470
CORRES ND NO.
[We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions expressed by our correspondents.]
THE UNVEILING OF HER MAJESTY'S STATUE.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE DAILY PRESS.
SIE, I have resided in Hongkong for nearly forty years, but I have never before seen a pageant in any way equal to that which we have been permitted to witness this evening. Surely very many were ignorant that we could muster such a display of troops. I was for What noble men, and what magnificent carriage! And how they all appeared to enjoy the spontaneous manifestations of approval on the march past! Truly it was fine, and wholesome withal.
one.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
Several appeared to be busy with cameras, but the prettiest picture of all seemed to be overlooked, viz., the view of the statue with the British and Indian Bands upon the steps. I should be sorry for this to be lost, as the statue is a little cold alone, but with the green decorations and the bright colours of the Bands it was simply charming. If Major the Hon. E. Noel and Major Retallick will allow of the Bands being again placed in position, and if Mr. Ford will allow the flowers to remain, I will gladly pay the cost of a photograph, which will be much valued by the Graphic and the Illustrated News and will serve as a
most pleasing memento of a matchless function. I inclose my card and am-Yours faithfully,
A LOYAL SUBJECT.
Hongkong 28th May, 1896.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE "DAILY, PRESS.
SIR, Having been in Canton for the past few days I had not the opportunity of inspect ing the Queen's statue on the New Reclama- tion until this afternoon. Signor Raggi has certainly turned ont a handsome memorial so far as his particular work is concerned, but what on earth did the Jubilee Committee mean
by ordering a bronze figure of Her Majesty and having ordered it, why did they have it stuck under a stone cauopy? From an artistic point of view the combination is ridiculous. But what will the Chinese think? Poor ignorant souls, they will leave the statue under the impression that we are governed by a Black Queen!--Yours faithfully.
HARMONY IN ART. Hongkong, 2nd June, 1896.
THE RULE OF THE ROAD ON THE WHANGPOO.
THE "NORMANDIE e. "PEKIN." In the Admiralty Court at Shanghai on the 26th May, Chief Justice Sir N. J. Hanven delivered judgment in the action brought by the owners of the Norwegian steamer Nor- mandie against the owners of the British steamer Pekin arising out of the collision in the Whangpoo River, on the morning of the 3rd April last.
His Lordship said-In this case the plaintiffs are Norwegian subjects and are the owners of the Normandie, a screw steamship of 625 tons register. The defendants are British subjects and are the owners of the l'ekin, a paddle-wheel steamship of about 2,232 tous register.
Shortly after 5 a.m, on the 3rd of April, 1896, the Normandie left her moorings in Section No. 2 opposite to the French Bund and proceeded down the River Whangpoo. The day was breaking and the weather was clear and calm, the tide was about three-quarters flood.
reason the Normandie would not answer the port helm, and a few minutes later the port bow of the Pekin came into, collision with the stem of the Normandie and both ships sustained considerable damage. After the collision the Normandie proceeded to the Old Dock and the Pekin was beached to save her from sinking.
When the ships were about 300 feet apart the Pekin reversed, having already stopped, and we are of opinion that at the time of the collision she must have been brought to a stand.
I am of opinion, and the Assessor agrees with me, that the Normandie is entirely to blame for the collision which ocurred. She did not keep to her proper side of the channel, she did not stop and reverse in time, and she did not, as the Assessor thinks she might have done, reverse and drop an anchor.
The Pekin in coming up the river chose the Pootung channel, and it is admitted that she had a right to do this. She came along the side of that channel which lay on her starboard side when she arrived at the point (the Old Dock buoy) where the two channels become one; she did what we consider she was right in doing --she ported her helm slightly to bring herself to entering. It was argued by Mr. Hanson that in doing this she contravened article 21 'inas- much as she did not keep her course.
the starboard side of the new channel she was
I am particularly anxious that the plain Rule of the Road that a ship shall keep to that side of the fairway which lies on her starboard side should not be overlaid with decisions which only confuso shipmasters in the difficult na- vigation of this river, and I think that if I gave weight to this contention I should be introducing an element of uncertainty which would make this river even more dangerous to navigate than it is now. The answer to Mr. Hanson's point seems to me to be this, when the Court speaks of the course of a ship they are usually referring to the course of a ship
at sea.
The case
This is almost always a straight line, but in a winding river it may be, and often is, any. thing but a straight line. Here the course of the Pekin after she passed the Old Dock buoy was not a straight line, but one slightly curving to starboard first and gradually coming round to port. This course she followed and there is no ground for saying that in any proper sense of the phrase she caused the collision. of the Corsica (IX: Wallace, 630) is quite distinguishable. The Corsica was there held to blame for change of her course, no doubt, but her proper course was a straight line, and she undoubtedly went out of that course and ran into the other vessel. Moreover, she did this, as stated in the judgment, "just before the collision."
SO.
But the Pekin's course was not a straight line after passing the Old Dock buoy and she took her proper course at once on passing it, and intimated by her whistle, which the Nor- mandic heard and understood that she was doing When she (the Pekin) did this there is evidence to show, and the Assessor advises me that it would have been quite possible for the Normandie to keep to the starboard side of the channel. If she was unable to do so it certainly was not the fault of the Pekin. The Norman- die's duty was to keep to that side. and we do not think that the evidence showed any justifi- cation for not doing so.
The spot where the collision took place is not in dispute, and it is impossible to look at it and not see that the Normandie was improperly na- vigated to bring her there.
I find that before the collision the l'ekin was not proceeding at an improper rate of speed and that she took all the measures she could, by stopping and reversing her engines, to avoid
the collision.
When the Normandie was nearly abreast of the Pekin Road and was preparing to round Pootung Point, a steamship, which afterwards proved to be the Pekin, was observed at a dis- I find that she did not disobey Articles 18, tance of about three-quarters of a mile coming 22, and 24 or any of the regulations for Pre- up stream in the middle of the river. In these venting Collisions at Sea. circumstances the master of the Normandie On the other hand I find that the Normandie ordered the helm of the Normandie to be star-improperly neglected to keep her right side of boarded with a view to taking the inner or the channel, to take measures to avoid a collision, Shanghai channel. At the same time two blasts to slacken speed, stop, and reverse in due time, of the Normandie's whistle were blown as a and disobeyed Articles 16, 18, 21, and 24 of the signal to the Pekin. Those on board the Pekin simultaneously blew one blast of her whistle. Thereupn the master of the Normandie imme- diately o dered her helm to be put hard-a-port and her engines full speed ahead, but for some
Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea; and I declare that the plaintiffs are liable for all damages and losses occasioned to the defendants by reason of the said collision and for the costs of this action.
[June 4, 1896,
PERILOUS FOYAGE OF THE
FEDERATION,” ·
PROPELLER BLADES ADRIFT IN THE HOLD,
The steamer Federation, chartered by the Messrs. Lauts, Wegener & Co. are the Hong- Koninklijke Paketvaart Maatschappij, for which kong agents, was caught in the recent typhoon off the coast of Japan and had an adventurous- voyage. We take the following account from the Kobe Herald of Saturday 23rd May :-
way in
The Federation, about which there was a good deal of anxiety yesterday, arrived in port this forenoon after one of the most perilous Indeed the story of the voyages recorded. stout little ship's experiences recalls the terrible adventures of the Bonnington and her plucky crew. How the ship succeeded in reaching When she port is little short of a miracle. port and was so much down by the stern that came in this morning she had a heavy list to her forefoot was practically out of water. This holds-water which had found its was due to the quantity of water in the after through the ugly, openings made in the sides aft by the propeller blades that got adrift dur- ing the storm. The ship left Yokohama at 2 p.m. on Tuesday last. She was then flying light, having discharged all her cargo (sugar) at Yokohama. Omaisaki was sighted at 1 a.m. on Wednesday. After this no land was sighted until Oshima was made out yesterday afternoon. The weather freshened at 7 a.m. on Wednesday. At noon a full gale was blowing, which con- tinued until early yesterday morning, the wind at times attaining terrific violence. on Wednesday there was a breakdown in the engine room. The ship fell off into the trough of the sea and commenced rolling heavily. While lying thus helpless in the trough of the sea four spare propeller blades, which were secured in the tween decks aft, broke away from their lashings, tearing away a stanchion and six ring-bolts to which they were secured. On the hatch being opened the propeller blades were seen to be knocking about from side to side, threatening every minute to carve an opening in the ship's side. There was nothing to be done but to renture below and try to secure the blades afresh. The captain, chief, second and third officers, the carpenter, and boatswain went
At 1 pm.
For
below to endeavour to secure the blades, and for the best part of four hours struggled with varying success. The position can be better imagined than described. Picture a large open space, the decks slippery with sugar refuse, four heavy pieces of metal being carried now this side, now that, as the vessel rolls, and only a few light stanchions and a wooden ladder to assist one in dodging the huge masses. It is strange that some of the men were not killed.
or three hours this unequal war two was waged and during that time the chief. officer was thrown badly against a stanchion, his shoulder blade being dislocated and one rib The carpenter, too, had two being broken. bones of one of his feet smashed, and the second officer had his leg injured. These accidents on Wednesday. occurred at about 4 p.m. Before that time, however, one of the blades fell through the open hold, whither the captain and chief officer followed it to secure it, in which undertaking they were successful. Even- tually one blade was secured in the 'tween decks and slung and lowered with the aid of the steam winch into the hold. Some time after 6 p.m. the other two blades fell into the hold. Before that, however, they had pierced a hole in the port side and knocked out two plates on As soon as the blades had the starboard side. been got out of the way efforts were made to patch up the gaps made on the starboard side, by driving in "baulks and wedges of wood with blankets, mattresses, et Long before this very necessary work could be effected immense quantities of water had found their way into the lower hold and 'tween decks, throwing the ship very much down by the stern. The breakdown in the engine room lasted between four and five hours. At about 6 p.m. the engines were once more set in motion. All day Thursday as well the ship was more or less at the mercy of the waves, though under steam, as it was impossible to keep her head on, the ship being so light. There was nothing to đọ but to run before the tempest. The pumps