1
November 16, 1903.}
was a tiresome hour's beat home against a wind dead ahead. The result was as follows:-
#
Vernon Aileen Dione Elspeth
H. M. 8. 3 42 43 3 58
4
10 -58
4 23. 4 The course being ten miles long, the average speed of Vernon would be a little more than 22/3rd miles per hour
ROYAL HONGKONG GOLF CLUB.
CAPTAIN'S CUP.
The following cards were returned for this competition from the 7th November to 9th, November :--
Mr. J. Douglas Capt. Radford
71 71
83
—
12
86
15
Mr. H. W. Slade
93
18
75
Mr. K. MoK. Ross
90
14 76
Mr. A. C. Butt
95
18
Mr. W. J. Saunders
94
15
79
Mr. E. J. Grist
84
3
81
Mr. E. V. D. Parr..
96
15
81
Mr. A. J. Williams
96
15
81
Mr. C. E. H. Reavis
82
scr.
82
Mr. N. J. Stabb
97
Mr. J. Rodgers
Dr. Urew
14 83 101 16 85 99 10 89
31 entries. POOL. There were 20 entries for the Pool, with the following result :-
Mr. Douglas Capt. Radford
:-
83 12 86 15
BOWLING.
CLUB GERMANIA V. CANTON, The Germ in Club on the 9th inst took over a team of four bowlers to Canton and played a match on the Shameet against the Canton Club. The game was very exciting, as the home team led on the first two alleys, but some excellent bowling by the Germans at the end, coupled with a break down on the Canton side, gave the visitors from Hongkong a victory by 100 points. The Canton men intend to pay Hongkong a visit after the 12th prox. (when the Germans and the Hongkong Club meet) and play a return match. The scores were :-
CLUB GERMANIA
J. Waller
J. Wacker
A. Rombach
A. Thiessen ..
...785
.722
.638
...636
2831
CANTON,
O. Becker ...788 C. Allers ...701 P. Suedhaus 646 .596
E. Hug
2731 It is proposed to make the match a regular institution and have a challenge shield.
HOCKEY.
The H.K.H.C. yesterday met the 93rd Burmas, who put into the field a team contain ing 3 officers and 9 natives. The latter playel a good and exceedingly fast gante, and the Club could not hold them for long. Gray in goal saved a very hot shot early on the match, but when about 15 minutes had elapsed Simpson got one though for the Burmas, an example follow. ed very shortly by Indra Singh, who throughout
was excellent. At hf-time the score was 2 to nil against the Club, and soon after the recommencement a fine shot from the left wing beat Gray, who had every excuse for not stopping it. After this the Burmas had it all their own way in the gathering dusk, and added another 4 goals, finally wincing by goals
to nil,
THE "EMPRESS OF INDIA'S "
COLLISION CASE.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT. W. A. C. Platt for the defendant company.
Mr. White Cooper hauded in sa Admiralty chart of the coast of China near to Hongkong, and in reply to the court counsel said that he proposed to leave the Court to mark thereon the position of the wreck.
In H.B. Majesty's Supreme Court (in Admiralty) at Shanghai, on the 6th November, the case came on before His Honour Sir Hiram Shaw Wilkinson, Chief Justice, and Commander Moore, H.N., H.M.S. Sirius Naval Assessor, the Imperial Chinese Govern- ment, the owners of the cruiser Wong Tai v. the owners of the steamer Empress of India. Mr. A. 8. P. White Cooper and Mr. W. North Symonds appeared for the plaintiffs, and Mr. E. H. Sharp, K., of Hongko anand Mr.
His Lordship granted leave to counsel to correct two clerical errors in paragraph 4 of the petition, Mr. Sharp offering no objection.
Mr. White Cooper then read the following petition.
The petition of the plaintiff's shows as follows:-
1-Plaintiffs are the owners of the cruiser Wong Tai of 2,200 tous register, which at the time of the event hereafter referred to was on a voyage from Sh ghai to Hongkong and Canton manned by a crew of 178 hands all told, and carrying in addition to her proper armament guns and muuitions of war for the Imperial Military forces in Cautou and six passengers.
2.-Defendants are the owners of the British screw steamer Empress of India.
3.-The Wong Tai left Shanghai on the 3th August 1903 at about 12.15 a,m., anchored at Gutzlaff the first night, and next morning at 5 o'clock started agaiu. Anchored again at Fu Yan Island on the 15th August 1953 about p.m. and left on the 16th August 1903 at 7,30 a.m. and started for Hongkong.
4. At 10.38 p.m. on the 17th August 1903 sighted the Cape of Good Hope light, and at 10 54 sighted Breaker Point light proceeding at the rate of about nine kuols. The Wong Tai had her regulation lights properly fixed and burning brightly and a good lookout was being kept on board of her. The weather was dark bat clear. The course was west by south south, which would take the cruiser straight to Pedro Blanco Island. At about 10.45 p.m. the lights of a steamer astern were sight. d at a distance of about 8 or 9 miles. Those on watch saw the two misthead lights in a direct line. This steamer afterwards proved to be the British steamer Empress of India. There was
vessel ahead. The red and green lights of the Empress of India became visible concurrently when she was at a distance of about 2 or 3 miles. 5-The Empress of India was seen rapidly overtaking the craiser Wong Tui, and the Wong Tai kept her course without alteration until after the ellision occurred. The Empress of India did not alter her course or speed, but came straight on crashing the Wong Tai, strik ing the Wong Tai on the port quarter with her starboard bow and grazed along the side of the cruiser smashing her boats.
no
ANSWER.
301
In auswer to said petition the defendants say as follows:-
1. The defendants are the Canadian Pacific Railway Company whereof the head office is at Montreal in the Dominion of Canada. The de- fendants are the owners of the Royal Mail twin scrow steamship Empress of India, registered in London of 6,000 tons gross burden, and subsidised by the Commissioners of the Admiralty for service as an armed cruiser. At the time of the events hereinafter mentioned she
Was a voyage from Woosung to Hongkong, manned by a crew 233 hands all told. 2.-On Monday, 17th August 1903, at about 9.45 p.m. the Empress of India had just passed the Lamook Islands. The night was dark, the weather was fine, the wind was light: the Empress of India was proceeding at a speed of about 14 knots an hour through the water; ber regulation lights were duly exhibited and burn- ing brightly and a good lookout was being kept In th se circumstances, those on board observed at a distance ahead of about 8 miles & white light which proved to be the stern light of the Wong Tai
3. As the Empress of India proceeded, the white light gradually opened out on her starboard bow, until as she was about to pass the Wong Tai the white light suddenly began to el se in and the Wong Tai was observed to be turning to port across the course of the Empress of I did. Immediately thereafter the Wong Tai's red light appeared and (she continu. ing to swing round with great rapidity) her port bow struck the starboard side of the Empress of India near the break of the forecastle. When the Wong Tai changed her course as afore- said the Empress of India was heading in a direction divergent from the course of the Wong Tai, and if she had kept her course and speed the Empress of India would have passe her in ample safety at a distance away of quarter of a mile or thereabouts. The col- lisim occurred about 15 miles E. by S. of Break r Point at about 11,48 p.m.
4.-The Empress of India took all proper measures to avoid the collision and to minimise the force and effect of the impact, and to render assistance to the Wong Tai afterwards. In- mediately wh. n risk arose through the Wong T'ai changing her course as aforesaid, the Em press of India's helm was put hard a starboard and her port engine was reversed full speed, and those on board her. perceiving that collision could only then be avoided by the Wong Tai porting, repeatedly hailed her so to do. After the collision the Empress of India stood by the Wong Tui until she sank at two (2) next morn. ing, and the Empress of India remained at the scene of the collision for some hours afterwards.
Immediately after the collision the helm on the cruiser was put hard aport and the engines were stopped. The Wong Tai then sheered off to starboard and the Empress of India to port striking the cruiser with her starboard propell r and inflicting injuries to her which caused her 5. To those on board the Empress of India to ink in about two hours' time after the it seemed that the Wong Tai must have negli- collision, off Breaker Point position bears Ngen ly failed to observe, until close thereto, a 82 Mag., distance 15 miles. The collision occurred at about 11,50 p.m.
6. After the collision the Empress of India stopped at a distance of about two miles from the cruiser and stood by to render assistance.
7. The cruiser blew her whistle for assistance two large boats in which and in the boats of and the Empress sent a boat and subsequently the cruiser 166 out of the officers and crew and
five of the passengers were saved,
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8. The pumps of the cruiser were set to
juuk which was on her port bow, and that those in board the Wong Tai mast have lost all pre- sence of mind. The junk was not in the Wong Taïs way and if she changed her course for the junk, as was unnecessary, she ought to have ported instead of starboarding.
Tu
6-A good lookout was not kept on the Wong
7.-The Wong Tai, though the overtaken vessel, neglected to keep her course.
8.The Wong Tai improperly starboarded her helm.
work immediately after the collision, but the water gained on them rapidly, and at about 1.50 9.-The Wong Tai having starboarded her a.m. on the morning of the 18th August 19.3 helm as aforesaid, improperly persisted in swing- she heeled over and then sank by the sterning around to port, though such action rendered carrying down with her Commander Chee Fung the collision certain, and though the collision Yee, the 4th engineer, seven able-bodied seamen,
would have been avoided by the Wong Tai port- two boys and one stoker and one passenger.
ing. 9.—A good lookout was not kept on board the Empress previous to the collision.
Plaintiffs therefore pray,
1. That the plaintiffs have judgment against the defendants for the damage occasioned to them by reason of the collision and for costs.
2.—That the bail given by the defendants be in such damages and costs.
3. That the amount of such damages may be referred to the Registrar for his report.
4.-That the plaintiffs may have such further cr other relief as the nature of the case shall require.
Defendants to this petition are the Canadian Pacific Railway and Steamship Company.
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10-The Wong Tai improperly attempted to cross ahead of the Empress of India.
11.-The Wong Tai gave nò whistle or signal or warning of any kind to the Empress of Inaia to indicate the said change of course.
12. Both before and after the collision the Wong Tai was navigated in a reckless and im. proper manner.
18-Those on board the Wong Tai neglected to comply with the established practice of sea- manship and violated the principles of the general maritime law, and particularly of articles 21 and 29 of the "Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea."
(To be continued.)