We cafe straight from Manila. under way whistles shrieked a signal of good. I do not know whether the captain steered by bye, more crackers were fired, load cheers were Compass ;-11 diere he was off the bridge several raised, and in response to all this ebullition of tintes. They chart was in the captain's room good feeling the China whistled a reply of just nuder the bridge. I estimated that when thanks and steamed out of the harbour. That the vesel passed the Dock point she was two the doctor may have a pleasant voyage and a or three cubes off and heading for Hongkong speedy return to good health must be the lights. We did uoi see the Channel Rocks. earnest wish of every resident in the colony.
did not think the tide was having an effect ou the course of the ship. Between passing the Lyemoon Jass and the time I saw the buoy she was howling for Hongkong lights. I was keep. ing a look-out more on the Kellett Island side. We did not see the electric lights until after passing North Point, I saw the buoy three or four minutes after passing the lights at the dock expected to see the captain keeping more towards the Hongkong shore. I saw lights in the kerosine anchorage which I took to be riding lights, but with the aid of my glass I could not be certain whether they I do not know how many times the course was altered between Lyemoon Pass and the Cust Rocks, but I noticed it was altered. I did not hear any orders given from the bridge to the wheol; I was too far away.
บ
THE STRANDING OF THE
"ON SANG."
MARINE COURT OF INQUIRY.
On the morning of the 7th Feb. a Marine Court of Inquiry was held at the Harbour Master's office to inquire into the circumstances connected with the stranding, on the 20th Jann. ary, of the British steamship On Sang, official
number 105,745, of London, of which William Vize Carmichael, the number of whose certificate of competency is 05612, was master and com- mander.
The Court was constituted as follows:-Hon. R. Murray Rumsey, R.N., Stipendiary Magis. trate, President; Commander Kipplewade, R.N., H.M.S. Centurion; Mr. Henry Pybus, master of British steamer Empress of India; Mr. John Panton, master of British steamor Victoria ; Mr. David Owen, master of British steamer Adowa. The inquiry was held under the provisions of section 13 of Ordinance 26 of 1891.
The President-I have to inform the Court that the late emptrin of the On Suny has left the colony. Luhis alsques I propose that the Court inquire into the circumstances connected with the accidonet to the ship as far as any evidence can be obtained and with that view I cansed four officers-the Gest au second mates and the first and second engineers--to be summoned of come and give their evidence.
Alfred Edward Hargreaves said-I am first mate of the On Suny, and hold a master's
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wore.
Arthur Roberts Woodrow said-I am second officer of the Ou Sang and hold a first mate's certificate issued in London in 1895. I went on the bridge on the 20th January about 9.25 p.m. when the ship Was nearly opposite D'Aguilar light. I remained on the bridge from that time until the ship struck. The captain was on the bridge all the time. I remember pass ing Collinson Hight. We were then stoering by land, the captain giving all the directions. The night was heavy. Off Collinson light the engines were going full speed, which was not redunst (hrough the Lycoon Puss. coming though the Pass the captain kept the ship's head as I thought fit and gave the quartermaster directions. I had never been on the bridge before when coming into Hongkong and could not form any idea us to the position of
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The witness Hargreaves was recalled and said-The alteration in the direction of the ship's head which was made after the buoy was reported was towards the starboard hand, not to port. In consequence of this I left the forecastle head and went on to the bridge. As I got on to the bridge the ship struck. My object in going on the bridge was to give the captain any information, 8.8 I thought wo were too close in passing the buoy. As I got on the bridge I hardly had time to speak before she struck. I said some thing like "Better haul her out." I did not at first think it was a rock - we had struck. I did not hear the order that was given to the wheel after the buoy was reported. When I got on the bridge the captain did not make any remark to lead me to believe that his order to the wheel had been misunderstood and not carried out. I thought it was one of the Dock boys, but I did not tell the captain so as there was not time. I went aft on to the bridge because I saw the buoy was close and because I saw the ship's head pointing towards the light on Kowloon Point.
No further witnesses were called: The Pro- sident asked the first mate if the quartermaster was in the colony and the reply was that he had gono to Shanghai as well as the captain.
The finding of the Court was as follows--- We find that the British steamship On Sang, official number 105,745, of London, of which William Vize Carmichael, was master, arrived off the cast untrance to Hongkong at about 9.45 p.m. on the 20th January, 1896. That the captain had announced his intention of an- choring in the vicinity of Kellett Island. The ship proceeded through the Lyemoon Pass and about half an hour after she struck on the Chat Rocks. She таз afterwards benched on the Hongkong side to the west of North Point. From the evidence before it the Court has formed the opinion that the captain would have displayed better judgmont if he and not attempted to enter the port at pighi. and it would appear that his local know- ledge did not justify him in doing so. does it appear that any special precautions were takon under the circumstances. master, however, has not appeared before the Court, and the Court is informed that he has left the colony, although there are grounds for believing that before he left he was aware that a Court would be appointed
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