Page
CHINESE SHIPS IN HONG KONG HARBOUR.
CLEARANCES REFUSED FOR. INFRINGEMENTS OF
LOAD LINE REGULATIONS.
CANTON' GOVERNMENT'S COMPLAINT,
THE GOVERNMENT'S EXPLANATION.
(FROM OUR CHINESE CORRESPONDENT. ]
CANTON, November 15th. There has of late been considerable excitement and anxiety on the part of the Canton, Government owing to the Hong Kong Government's recent detention of Chinese ships for non-compliance with its load line regulations. In a protest the local Govern- ment complained that the Hong Kong Government was meting with undue discrimination against Chinese shipping. This the Hong Kong Government categoricaly denied, maintaining that the regulations were applied impartially to vessels of every nationality. The Hong Kong Government pointed out, there are "detaibed, in addition to the Chinese, 5 French, 1 Portuguese and 1 British vessels. The Hong Kong Government further pointed out that the Canton Government was misinformed when it aserted that 30 Chinese vessels are being detained in Hong Kong. The actual number - detained is 9. In the protest of the Canton Government to the Hong Kong Government four points were raised regarding the treatment and legality of the latter's detention of the Chinese vessels in question, Their the Hong Kong Govern ment replied in a memorandum addressed to "the Provincial Administration through the Canton Foreign Office. as follows:- APPLIED TO ALL NATION- { At the present moment (5th inst.)
·ALITIES.
The Hong Kong Government, in the interests of the crews of the ships and the shippers of cargo, has
there remain in Hong Kong only
Chinese ships without free board certificates. The majority of these are of small tonnage and great age and have little commercial value except for breaking up purposes, The trade bas passed from these ships to those more modern ones
THE HONG KONG. DAILY PRESS. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 16th, 1928.
JUNK DISASTER IN HARBOUR ACCIDENT.
WEST RIVER.
50 WOMEN AND CHILDREN DROWNED.
VESSEL GROSSLY OVERLADEN 1
TROOP MOVEMENTS.
JUNK SUNK AT NORTH POINT."
"SOMERSETSHIRE PASSING
POLICE TO THE RESCUE.
THROUGH.
FURTHER MOVES NOTIFIED,
The nd Battalion Welch Regi- A stiff breeze which was felt by ment, who were last year quarter- ferry travellers late yesterday after-ed in the Peninsula Hotel before. noon made its toll of chipping they were moved to Shanghai, were junk being so badly damaged off | visitors to the Colony yesterday ou (FROM OUR CHINEAR CORRESPONDENT.] North Point that it foundered, their way to Singapore by the
CAPSIZES. NEAR SHAMSHUI.
orer 30
fortunately without loss of life.
Six junks loaded with coal were brought alongside the pier of the Hong Kong Electric Company yea terday and later a heavy swell caused two of them, made. fast to
CANTON, November 13th. Reports have come to hand that the Wing On, a large river junk, plying between Canton and Dusing,others by & rope hawser to break turned over and sank on the earlyaway. Away from the wharf the morning of the 10th inst, at Ma❘ two junks drifted about, knocking one against the other with the result How, near. Shamshui, drowning that one of them was badly holed passengers. The junk, and went to the bottom. which was on its way to Canton from Dosing, was loaded with cargo and had a large number of pas sengers. It left Dosing at 4 o'clock in the morning and made its usual cell at Ma How, a small port some forty miles or so below. Dosing, to land and take on passengers. It alowed up in mid-stream and a big sampan came along side to take passengers and cargoes nshore. The sampan also had cargo and passen- gera for the junk. Just as the
sampan was about to come along side the passengers on board, the
applied to "vessels of all nation alities in Hong Kong Waters laws relating to freeboard certificates whose Chinese owners have been jurk all crowded to one side and
auilar to thuse which have been erneted in the United Kingdom and
which have since been adopted by
most other civilised countries.
These laws have as their basis the equal treatment of all ships, what- ever their nationality, crews and cargoes.
The Commissioner for Foreign Affairs appears to have been misled regarding the number of Chinese ships to which clearaner has been refused, for, on the date of his Jetter, September 26th, there were in this port 13 Chinese ships to which a port clearance had been re- fused. In addition to these, there
were
free
shrewd enough to ohtain board certifientes and trade bas in no way been impeded.
It will be realised that when freights are poor the profits are small and consequently the owners of ships laid up suffer smaller loss เน the present time than they would in more prosperous times. BRITISH CONSUL-GENERAL'S
LETTER.
Accompanying the above memoran- dan was a letter of Mr. Brénan. the acting British Consul-General, addressed to, the Commissioner for Foreign Affairs. The letter of the Consul General throws further light on the situation and is as follows:
leaned against the rail. The vessel turned turtle without the slightest warning, throwing everyone over- board and trapping the greater portion under the boat. The pas sengers, especially the women and children, screamed frantically as they were thrown into the water but the great bulk of the pessengers were at the time of the mishap down below and were drowned like rats. Not a sound was heard from them.
ONLY 15 SAVED..
Of the 60 or 70 passengers and crew on board, only about 10 or
13 were saved. These were good swimmers and were on deck at the
Sir. With reference to your lettime. The greater part of the crew '6' Chinese ships voluntarilster of the 16th September regard perished, and of the 30 or so who iaid up by their owners on accounting the detention of Chinese ships of the absence of trade"
in Hong Kong for non-compliance with the load line regulations, I have the honour to inform you that I referred the matter to the Hong Kong Government, and have now received a reply.
Since the enforcement of the re- gulation 7 Chinese ships have ob tained a free-board certificate and- are now running again,
The Commissioner "for" Foreign Affairs may rest assured that ships of each nation are subject to the same regulations and the certificates of every ship are inspected.
The four points enumerated in the Commissioner for Foreign Affair's letter will now be dealt with seriatim.
I Ships of every nation are accorded equal treatment and are subject to the same regulations in
of
I enclose a memorandum in Eng- lish" which answers in detail the four points raised in your lotter. From this you will see that there has been no discrimination against Chinese shipping. The law is ap. lied equally to all ships whatever their nationality, and similar ac tion was in fact taken in respect uf British, 1 Portuguese and 5 French ships.
Moreover you are under a mis-
this port. Further the free board apprehension in stating that 30 certificates of all ships. are Chinese vessels are being detained inspected and in addition to the action taken in the
in Hong Kong on account of these Chinese ships, action has also regulations. The actual number is been taken in respect of 1 British, nine, and these are of great age Portuguese and & French ship and have little commercial value. all of which have since obtained the requisite certificate.
Although you state that these veg sels have already been inspected by Chinese Government officials, it is obvious that the inspection has not taken place for a long time, as the ships have deteriorated to such an extent as to be quite unfit for navigation.
2. Although these steamers are Atated to have been inspected by Chinese Government officials, they have since been allowed to de teriorate to such an extent that their condition is unsafe for navigation and it has been found necessary to have them re-examin- The regulations which are being ed if they are to trade in Hong enforced in Hong Kong are a
much for the benent of the Chinese
Kong.
..
The provision of
還
were drowned about 40 were women and children. When the ill-fated junk was about to heel over an emergency call was given but there was no watercraft around except a small towing strainer which at once came to the rescue. However, the rescuing party met only slight success for the water is deep and the current very swift at that place The struggling victims were being carried away one by one in rapid succession by the swift-current when the rescuing party arrived upon
the scene.
OVERLOADED?
The vessel was probably overload ed and certainly had a large cargo of live stock and poultry, nearly all of which was up on deck. The Tault was that the junk was top heavy and the entire weight of the passengers on one side 'was enough to capsize it. Of the live stock there were 1,400 hogs on their way to the Canton market and also thousands of ducks and chickens, also for the Canton market. All the hogs and the chickens were drowned, but the
free as the British, as in the case of a ducks were all saved. These were
disaster to any of these ships the majority of those to suffer will al-picked up late in the afternoon at ways be of Chinese nationality. some distance from the scene of The report sent to the Kwangtung Shipping Bureau has evidently disaster by some ship and pot one
was found missing or drowned. come from shipowners who wish to make money regardless of danger'
board certificate includes the inspection of the ship as to her seaworthinees and this, it will be readily understood, cannot be ascertained unless tests are made. There tests necessitate the dry docking or slipping of a ship.
4.The corresponding laws in the United Kingdom were applied way they are attempting to create
Several police launches were så
when they received a call and a the scene shortly after seven o'clock
search of the vicinity was made for some time in case anyone had besti thrown into the water. Several members of the staff of the power house also stood by ready to render assistance if necessary, but it was later ascertained that the occupants of the ill-fated junk had all clam bered on to the other craft just be fore their own vessel sank,
The junk was lying some distance from the pier last night with its mast just showing above the water.
.6
transport Somersetshire which ea- tered harbour in the morning. As they are to be permanently placed оп the garrison in Singapore. their families have been ordered out on the troopship Neuralia
which sailed from Southampton last Tuesday.
During the morning the bat (talion marched through the city by way of exercise. Many of the men were also present at Happy Valley. in the afternoon when their rugby team tried conclusions with "the local Club.
"The Somersetshire resumes her voyage to-day, having also ca board details from Shanghai and picking up others in Hong Kong, Singapore and India for the United Kingdom,
The transport Neuralia which is dae here a week before Christmas with drafts for Hong Kong “and other stations has also on board the 2nd Battalion South Stafford shire Regiment (without families) bound for Shanghai. ".
11
More Troops For Shastraipo. The .. Taming which recently JUNK PIRACY.
brought to Hong Kong half the strength of the 1st Battalion" The STORY OF AN OLD INCIDENT. Bedfordshire and Herefordshire
MAGISTRACY CASE, »
A piracy which occurred over a year ago was recalled by the re cent arrest in Cheung Chau of a
of the six men who took part in Chinese who was alleged to be one
an attack on a fishing boat off Fanlau, a village in Lantau. The man, Ho Fu, was brought before Mr. R. E. Lindsell' at the Central Magistracy yesterday,
*
The question as to whether the piracy, was committed within British waters was waived for the time being, and it was decided to proceed with the case...
At the morning session, evidence
the pirated junk and a Cheung was given by Taoi Kwai, master of
Chau fishmonger. Witness said
Regiment now in the Shamshuipe hutted camp is leaving Shanghai to-day with the remainder of the unit. On arrival they will camp with the rest of their men at Sham- shuipo. A3 has already been
to Hong Kong is a temporary onc stated, the moving of the Battalion
until next February when they will be transported to Bombay which will be their next station.
SHAUKIWAN HILL LORRY
FATALITY.
noon.
JURY'S VERDICT AT INQÜEST.
DRIVER GUILTY OF NEGLIGENCE.
EIGHT DAY
JEWELLED LEVER
MOVEMENT
TABLE CLOCKS
10 11131 2
3
{CA}
8 7 6 5 4 265
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that on March 5th last year his A death enquiry which opened junk was on a voyage to Macao} before Major C. Willson, sitting as with 127 piculs of salt fish, worth Coroner, and a jury on November 82,000, which it was intended to sth was concluded yesterday after- sell there. There were also on board representatives of three fiah
The inquest concerned the death dealers to whom the greater part of the cargo belonged, and a feki of an unknown Chinese passenger
cargo.
A small boat. suddenly opened fire from behind and caught up with the junk. There were six men on this boat, and five of them, armed with short firearms, boarded the junk. They proceeded to tie out of the lorry and killed when up witness and the four others and the vehicle crashed into the bank transferred ther to the pirate craft.
Shaukiwao Hill on October Two of the pirates took charge of the junk and sailed 25th.
Witness owned 20 picals of the who boarded a lorry while it was BOOKS THAT ARE BEING WIDELY READ
away.
returning from Shek O after de-
livering a cargo of lime and
cement for the Tak Lee contrac- tors. The passenger was throwa
at
It was borne out by the evidence The victims were imprisoned in of a coolie woman sent with the "the hold for two days while the
direction. At the end of that time firm, and who was returning on pirate junk sailed off in another building material by the Tak Lee
they were dumped on lonely the lorry at the time of the 2- island during the night. The next cidens, that another man was seat- morning they succeeded in attracted beside the driver. It was aug- ing the attention of a passing fish gested that the lorry got out of ing junk and were taken
to control while the licensed driver Macro
was tranferring the steering wheel Witness identified the defendant to the other man, a learner. After as one of the robbers, and said that the accident the driver and his he was one of the two men who friend both absconded and have not sailed off on his junk with the been tread.
cargo.
A salesman of the Kwong Hang jary returned a verdict of acuden- After a lengthy consultation, the fish dealers at Cheung Chau, who tal death, adding the opinion that was among the party imprisoned the driver had been guilty of in the hold of the pirate boat, gave negligence. evidence bearing out certain parts of the story of the first witness" Witness said that he was certain that the defendant was one of the aix men who attucked the junk, but he contradicted the other man's evidence by maintaining that, the
RESISTANCE TO ANTI- JAPANESE BOYCOTT.
defendant was one of the guards FIRM STAND BY MERCHANTS. on the pirate craft all the time they were held as prisoners. Wit ness also said that the fishing junk Some 25 bodies were picked up
Yesterday we published a report to human life by operating unsea-
which carried them to Macao land from Anhwei to the effect that worthy ships, and the unscrupulous the next day by local benevolented them there at about 6 p.m. on piece goods and dye deniers are on March 8th last year, while the first strike against the enforcement of on October 1st, 1909, and are now international prejudice in order to societies from the river in the witness was positive it was 6 B.m. the
anti-Japanese boycott, -19 years later-so universal that further their object is much to be vicinity of Ma How. These were
the next day.
Shun Tak district, according to a long notice is not required, and condemned.
Evidence wca also given by both report received in the Colony yes.
the only ships affected are those
The
In
I shall be obliged if you will put on shore" near Ma How for witnesses that shortly after land- terday, the merchants are resisting #hich frequently call at this port. communicate the above to the identification by their relatives ing in lacso they found the first the measures adopted by the rowdy
defendant under arrest at The Commissioner for Foreign Kwangtung Shipping Bureau 50 from Canton and Dosing. Affairs however has again been that it may be informed of the rescuing of dead bodies from the
the elements who called themselves Scouts Headquarters there. Wit pickets. Foreign goods importera nestes denied that they knew the and dealers in sugar and flour have been misled the regulations were truth of the matter.
defendant before or were conspir announced in the Hong Kong Government Gazette, dated July 6th, but no action was "taken
thereunder until August 20th (six weeks later).
I have the honour to be, water is still going on. The junking to bring a false accusation ceased business and the local deal."1
Sir,
Your obedient servant, (Signed) J. H. BENAN, Acting Consul-General.
has not as yet been salvaged, and
no estimate" could be obtained as
to the loss of cargo.
ere have petitioned the Gover against him.
Further hearing was adjourned ment to call the strike pickets off as there are a number of other wit ausiness is long as there is inter- and threatened to shut down all penses still to be called.
ference from the boycott pickets.
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