May 21, 1896.]
entrance to the straits. I was not called at the time expected and was only aroused by the ship giving a list. There was no shock, only a list. As soon as I felt the movement of the ship rushed on the bridge and found the second .officer and the pilot there. I asked the second officer how he got the ship on shore; did he not see the land ahead? The pilot and the officer were arguing as to who was wrong, and I told them to stop the talking at once and see to the ship. The engines at that time were going full speed astern. I ordered the holds to be sounded at once. I asked the second officer why he did not call me and he replied that he did not know the ship was in any danger; he said he had called the pilot several times, but he would not get up, saying the ship was all right. I then called the chief officer an ordered him to sound round the ship, and we found that it was a sandy bottom, with a slope from forward to about the mainmast. There was apparently a bank of mud, as the soundings were soft from the funnel to the mainmast, and she evidently ran through this mud on to the sandbank. I tried the engines for some time and asked the pilot what the state of the tide was. He said nearly high water. I then stopped the engines, finding the ship was too hard on the ground. I pumped out hold Nos. 4 and 5 to lighten her forward and pumped the aft ballast tank out at the same time. I also shifted about 105 tons of rice. The ballast tank contains about 120 tons of water. We then tried her again at next high water. At 11.30 a.m. on the 1st May the tide was rising and we expected high water at one o'clock. At 11.30 the engines were put full speed astern. The ship refusing to move, we stopped the engines and prepared to lighten the ship. The holds were sounded continuously, but we found that they were making no water. I got coolies off at 10 o'clock that night and commenced to discharge the cargo into lighters, and at 6 a.m. on the 2nd May we ran out the kedge on the starboard quarter with a three inch steel hawser aud'hove it taut. At 11.55 we went full speed astern with the engines again, but the ship refused to move. We continued discharging until 2.27 on the morning of the 5th, when the ship suddenly floated. After coming off she made no water. We took in cargo again until 11.10 a.m. on the 6th inst. and at 12 o'clock the same day weighed anchor and proceeded to Moji; anchored in Moji barbour on 7th at 5.55 a.m. and left the same day for Hongkong, where we arrived on the morning of the 12th inst. The ship made no water on the passage. We went into dock on the day of arrival, but the vessel has received absolutely no damage; the mud bank must have saved her. We are now loading for Australia. In cross-examination by the Court witness said he had made the passage through the Inland Sea three or four times a year for the last six years. He always took the same pilot that was with him on this occasion. The pilot's name was F. Bischoff, of German nationality. The ship was in navigating charge of the pilot when he (the captain) was off the bridge, but he never left the lower bridge as he would there be in readiness if called at any time.
Thomas Attwood, the second officer, was then called and said he held a chief mate's certificate. He had been on the Menmuir for three years and had been throngh the Inland Sea about four times a year. He relieved the third officer at twelve o'clock on the 30th April. He had orders that the pilot was to be called when the island on the port bow was nearly abeam. The course given him was W.S.W. by the compass. At 2 o'clock he called the pilot and asked him if the course should not be altered and he replied, "No, she is going all right." At sixteen minutes past two I called him again, as I thought we were getting too close to land. He got up then, looked at the land, and said "Where are we?" He told the man at the wheel to put the hand hard a port. Witness told him he thought he had better give full speed astern, but as he did not reply he rang the telegraph "full speed astern" himself. Almost immediately the ship struck and he then went down and called the captain, who .was in the chart room. When they went on the bridge again the pilot said it was all the second officer's fault for not " 'rolling" him out of the chair.
The following was the finding of the Court :-
|
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
431
Mr. R. K. Leigh, as a practical engineer, said he saw no reason whatever why a bamboo protection should not be put up.
He was perfectly aware that the tenure of the ground was uncertain, but so was the life of bamboo. He thought bamboo would keep out a good deal of the filth and all the jelly fish at any rate it did
so in his swimming days. He also saw no reason why extra sheds should not be erected. aware that the remaining timber work of the structure was very weak, but a Chinaman was very hard to beat in his way of fixing up a lot for nothing.
He was
The Chairman said the matter would be considered by the new Bath-house Committee, who would take it as an instruction to go into. the matter to see what could be done.
Mr. Fredericks said no provision had been made for single sculls, and Mr. Adamson, in reply, said "tooth-picks" were, in the rowing clubs he had been connected with, bought by those members who wanted them. They were very fragile and expensive and had to be specially made for those people who used them.
We find that the British steamship Menmuir, filth even if a bamboo protection were erected. 77,120, of which Hugh Craig was master, the A voice: It would keep out the jelly fish]. number of whose certificate as master is 93,119, | If the work was undertaken the Committee left Kobe on the 30th April bound for Hong-would be hauled over the coals next year for kong, having passed the Inland Sea of Japan. improving things which were going to be swept That having passed Ten Foot Rock light at away. the entrance to Bingo waters and the night being fine, at midnight the master. who had been on the bridge up to that time, went to his cabin on the lower bridge to lie down, trusting to well known orders of a general description that he would be called when the narrow waters of the Kunashima shoal were reached, and leaving the European pilot, who had made the voyage repeatedly before in the Menmuir. in charge of the navigation. The second officer 85 On watch and understood the general orders that the captain was to be called when the ship got into narrow waters. That the pilot went to sleep in a cabin on the bridge. leaving word with the second officer to call him at a certain time, and that he was so called; that he altered the course and the again went to sleep. That at about 2 am. the second officer beening uneasy about the position of the ship and be called the pilot, who explained himself in a way that reassured the second officer; but a quarter of an hour after this he again called him and then it was too late, for before the course could be altered or speed stopped the ship was on shore. The casualty was directly due to the negligence of the licensed European pilet. who was called by the officer of; the watch when the ship had run her distance from the time of the last observation, but seeing the special circumstances of the case when the ship was steering stem on to land with a pro- spective alteration of course of alt right 1oints, which could only be made after the land ahead had been approached to within about two miles, the Court is of opinion that more definitive orders should have been given with reference: to calling the master, and knowing that the speed was regular the master should have lit orders to be called at a certain hour. The Court is further of opinion that had the second officer, who was ou watch, displayed a sufficient amount of interest in the navigation of the ship to canse him to consult the chart when doubts had arisen in his mind he would pro- bably now have been entitled to the credit of having averted the casualty. The ship sus- tained no damage, and, with the exception of the above, appears to have been navigated in a proper and scamanlike manner. The Court does not deal with the certificate of the master or officer. The Court is of opinion that the atten- tion of the licensing authority at Kobe for pilots for the Luland Sea might with advantage be called to the opinion they have expressed with regard to the negligence of the pilot Bischof, who was in pilot charge of the Menmuir at the time of the casualty.
VIC ORIA RECREATION CLUB.
ANNUAL MEETING.
The annual meeting of the members of the Victoria Recreation Club was held in the Gymnasium of the Club on the 15th May. Hon. Commander W. C. H. Hastings presided and there was a large attendance.
The Chairman, in moving the adoption of the report and accounts, drew attention to the balance sheet, which showed a balance of 82,166.36, or $746 over that of 1894. The work- ing and other accounts were healthy and the membership had considerably increased.
Mr. Hayward seconded.
Mr. Reid called attention to the state of the bath and said that while money had been spent ou other departments of the Club no money had been spent on the bath, which was used by the majority of members, for three years. The bath was really dangerous to swimmers as there was nothing to prevent filth and jelly fish getting into the water. The bath ought to be put into a fit state to swim in.
Mr. Machell, ou behalf of the Bath-house Committes. said nothing had been suggested for the improvement of the bath.
Mr. Reid suggested the erection of a bumboo shield round the bath. The cost would not be much.
Mr. Machell said any practical engineer or any one with any constructive ability knew that it was impossible to keep out refuse and
|
The Chairman said a special meeting could be called to consider this matter if members wished it.
The report was adopted.
The Chairman was unanimously re-elected for the onsning year, and Mr. W. Armstrong was appointed hon. secretary and Mr. G. H. Potts hon. treasurer.
The following general committee was elected Messrs. Lammert, Caldwell, Adamson, Leigh, Machell, Denison, Souza, Reid, and Bischoff. The balloting committee was also elected. On the motion of Mr. Adamson a hearty vote of thanks was passed to Mr. Sanders, the late hon. secretary of the Club, for the valuable services he had rendered to the Club during his term of office..
The question of the steward's salary cropped up and a member suggested an increase. The matter was referred to the Committee.
A vote of thanks to the Chairman concluded the proceedings.
A. S. WATSON AND CO., LIMITED.
The following is the report of the General Manager for the year ending 31st December, 185. for presentation to the shareholders at the eleventh annual ordinary general meeting of the Company to be held at the Hongkong Dispensary on Thursday, the 21st inst., at 12 o'clock. noon :---
To the shareholders of Ai S. Watson & Co.,
Limited.
Gentlemen--I beg to lay before you а statement of the Company's business, with a balance sheet for the year ending the 31st December, 1895.
The net profits of the Company for the twelve mouths under review, after paying all charges, including en ral Management, and providing for all bad and doubtfur debts, and with the addition of $7,613.19 brought forward from last year. amount to
$79,883.72
From this there has been written off for depreciation of furniture, fittings, utensils of trade, machinery, steam launch, and buildings
4,868.53
Leaving au available balance of $75,015.44
We paid an interim dividend of 5 per cent. in November last, absorbing.
...$30,000.00 And I now propose :-
To pay a further dividend of 5 per cent. (making 10 per cent. for the year), which will absorb
30,000.00 To place to the credit of permanent reserve fund ..
7,000.00 To carry forward to 1896 account 8,015.44.
$75,015.44
The amount of $100,000 paid for the good* · will and trade marks, which has stood as an asset in the books of the Company since its formation, has been written off from permanent
..
f