Did you never hear that evidence was given by some one who was going away --Oh, yes.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND Tung" for $500 for damages resulting from a collision was resumed.
Did you ever hear that he said that your bow Mr. M. Slade, instructed by Mr. R. Harding, never came further forward than our wheel-conducted the case for plaintiffs, and Mr. E. H. honse -I am sorry to say he knows nothing Sharp, K.C., instructed by Mr. H. J. Gedge (of about the shi".
Messrs. Johnson, Stokes and Master), appeared for defendants.
Did yon over hear that ?—Yes. Re-examined-You were asked about signals. Did the "Kwang Tang” give you any signals?
-No.
+
It was said you did not stand by ?-It would have been dangerous to have stopped.
Why --I would have drifted, among the junks. Besides I had a passenger to land.
William Stanfield, chief engineer on board the "Tai On" gave evidence as to times of stopping and starting the engines.
Tang Sing, at present chief pilot on the "San Cheng," and formerly on the “Tai On" denied that that vessel had been sheering prior to the collision as alleged, nor did she change her course after she had passed the "Kwang The place was narrow and shallow Tung” where the "Kwang Tung" tried to cross the bow of the "Tai On.
"
The quartermaster of the Tai On" gave corroborative evidence.
This concluded the case for the plaintiffs Mr. Sharp opened the case for the defendants. He said that the" Kwang Tung" left Hongkong at 9. o'clock, and about 12.30 the " Tai On" was sighted well ahead. Some time after that the Kwang Tung" which had been going full speed, slowed a little, there being plenty of time to spare. The " Kwang Tang" passed the "Tai On" near Tiger Is and about 1.30 and from then until the collision the
*
"Kwang Tung" remained in front at varying distances. The "Tai On" fell behind. About 5.10 Kwang Tung" passed - or a little earlier the
the Whampoa barrier, by which time the "Tai On" was about half a mile astern. She gradually overhauled the "Kwang Tung," but Captain Walker thought nothing of this, as it was usual for steamers to congregate there and enter Canton in a procession. He assumed that the Tai On" would slow up and it did not occur to him that she intended to pass him. Not till a few minutes later did be realise this and
45
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then it was too late for him to do anything. About 5.20 the Tai On" came close to the "Kwing Tung" and rapidly began to overlap her on her port quarter. There had been some misunderstanding as to the sheering. What they meant was that the wash from the vessel in front caused the bow of the 'Tai On" to swerve, and her helm brought it up again. Captain Walker feared this oscillation would bring the "Tai On" into bim and so he properly quickened his speed and went ahead. What occurred | after the collision was common ground between the parties. It took place at the narrowest part of the channel, below the Salt Commissioner's yamen, and the effect of it was to force the bow of the "Kwang Tung" round to port, put her across the river almost at an angle of 45 degrees, and though her engines were immediately reversed she ran into the junks atead. Had it not been that she broke this junk she would have ran aground, as she had full speed. The crucial question was very simple. The "Kwang Tang's" case was that the collision was caused by the "Tai On" which throughout was the overtaking vessel and never passed clear of the "Kwang Tung
The evidence of Reginald George Lewis, railway engineer, a passenger on the "Kwang on the night in question, taken on com- Tung mission, was read. He stated that the bow of the overtaking steamer, the “Tai On,” was never level with the bow of the "Kwang Tung' The "Tai On" struck the latter on the stern with her bow and altered her direction, causing her to ram the junk.
The case was adjourned.
Tuesday, January 16th.
IN ADMIRALTY JURISDICTION,
BEFORE SIR FRANCIS PIGGOTT (CHIRF JUSTICE) WITH Captain MorrISON AS NAUTICAL ASSESSOR.
THE YIK ON 58. CO. r. OWNERS OF
**WANG TONG.” The hearing of the action in which the Yik
On 8.8. Co. sued the Owners of the “Kwang
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Captain Walker, of the "Kwang Tung," detailed the events of the night in question. He came on the bridge at 12.30 and was in charge of the ship up till the time of the collision. At 12.45 he eased her to three- quarter speed until they reached Canton. He saw the "Tai On "at 12.30 some distance ahead aud he passed her about three quarters of an hour later. At the Whampoa barrier the Tai On was still behind, although she had been She continued gradually drawing nearer. overhauling and caught up the "Kwang Tung" at 5 20. Witness was then on tho starboard side of the river and the navigable channel. The "Tai On" was heading on to the stern of the "Kwang Tung" in coming across from the north bank. Had she o ntinued that course she would have struck his vessel on the port quarter. As the "Tai On" drew nearer he considered this was dangerous and he ordered fall speed in order to avert danger.
was only
To his Lordship-The "Tai On doing what the "Kwang Tung" had done.
Witness then described the collision. The bow of the "Tai On" was a little behind that of the "Kwang Tung" and she never got forward of that position. The "Tai On" fell as- tern until her bow was only overlapping a few feet. Then she began to sheer and in the third sheer her bow struck his ship on the stern, forcing his bow round. Immediately he felt the collision he ordered full speed astern and the helm was put hard aport, but it had no with a junk. Had that nuk not been there the effect upon the ship's head and the vessel collided
"Kwang Tung" would bakeran aground. When the " Tai On first approached the " Kwang he did not think she intended to pass, because it was customary for an overtaking ship to blow blasts indicating to the overtaken ship on which side she intended to pass. Just before the collision the Tai On" was in the middle of the stream, and had she remained in that course she would have run into the junks. According the collision was she ever ahead of the "Kwang Tung."
Tang
**
1*
ly she altered her course, but at no time before
Cross-examined- The collision took place about 500 or 600 feet from the yamen, although the
Tai On" canght him up a little less than a mile from the yamen. At the time he was over taken by the " Tai On" his ship was travelling at half speed, as it had been since 1 o'clock. He passed the "Tai On" when the "Kwang Tung" was at half speed and he passed the barrier about 5-10. Between Tiger Island and Whampoa he bad gained several miles on the "Tai On," being two or three miles ahead of her. Counsel read the evidence of Mr. Lewis and asked witness if his helm was not ported when the collision occurred. The reply was that the helm was ported when the collision occurred.
I think you stated that if the “Tai On" had continued the course in which she was at the time she would have run into the junks ?-Yes,
If you had continued the course in which you were then-both ships being parallel-you would also have run into the junks? -Yes.
Tai
Therefore I put it to you that, quite properly, you ported your helm so as to give the On" more room and also to get to the starboard side of the channel-before the collision. I mean ?-At the moment I saw the "Tai On swing towards us I told the man to port the helm,
Having in view the fact that the two ships were, in other words, racing for this narrow neck, as it not your duty to give as much room as possible to the “Tai On ?”—I gave the “Tai On" as much room as possible in the
circumstances. į
His Lordship--He does not admit, of course, be was racing.
Mr. Sharp-My friend only says— Mr. Slade-You were racing, were you not? -No.
You were trying to get ahead of the "Tai On?"-I had on full speed.
To get ahead of her and keep ahead of her?
· No.
January 22, 1906
You did not put on full speed until the other ship had overlapped you -She was just on my quarter then.
Anyway, you were steaming as fast as you could for this narrow entrance, trying to get into it before the "Tai On?! -That was the reason I altered my speed to full speed.
Yes-To get away from her ?
And get into Canton before her Not necessarily..
I fake it from your log P-I have stated so. That was in your mind at the time?—I had to give some general reason.
You agree that the “Tai On"
was as close to the bank as she could safely go?-She was about 100 feet from the bank.
It would not be safer for her to go any oloser ?-No.
Both ships were, steering the same course, The Tai Qa was steering course which would sooner or later bring her into the junks?
-Yes.
You were coming across the river. Didn't you port your helm to make straight along the navigable channel P-I had hardly come to that position.
Isuggest that you did in fact port, and that that brought your helm opposite the “Tai On's" bow?—I did not port enough for that.
You say, the Tai On" turned right up into you? Yes.
1
She was right away aft, almost astern of You know you were coming into the very Jon-Yes, on my quarter. narrow channel P-Yes.
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And were you looking at your course or the ship astera?—I was walking about, looking to either side
You stated that the "Tai On" sheered twice. What do you mean?-She swung towards ns and moved off again. (Illustrated by models.
J
Your counsel said yesterday that it was the
wash-
Mr. Sharp-Don't be hampered by me. Give your own opinion, Captain.
Witness-My opinion is that the auction- both ships being about 60 feet apart-drew them together.
The attraction of the two ships. would only affect the Tai On." You would not be drawn down on top of her by that sort of attraction ?
-Perhaps not.
You could not say ?-I have not gone into the subject. I have seen two ships drawn together.
I put it to you that as the two ships were coming down, making for that channel, you said yourself some 60 feet or thereabout, you thought that you were right clear and star- boarded to get into clear water, thinking to pass ahead of her P-No, I did not starboard the helm. I never attempted to cross her.
As you drew ahead the distance at right angles between the two ships remained the same -As the “Tại On" fell back towards our.. quarter the distance between us seemed to lessen.
In other words you to
divergent
courses ? It would appear
Witness, in reply to his
Lordship, said he thought the suction between two ships would operate at a distance of 60 feet or a little more. His Lordsbip-What wore you doing all this time ?-1 was watching the ship.
Was there any shouting ?-No.. No warning No.
It was quite a normal state of affairs ?--Yes. You have given two explanations of the actual cause of the collision. I want you to tell me whether both helped to cause the collision. One is the suction and the other is, as you said in examination, “she ported and dame towards us?"-She ported at the last.
You mean she altered her parallel course and ported towards you P-She seemed at the time to come towards us,
Having ported her helm, the suction would cease to act, would it not ?- The snotion would still exist.
T. R. Mead, formerly first officer on the "Kwang Tung" and now master on one of the Company's other steamera, spoke to hearing the telegraph bell ring and on going out of his room saw the bow of the Tai On - abreast the funnel. He bore out the previous witness | version of the occurrence.
The case was adjourned.
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