May 13, 1896.]
His Lordship-What do you estimate is the amount of your debts ?
-Petitioner-$5,000.
His Lordship-You really consider you have valuable assets and that you will be able to bring in $5,000 ?
Petitioner-Well, if the assets are sold under pressure they cannot bring so much, but they are justly worth that.
His Lordship-in any case, what do you sup- pose will be the amount? There is always a certain pressure in a case like this.
Petitioner-It is hard to say, my Lord. His Lordship--Over $1,000? Petitioner-Certainly.
Mr. Grist-Here is a policy of insurance ou which £150 has been paid up and that must realise $1,000.
His Lordship Policy on what? Petitioner-On Mr. Watts's lifu. His Lordship-On Mr. Watts's life. Is that payable under the circumstances?
Mr. Grist-It is not payable under the cir- cumstances, but there is a certain surrender which is valuable. £150 has been paid, and the petitioner's furniture is valued at $2,500.
His Lordship Is not that under a bill of sale or anything?
Mr. Grist-In no way, except these writs of foreign attachment.
44
His Lordship-I think this is a proper case for an adjudication order if there are proper assets. Section 8 of the Ordinance says that debtor's petition shall allege that he is unable to pay
his debts," and it is also provided that it shall be lawful in the discretion of the Court if it is satisfied that there are substantial assets" to make an order. It appears to me there will be substantial assets from what this gentleman says, and therefore I make the order and appoint Mr. Seth, the official trustee, to be official receiver.
THE "ONWO”-“NEWCHWANG" COLLISION.
|
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
401
The President-Describe with the models exactly how it occurred.
Witness did so.
By the Court-It was my intention to take the Feima Channel. I. starboarded my helm because the other steamer's green light was on my starboard side.
Tho President, addressing the representatives and witnesses, said that he hoped they agreed with him that the Court should carry out the enquiry in the fullest manner possible, and he looked to them to assist in every way, uch enquiry might possibly find out the use of this disaster and the means of preventi:; a re- currence of such a thing, particular, a case | The President-Where you "tied " with the like the present one, which has orcas oned a dangers of navigatiou on each side of you which most appalling loss of life. The river : late presented you porting your helm-There was had been the scene of a great unmbe : of nor plenty of room, but I could not port my helm. instances, which might have been due to the i The channel was clear, but it would have been regulations or to other causes, which was the dangerous for me to port my helm across his duty of the Court to find out. The result how. of snch enquiry might probably form a rider to the finding of the Court, and be. the
i President, would take care that it should be brought before the Consular author ties and the Chamber of Commerce of this port, as well as the Customs authorities, who at present did not appear to have any control of the river. He proposed to call the captain of the Newchiang and examine him as well as the other witnesses of Messrs. Butterfield and Swire. MessIT, Jardine, Matheson and Co. had asked that the officers of the Glengarry should be examined to- day, and, if Messrs. Butterfield and Swire had no objection, he would examine their witnesses first and those from the Glengarry afterwards.
The first witness called was Captain Hards, of the C.N. Co.'s steamer Newchwang, who, having been sworn, stated as follows:-On the night of the 26th we left Andoy 11 a.m.; at 1.20 ja.m. of the 27th anchored in Haitan Straits. At 5 a.m. the same day we weighed and proceeded at 1.30 a.m. On the 28th we anchored off Bullock Harbour, weighed again at 4.45 a.m. Moderate N.E. winds and foggy weather. At 1.40 p.m. off Bellavista, anchored, thick fog at 7.30a.m. On the 29th the fog. clearing away we weighed and proceeded. At 420 a.m. passed west of Video; at 11.50 p.m. weasel the Tungsha light vessel; at 12 a.m. on the 30th we passed Kaiton; light at 2.5 a.m., half speed, at 2.10 slow, at 220 passed Lismors light. At 2.30 .a.m. we stopped the engines passing THE NEWCHWANG TO BLAME.
through Woosung; while passing the shipping we saw a steamer's green masthead light cross [SPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE “DAILY PRESS."]ing our bow. Off Woosung Creek & steamer's
SHANGHAI, 11th May.
green light ahead. Pasaed to the starboard side. 2.35, light leaving about punt off the starboard bow. Put engines half-speed, blew two blasts of the whistle. Norply from other steamer. Repeated signal, stili no reply; Passed Awashing away. At 2.38 steamer showing red light. Stopped engines. Blew two blasts on whistle, helur hard-a-starboard, when stea.ner shut in green light. Seeing a collision inevitable put engines full speed astern; almost! im- The steamer inediately collision occurred. proved to be the Oneo. A large hole being reported in the fore hold, I put engines full speed ahead for one minute, helm hard-a-port. and beached the ship on Pheasant Point; at the same time we called the Onuo to also beach ship, but received no reply. We lowered two lifeboats, the first leaving the ship five minutes after the collision, in charge of the second officer. The other host left shortly after in about half an hour, and reported finding no charge of the chief officer. They were away trace of the other steamer. I kept the boats alongside until daylight, when we saw the Onwoo
The Court of Inquiry held to investigate the circumstances attending the collision between the Onwo and the Newchwang find that the Onwo was throughout properly navigated by Captain Slessar, but the life-saving apparatus was disgraceful and completely inadequate. Captain Blessar did not realise the dangerous condition of his ship after the collision.
The Newchwang's master was solely in error by improperly starboarding when porting was required, but the Court finds great confusion between the official rule of the road and the local recommendations.
The Court severely censures Captain Hards for grave error of judgment, but does not deal with his certificate.
Messrs. Butterfield and Swire pay costs of
Court.
SHANGHAI, 7th May.
A Naval Court of Enquiry was opened to-day in H.B.M.'s Consulate, Shanghai, to enquire into the circumstances attending the disastrous collision at Woosung between the C. N. Co.'s steamer Newchwang and the I.-C. S. N. Co.'s steamer Onwo, which resulted in the sinking of the latter vessel on the 30th ult. with deplorable loss of life. The Court consisted of Lieut. Price Vaughan Lewis of H.M.S. .Spartan, Presid⚫nt; Mr. Bencraft Joly, H.B.M.'s Re· gister of Shipping, and Mr. Street, Master of the P. and O. 8. N. Co.'s steamer Ravenna, As- sessors. Mr. William Beil. Paymaster H.M.S. Spartan, asted as Clerk of the Court. The C.N. Company was represented by Captain John Whittle, Marine Superintendent, while Messrs. W. F. Laglis and Angus Sinclair (Marine Superintendent) watched the case on behalf of Messrs. Jardine, Matheson & Co. Mr. D. MoNeil was present as legal adviser for the owners of the Onwo. On the opening of the Court the summons calling it was read, with a letter from Messrs. Butterfield and Swire requesting that the Court should be held; also another from Sir Nicholas Hannen to Captain Winslow, of H.M.S. Spartan, to hold the enquiry.
sunk.
about
30 or
40 feet.
The President-Just mark on that chari
(produced) where the collision occurred, aud where you beached your vessel.
Captain Whittle asked to be allowed to pro- duce a chart of his own on a large scale, which was done.
By the Court-We were going half sed at the time, about 45 or 50 revolutions. Full speed revolutions are 68 to 72. I estimate the speed at about a knot and a half. At the exact moment of the collision our helm was hard. | a-starboard, We had been hard-a-starboard
about half a minute.
As soon the other steamer's red light we went hard. a-starboard. I was in charge of the helm self. Our lights were last looked to at mid- night, before the collision. I am quite sure they were burning brightly at the time.
as we suw
my.
By the Court-We struck the Onico about 10 or 15 feet from her stem on her port side. At that time the two ships were almost at right angles.
The President-Could you have ported your helm without running ashore or into other vessels than the Oniro?—Yes.
The President Did you hear any other whistle than your own?-No.
The President-What officers were on the bridge with you The chief officer.
The President- Have you passed as a pilot of the Woosung River?—No.
The President-Did you asenne you had the right of way coming up with the flood?—Yes.
The President On what authority? The Harbour Regulations for Woosung.
The President--Have you them here? Yes. (No. 49 special-read.)
notice to
By the Court-That is in the niarinors issued by the I.M. Customs.
Witness-I consider it a regulation. The President-You have always understood that there were local rules in force for the Woosung River?
Witness - Yes.
The President--Is there any penalty for breaking them?
Witness-I think not. President-What look-out, had you kept? Witness-The boatswain, carpenter, look-out man, and all the sailors.
President-Where were they stationed? Witness-The carpenter at the windlass, the boatswain at the anchor, and the crew standing by. President Did the look-out report the light? Witness-I cannot say exactly; there were so many lights. I do not know whether he reported that oue or not.
President-Describe the weather, the density of the night.
Witness-A. fine clear night with a clondy sky. The President-Was it a good night for seeing lights?
Witness-Yes, very good
The President-Was the moon shining? Witness-No, it was behind the clouds. It was not shining.
The President-Have you any complaint about the officers of your ship?
Witness-No, sir. The two officers went away in the boats and the third engineer was
below.
The President-From your experience in this collision can you advise anything as a safeguard against such an appalling accident happening again?
ship go one way at a time; vessels with the Witness--Only to keep ships back. Let oue
tide against them to wait below or above the bar till the others have passed.
T
Mariners No. 23 issued by the Coast Inspector The President-Then you consider Notice to
should become law and subject to penalty i
Witness-Yes.
The President--Did you see the lights of the steamers astern of you?
Witness-No, the steamers would be amongst the shipping at Woosung.
The President-You stated that you were only going two knots, with 45 to 50 revolutions. Witness-I am not quite sure about the re- volutions. I said about 45 or 50.
The President-What is your full speed ? Witness-Nine and a half to ten, full speed. The President (to Capt. Whittle)—Have you any question to ask?
Captain Whittle-I should like to ask Capt. Hards if he ever saw the red light of the Onwo till he saw the green light on the starboard bow. The President-You mean was the red light ever seen before the collision !
Captain Whittle-Yes.
Captain Hards-No; it was not seen till just before the collision.
Captain Whittle-As regards the dangers of navigation at that point, it has been asked
IT