Page
November 19, 1904.) ·
Wongkoi when the anchor was let go and ten
! feet when the break was applied.
After tiffin the former witness said he would like to point out that the minimum height for a ship to carry her mast-head light was 201t., not 40ft.
Leonard Jones, third officer of the Ujina, deposed: I hold a second mate's certificate. I was on the bri ge when the ship came through Sulphur Channel, attending to the engine room telegraph. I had no actual part in the navigation of the ship; the commander was on the bridge. I had to note the times of orders given to the engine room. Green Island Light was abeach about 7.25 p.m. Before entering Sulphur Channel we went to stations. posted the entries in the deck log. I was stand- ing on the bridge near the telegraph, half way between midships and the port side. I had never been in Hongkong before. We came through Sulphur Channel at full speed, but altered to half ahead at 7.34 p.m. About eight minutes after passing. Green Island Light I saw the lights of the vessel we afterwards collided with. I saw some white lights about two points on the port bow. When the vessel was ahead, the Captain said “She is showing a red light"; then I saw it. Up to that time I was not paying any particular attention. I went to the telegraph, heard three blasts, and the Captain gave the order full astern. That was at 7.37 p.m
At 7.39 p.m. the anchor was let go, and the collision occurred at 7.40 p.m. The Captain gave the order to port helm when the order was given to go astern. All the Captain's orders were in Hindustani; I understand some Hindustani, bridge Hindustani. I took the time from my own watch, corrected by the ship's time. After the order to go astern was given the bearing of the other ship did not alter. Our ship, therefore, was not moving, or she did not answer her helm. We struck; the shook was not very heavy. We backed out and proceeded to another anchorage.
Cross-examined, witness said: We took a pilot outside Sulphur Channel. After that the ship was navigated under the pilot's orders, a Chinese pilot. From stations until the ship was anchored, at about eight o'clock, I made all the notes.
It was mentioned that the Ujina's lor-books in Court were the chief officers log, the official log, and a copy of the engine room log-not the rough deck log. Hon. E. H. Sharp said it would be more satisfactory to have all the log books. The others, however, were on the ship, nd the ship was at Mauritius.
Continuing, witness said he did not notice another ship immédiately previous, but they. passed one five or six minutes before.
Hon. E. H. Sharp-What do you mean by “7.29 pm. put engines full astern and let go anchor," an entry in the log?
The log was produced and Mr. Slade explain. ed that the figures should be reversed.
Witness was not able to say whether the Wongkoi moved or not during the time he saw her. During the latter three minutes before the collision there was no perceptible alteration in the bearing of the Wongkoi. The order to go astern was promptly carried out by the engine room, and he felt the vibration of the Vessel thereby caused. The Ujina was deep loaded. He was not able to give an opinion about the ship being low powered.
Mr Slade said she was low powered, an eight or nine knot vessel.
Hon. E. H: Sharp asked if for the three minutes after, the engines being altered from full to half speed there was much difference in speed-did she carry her way?
The Hon. Barnes-Lawrence was consulted;
he said there would not be much difference.
Witness said he had an impression that after hearing the three blasts he heard a sound as if of anchoring coming from the direction in which the Wongkoi was lying.
His Lordship-Could you have mistaken the
·light of the red buoy in that locality P
Witness-Impossible.
His Lordship Was it an optical illusion ? Witness-No, My Lord, not that. We saw the red light practically up to the time of colli-
The Chief Officer was recalled and gave evidence regarding the log-book; and the red light on the fairway buoy.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
Robert Campbell, the chief engineer, was sworn. He is now the chief engineer of the 5.8. Pentacota, of the same company. He said the Ujina had the ordinary horse power of a cargo steamer and gave other evidence regarding the engines, which were first class. It would take from fifteen to twenty-five seconds to reverse the engines from ahead to astern. When the engines were reversed they were opened right out. After the collision he saw the water being churned up by the Wongkoi's propeller. He had seen the red light in question and took it to be the port light of a vessel.
#
Cross-examined, witness said the normal full-speed" would be 8 to 9 knots, but after he received half-an-hour's notice before stopping steam was allowed to go down, making a difference of about half-a-knot in the "full speed." The "half speed' would be 6 kuots. It took three to three and a half minutes to stop the vessel, when going at half speed.
James Boyd, the third engineer, corroborated the chief-engineer's statements. He was not looking to see which way the churned-up water of the Wonoksi was travelling. He simply observed that the propeller was moving.
The Court was adjourned.
Tuesday, 15th November.
In Admiralty JURISDICTION.
BEFORE SIR H. S. BERKELEY (CHIEF JUSTICE AND CAPT. HON. BARNES-LAWRENCE R.N. (NAUTICAL Ássessor)
L
ND L. 8.8. "WONGKOI" v. B.I. 8.8. UJINA. This consolidated action-as the result of a collision between the Norddeutscher Lloyd 8. N. Co... as owners of the 8.8. Wongkoi, and the British India S. N. Co., as owners of the 8.8. Ujina—was continued. As before the Hon. E. H. Sharp, K.C., instructed by Mr. Gedge (solicitor, of Messrs. Johnson Stokes and Waster) appeared for the V.D.L., and Mr. M. W. Sla le barrister), instructed by Mr. John Hastings (solicitor), for the B I. S. N. Co. The Ujina's four urgent" witnesses having been taken on the previous day. His Lordship took the Wongkoi a "argent" witnesSES.
Mr. Slade-I have arranged with my friend, my Lord, to call one more witness for the Ujina, who cannot stay in the Colony; and I would like to make an application that a surveyor be allowed to report on the Wongkoi's damage.
His Lordship (to Hoa. E. H. Sharp)—I consent
Hon. E. H. Sharp-I have no objection, my Lord.
Alfred James Whittingham, second officer of the Ujina, gave corroborative evidence. The riding light he said appeared to be on the flag- staff, about fifteen feet above the level of the poop deck. It was above the awning which he could see by the glare of the riding light.
THE WONGKOI'S CASE. Capt. J. V. Broom, of the N.D.L. s.8. Wongkoi, having been sworn said:-I have held a master's certificate since 1895, and I have been in these seas about twenty years, mostly in steam but also in sail. I have been hundreds of times at Hongkong, where, as a matter of fact, I live. I always navigate my own ship myself, but I always take a pilot if I can get one to tell me what anchorages are free-not to navigate my ship. The Wongkoi's registered tonnage is 1,115; gross, 1,777. I was coming up from Bangkok, and enter-d the harbour on the evening of the 3rd August. I passed the Ujina outside Hongkong, near a good distance Lamma Island. She was going ahead, but I think she had slowed down to pick up a pilot. I entered by Sulphur Channel, Island Light at about passing Green
28. p.m.
I am not sure about the time; the second officer noted the entries. When just abeam of a small island inside of Green Island I met some junks, sailing, and had to alter my course northward to clear various junks, going to the northwards on several occasions. My course was N.55 E., heading for my anchorage; I did not change my course any more. At Green Island I rang up to "stand by" in the About a minute later I put her engine room. on slow, and went thus for about five minutes when I stopped my engines altogether. After coming to my anchorage, I gave the order
· Half speed astern" with my engines to take
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anchor, to
the speed out of my ship. When I gave the order, however, the ship was hardly moving. My engine went astern just a touch, half or quarter of a minute. I then stopped the engines. A little later I ordered “Full astern, and this order was carried out This was
anchor when let go I tighten up my then whistled, three times and let go my anchor. The engines continued working little after letting go the straighten the chain and make the an- chor hold. The port anchor was the one dropped. I stopped the engines about half a minute later, when the chief officer, forward, informed me that the chain was tight, and the anchor holding. Going astern with the engines sent the ship's stern swinging towards the west. When I entered Sulphur Channel the Ujina was about a mile behind on my starboard quarter. My second officer was with me on the bridge. The chief officer also on the bridge till the engines remained
Green Island- slow-naide
were put to
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when he went to the forecastle head. quartermaster was steering the ship; my wheel is an open wheel. Two men were stationed on the bridge to take in my sidelights, which are just outside the weather-cloth on the bridge, my ship being enclosed with weather cloth. The boatswain carpenter and sailors were with One man the chief officer on the forecastle. was aft, standing by the stern and riding light. The second officer always works my telegraph, I was on my course for the anchorage. I saw the Ujina when she entered the Sulphur Channel, I noted her because I knew she was coming She bore about two points in behind us. abaft my starboard beam when I anchored. By the time I dropped anchor my ship
When she finally had begun to swing.
after the collision, she was pulled up, heading towards Hongkong. I looked at the Ujina, using glasses all the time. I could make her out plainly; she was a quarter to half a mile away when the anchor was dropped. By the appearance of the Ujina's lights I should say she was heading to go between the Brunhilda and the land. Th, Brunhilda was lying between me and the land, about 300 yards away. I should say the Ujina's course I looked was nearly parallel to our course. carefully at her before dropping the anchor was any danger I never thought there of a collision with her; if she had kept on the course she was on then she would have passed about half-a-mile from me, or at any rate amply
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clear.
His Lordship-Have you any witness from the Brunhilda?
Hon. E. H. Sharp-Fortunately, my Lord, we have. She is a Union steamer.
Witness continuing-The Brunhilda was the only other ship in that vicinity. There were other ships about, but they were not in my route. I blew three blasts on my whistle to tell any sampans or craft about that I was putting I would rather leave it my ship astern. to the log to say when I anchored. As soon 08 I gave the order to let go the anchor all the navigating lights were taken in, and the riding lights were hoisted. The second officer was standing by the telegraph, a little on the starboard side of midships; I was standing a little on the port of midships. The side-lights are level with the deck of the ship. They were taken in promptly, and the rule of the ship is that the lamps are to be blown out promptly as soon as they are taken in. I saw the lamp blown out, and the man passed me when taking it to the lamp-room, down below on the port side. It was blown out before he car it. I have seen side-lights taken away alight, but the rule of my ship is to do otherwise. do not know the general practice. It is the practice on some steamers to carry away the lamp before the lights are blown out. There are two approaches from the bridge te on each side.. to the lower deck, one If the light had been carried down to starboard side alight it could have the
Scrosa the ship, but I saw been seen it blown out aud carried down the port ladder, The bottom of the ladder is quite close to the lamp room. If a man went down by the port ladder and wanted to get on the starboard aide he would have to walk right around the deck. When I dropped my anchor I saw the Ugina's red and mast-head lights, and the mast-head
carried