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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
The Court-Have you any knowledge of what life-saving apparatus there is on board the Oura?
Witness-- Yes, six round life buoys, and I know of five or six cork jackets in the officers" rooms.
ships collided. The captain told me to see what damage was done and I reported a large hole forward. The captain said all right, he would put the ship on shore. The next order I got was to clear away the lifeboats. The second officer went in one and I in another. I pulled | in what I thought was the direction of the other The Court-Are the regulatious with refer- steamer, and when I got to the American flag-ence to Chinese similar to those in force at ship I turned my boat back and pulled towards | Hongkong for the Canton river steamers? the Harbour Master's station. I could see
Witness-I think not. another steamer going up the river, which I thought perhaps was the Owwo going back to Shanghai I returned to my own ship. I afterwards learned from one of the American boats that the other steamer had sunk. I heard no whistle except our own. I offered no suggestion to Captain Ilards with reference to the helm just before the collision ?
The Court-Did you make any remark to the captain with reference to the lights of the other ship?
Witness I do not remember whether I or the captain made the remark: He intends to pass on the starboard side of us; go half-spool,“ The Court-Did you speak to the captein just before the collision?
Witness--When she showed all her three lights I said. "Captain, there is going to he a collision."
The Court-You said nothing else ?* Witness-He said they Steg the I gines, and turned the helm to starboard and blew two blasts.
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Mr. AeNeil said he wished to draw the at- tention of the Court to the fact that section 267 of the Act defined passenger steamer as a steamship carrying passengers to or from any place within the United Kingdom.
The Court-Have you been on the coast a long time?
Witness Nearly five years.
The Court Can you say whether it is cus tomary for the Chinese passenger trade on the const wyl rivers to have any limit whatsoever to the number carriol, or do they crowd them in till they w stow no more?
Www Tiere is a lial at Swatow; they alles via uperfici) fret to wch Chinaman.
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Is there no lint in Shanghai ?
that I am aware of,
When yon left the Conan did you a well found ship in every
The Court-Do you know if there are any which the coups suldat rules governing the navigation of the Wod. : sung bar and river other than the internationa! · rule of the road.
Witness--Yes, a ship with the tide has the right of way.
The Court-Where is your authority? Witness-The regulation in the Pocket
Book."
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[May 21, 1896.
the collision would have been avoided if the engines had been stopped or reversed. Witness was au Upper Yangtsze pilot, not a Woosung river pilot. The telegraph was moved to slow at the time the collision took place. The wit- Dess was cross-examined by Captain Whittle as to the time at which the order to port was given.
Captain Whittle said he should like the Court to notice the contradictory answers given by the witness. He thought it useless to ask him any more questions as his evidence was worthless.
Captain Hards was re-called for the purpose of answering the following questions suggested by Mr. McNeill.
The Court-Have the masters of Messrs. Butterfield & Swire's steamers standing orders not to come up the Woosung river at night on a strong flood tile ?
Witness-No, there are no orders to that effect; the only orders we have are not to come through the shipping at Shanghai during the strength of the flood unless a twin screw. steamer.
The Court--What experience have you of the navigation of the Woosung river in com- mand of steamers ?
Witness --Two years and four months con- stantly coming here in command.
Chin Chang-ken, the headnau employed at the Harbour Master's office at Woosung. who was on duty at the time of collision, spoke to sing the. Gamu's red light as she passed the light bout.
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H&Kil! When I spott of the man the annual overhaul to ships, not au
-att- I Lang theo is an official Captain Crond was called as an expert. He in shanglai. Capida Parkyr, but I said the e-commenktion, issued by the Coust met help under 2. I believe he Inspector were unt considered and used by pilots and explains of stermeis in preference to the to Tag Vì Maybe gold he did a think Captrin internationl rule of the real.sar le whistle Pain:
nis Playas was devem į signes m te generally used and obeyed in the nord for
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2. Jardine, ! The Court-It is clearly your opinion then av in.or.ution - that the vessel with the ti- caunot claim the
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The witness marked the position of the two ships on the chart and said the ships were gion - Dad to green for three minutes before the r Vision.
Mr. A. McLaughlin, soul officer of the Newchwang, was called. 1.e said he was bel- w, asleep. at the time of the collision. He gave evidence as to the launching of the heats and, for vessels, except then the efforts made to render assistance. H› did not see the Ouro sink or hear or observe any signals of distress.
Captain Richard Johns, formerly master of the Onico, was next examined.
The Court How leur is it since yon left the Onwo!
Witness-I left her on the 28th. I was in command of her nearly five moutlis.
The Court--When was the Oralast surveyed?, Witness Before I last joined her. The Court-What is the custon about the survey of the river steamers ?
Witness-Every twelve months.
The Court-How many passengers had you
a certificate to carry ?
Witness-I could not say,
The Court-Had you any certificate? Witness-I could not say.
The Court-Have you ever seen a certificate or report of survey of the Unico when in com- mand of her
sworu.
The Couri Are you i.
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I am the British & overment sur- veyor appeántial by the Minister at Peking for the port of Shanghai,
The Court Whist governs the Chinese pas- seng traffic carried in British ships working from Shanghai, both as regards numbers to be curriel and lifesaving apparatus on board?
Witness The owners' pleasure.
The Court--- Is there any compulsory official survey of British vessels working from Shanghai? Witness - Nd, with one exception only. namely, a registration of a British ship.
The Court Docs the survey for registration include the space for passenger accommodation ?
Witness-- No.
Mr. A. Small. second engineer of the Onwo. said- At the time of the collision I was in bed. I was awakened by the collision and went im- Witness I could not remember whether Imediately below to the engine-room. While have seen it before.
down in the engine-room the ship took a heavy list and I immediately came up again, through the stake-hol, as I could not get out through the engine-room door as it was crowded by pas- ¦ seugers, and perhaps some of the crew. When
The Court--Do the river steamers sailing under the British flag come under the British Merchant Shipping Act?
Witness-Do you mean the same rules as are in force in Hongkong?
The Court-My question is very simple, think. (Repeated.)
Witness-I cannot say.
The Court-As captain of the Onico did you consider you had the authority the Merchant Shipping Act gives to masters of ressels.
Witness-Yes.
The Court-Then you are aware of article 283 of the Merchant Shipping Act?
Witness (after reading the article)—I did not think that referred to Chinese passengers on the river steamers,
The Court-Had you such a certificate on! board?
Witness-No, not that I am aware of. The Court-At what limit did you stop tak- ing Chinese passengers?
Witness-I never had an opportunity of getting more than 320 or 350.
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I got ou dock the ship had a very heavy list I and the large water jars capsized ånd knocked ine down. I got up and managed to get hold of the rail. 1 gbt ontside of the rail and got gradually dowù nutil I was standing on the guard. Where I remained until the ship went down from nuder me. I was eventually picked up by a buat belonging to the Olympic. There was no one in the engine-room when I got be- low. I should say that would be ten minutes after the collision. The engines were stopped.
· Fong, the Chinese pilot of the Ouwo. was then He said the captain, not witness, was taking the ship down the river. He saw the lights of the Newchwang when the Owo was at the light hoat. first of all a red light.
It then green light.
it
WAS not quite a minute after seeing the red light that the green light appeared. The telegraph was not mored before the collision. He did not think
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way?
Witness-- No, she carrot clair it; there is no law to allow her to claim it.
The Court - On the river is it generally given to herk
Witress L can only sper for myself. If gog do in the river 1 knew there was a vessel ceg up, by sound of a whistle. i have stopped
dabwed that vessel coming up on the flood to cross bar, but I do not think that is com- pulsory. Other men have also adopted that rule. The Court-Would it improve matters if it were compulsory?
Witness-I am of that opinion; it would improve then greatly.
Captain Henry George Suttonwas also called as an expert. He saidthe recommendations con- tained in the "Pocket Book were recognised by all pilots, and as far as he knew by all coasting captains using the port.
The Court-You understood the question was, in preference to the international rule of the road?
Witness According to my experience you cannot always go by the rule of the road in the river. If those recommendations in, that book are followed out I-think there would be very few collisions on this river.
The Court-Then why do not the pilots get them made law?
Witness-The pilots have not a word to say about it.
The Court-Has any authority power over the pilotage of the river?
Witness-Yes, the Harbour Master. The Court-Is that a recognised thing? Witness Yes,
The Court Has the Harbour Master power to suspend a pilot or coasting captain ?
Witness--I do not know his power over a coasting captain, but he has power to suspend a then uppeal to his pilot, but the pilot can Consul.
The Court-If such is the case, the Harbour Master's recommendations are law, because he can enforce a penalty for neglect to carry them out?
Witness-Yes.
The Court The Court wish your opinion on this point particularly-In the river are the international laws of the rule of the road paramount to any others?
Witness I think if I understand the rules