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THE HONG KONG DAILY PRESS, SATURDAY, AUGUST 10, 1929.
MARINE INQUIRY INTO STRANDING OF
THE "LOK SUN."
SHIP SAILED WITH AN UNCERTIFICATED CHINESE DECK OFFICER.
CAPTAIN'S STORY OF THE GROUNDING.
gi
11
ABSENT WITNESSES CAUSE
ADJOURNMENT.
There was a large gathering of officers of the Mercantile Marine at the Harbour Office yesterday when the Marine Court of Inquiry sat to investigate the causes of the stranding of the Lok Sun on July 14 last at Samun Islands.
4
The Court was composed of the following:-The Hon. Comdr. G. F. Hole, R.N. (President), Lieut Comdr. L. G. Haddington (H.M.S. Tamar), Capt. R. Hill (Master of six. Phemius), Capt. A. Hall (Master of s.s. Telemachus), and Capt. D. Lupton (Master of is. Ewongchow}
Mr. G. E. Hall Bratton represented the Master of the Lok Sun, Capt. H. R. Edmondson, and Mr. J. T. Prior, of Messrs. Wilkinson and Grist, represent the owners of the Lok San. Amongst those present in Court were Mr. T. G. Stokes, of the Marine Engineers Guild, and Mr. T."T. Lourenson, of the Chine Coast Officers' Guild
Capt. Edmondson's Story: "Reply to Mr. Hall Brutton, Capt. Edmondson said he held a master's certificate and was the captain of the vessel and had held that posi. tion for about three and a half
months. The tonnage of the ship
Later in the day, Capt. Arthur, one of the owners, came and took charge of salvage operations. They failed to get the Lok Sun off and she was abandoned on July 26.
Mr. Hall Brutton asked witness if he could give any explanation for was 1,044.net and 1,781 gross, grounding in the place he did, and A few minutes after 11 p.m. on Capt. Edmondson replied he could July 13, this year, the ship left the not. He had always previously taken quarantine anchorage at Stone the same course and had always cutters' Island on a voyage to Singa cleared. On previous voyages, how pore, with about 1,000 tons of gen-ever, he had been able to see some- eral cargo and 750 passengers. thing, but he could not see because of thick weather on the night of the grounding.
The ship carried, in addition to himself a chief officer and a Chinese who" was acting as second officer, in place of a man who was sick ashore. The substitute was not sign ed on.
Witness was on the bridge with the substitute officer when the vessel left Stonecutters' Island
A
MAGISTRATE AND MOTORING.
CRITICISMS OUTSIDE THE
COURT.
REPLY FROM BENCH.
THE GOOD OLD DAYS.
EXPERIENCES IN 1879,
TYPHOON.;
A THRILLING STORY.
To be at sea in a typhoon is never pleasant experience, but in these days of wireless storm warnings it is usually possible for a ship to avoid running into the worst of the bad weather. Passengers now- a-days are unlikely to have such an
experience as described below, and reprinted from the Hong Kong
MOTH AEROPLANES.
GOOD RECORD OF PERFORMANCE.
The following telegrams have been received by Messrs. Arnhold & Co., Hong Kong, from the de Havilland | Aircraft Co., London:-
July 8-The result of the King's At Central Magistracy yesterday, a protest was made from the Bench
Cup Air race, which is over a dia- at a criticism in connection with
tance of 1.170 miles round Great- Britain, produced'' a wonderful de- the summons case against Mr. An
monstration of the performance and reliability of the *** Moth "*` light drew Tse for negligent driving r
acroplanes. Though the winning sulting in a collision with Mr. A.
machine was a 400-h.p." military Secut, the Moths secured second, i S. MacKichan's car on the Repulse Bay Road. The Magistrate (Mr.
third, fourth, and 4fth places res E. W. Hamilton) said that it had
pectively. One Moth, with a per- fectly standard 100-hip. Gipsy "en- gine, completed the course at ar been brought to his knowledge that Daily Press of 1879:-
The Mitaui Bishi Steamship Com-average of 1187 miles an hour, which people outside had made criticismspanya steamer Genkai-maru, Capt. is easily the fastest time for such about the fact that, not being a mo- George Conner, left Nagasaki late a light aircraft. Sixteen Gipsy tor driver himself, he was to try a on the night on July 29, and had Moths started, and fourteen finished, of negligent driving. He favourable weather, fresh breezes but the retirements were not due and passing cloudi, until the mora- to mechanical failure, The special went on to say that judges and ing of the 31, when the wind freshen trophy for private owners dying. juries had before now tried mured from the East with a strong S. their own machines was won by der, forgeries and the like with
Moths with second, third, fourth, fith, and sixth places respectively. out their competence being called into question on the score that they were not murderers and forgerera
газо
themselves
well, but the sun was shining with passing clouds only occasionally,
July 19.-The zealed Gipsy engine which is now engaged in a reliability. tour has already covered. 44,000 miles in 500 flying hours. The tour whta stopped for two weeks in order
Show, but the seals left unbroken. The tour will be continued after- wards.. The engine has been run- ning perfectly.
The Coming Storm. About ten o'clock in the forenoon the barometer began to fall, and the weather suddenly changed with Mr. Lo (who appeared for Mr.every indication of a typhoon com to exhibit the engine at the Aero Tae); I beg respectfully to agreeing from the southward. The usual with your Worship's opinion. I preparations were at once made by securing everything movable on have no doubt that if a person' op- deck. The vessel was bove to, head plies his mind to the matter before ing N.E, but the wind was too powerful to keep in that position, him, he can decide such a case on
and at noon a veritable typhoon facts, without expert knowledge. was raging, surpassing in violence, The only advantage that I can sug- during the afternoon and evening, gest of having driver, Magis-all the storms her veteran comman der bad previously experienced, and trate in such a case, is that one cng this the fourth typhoon he has been certain in on the coast of China and Japan. get some sympathy on questions such as speed.
Mr. Lo: If the views had been entertained by me, I can assure your Worship that I certainly would have the nerve of saying so right across the Bench now.
First Blood,
The vessel could not be kept within five points of the wind, which was now from the S.E., and one
July 23-Captain Broad, dying a Gipsy Moth plane, won first place at the International Aerobatic. Con- test meeting held at Heston Aero- drome, which was organised in con- nection with the Aere Exhibition. The competitors included the latest English Scouts, high-powered Ger- man Fighters, light aircraft, etc. There were about 10,000 spectators present, including many distinguish- ed foreign visitors.
after another the three boots on in the East--and Mr. Winter and the starboard side were blown away, wrenched clean from their Mr. Dick rendered valuable services, davits, and carried further than while equal praise is due to each the eye could discern in mid-air. and all of the officers of the ship. The skylights-two over the housesAll the passengers mentioned re- above the saloon, and one galley, paired to the fre-room-Mr. Denny were torn in a similar manner from being blown down by the wind in their fastenings. One of these it his efforts to get there and worked required six men to move, but it with an energy and will baling out was carried away by the wind, as the water with buckets. Happily their efforts were crowned, with ex-described by an eye-witness, like a
shuttlecock; while the glazed cover success-they saved their own lives ing over the wheel-house, captain's sad the ship too. and officers' cabins was ripped off by one gust in a single sheet.
Mr. Hamilton remarked that the The wind was S.W. up to mid-persons concerned did not have the nerve to make their criticism to his night, but it then changed to East.
You may there face, but he had been informed that The President: was a second officer on board who they did so outside. had not been signed on. How did you come to permit that i
Capt. Edmondson: The man was Capt. Edmondson stated that they only a substitute for the trip:
After referring to the Ordinance, proceeded past Green Island, leav-the President said that an officer ing it on the starboard hand pass. must have a certificate before be ing, through the South Channel, could be signed on at all the course being 14 dega West true. At 11.13 p.m., the engines were going slowly. Witness steadied
Comdr. Hole: You told me you the ship three times and at 11:15 took a man with you a acting p.m. he rang for half speed. After second mate and that he was not another 10 minutes, he ordered full signed on. Why did you take the man cut to sea without signing him speed, which was about nine and son Did you report such procedure
haf knots.
Witness had made the voyage five
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each time going past Green Island by the South Channel and following exactly the same" course. On that course Lin Tin Island should have been cleared by three quarters of a mile. He constantly checked his
courte.
The weather became hazy and he lost sight of land at 11.40 p.m. The ongines were kept at full speed to minimise the effect of the tide, which had a weiterly set. Up to midnight the wind was S.W., force 4 to 3, and at 12.30 a.m. he thought he saw Lin Tin three points on the starboard bow. He therefore han ed the ship out to S. 6 dega. W., to give more room, and kept on that course until one o'clock in the morning.
The Grounding.
At about one o'clock, witness told the Chinese substitute for the second officer to ring the telegraph for "slow," but before the man could reach the telegraph, the ship. struck. Witness immediately stop ped the engines and gave orders to sound all round the ship and also the holds. It was found that water was fast entering Nos. 1 and 2 holds,
Mr. Hall Brutton remarked that
Captain would not be allowed to sign on an officer unless he possessed
certificate,
..
„Suingons Dismissed, Giving evidence, Mr. Tse plained that the vehicles were travelling in opposite directions It was raining heavily at the time, and witness thought it advisable to change to second gear and go slow. He was on the middle of the road, he saw Mr. MacKichan's car also and while approaching the corner
to anyone?
Witness said he had reported it keeping to the middle of the road. to the owners and the Shipping The cars turned to their proper Master.
Asked who the Shipping Master sides of the road, but it was not was, witness said it was a dark possible to avoid a collision. Wit ness had driven a car for five years man in the Shipping Office."
The President replied that even it Capt. Edmondson had mentioned and regarded himself as a careful the matter to a clerk in the Ship driver. ping Officer it did not excuse him from liability. Although the matter had nothing to do with the enquiry for the present, he might have to refer to it later in his capacity as Harbour Master.
Mr. Lo suggested that there were three possibilities either that wit ness was at fault, secondly that Mr. MacKichan was at fault, or third
The Court then adjourned for 15ly that it was, an unavoidable ac minutes in order to work out the cident.... course as given in evidence.
His Worship pointed out that On the Court resuming, witness both of them may have been to said that the Chief Oficer, was blame. After considering the state entitled to be below from midnight ments, he said that he could not till 4 a.m. On the night in ques-reconcile the evidence with the posi: tion, the Chief Officer went on the tion of the cars and he would bridge when the ship got under therefore dismiss the summons. way and then saw about the anchor. He returned to the bridgs at about 12.06 .m, and stayed for five or ten minutes.
Comdr. Hole: Was the quarter- master on watch 1
Witness: I don't know. *** hold of -I couldn't say. He is Comdr. Hole: Could he be put probably in Canton now.
Second Officer Not In Court,
Boats Blown Overboard.
While these operations were going. Sulphuric Acid Adrift; on the gale reached the zenith of ite violence, the barometer at eight These are a few of the diversions and nine o'clock was down to 28.08, of the wind during the afternoon, the lowest point registered, while
strained continually and was often the ship, and the covering of the apart from the erratie motion of three other boats had been blown the vessel, which laboured and out of the davits on the port side of
on her beam-ends. Besides, there port, paddle-wheel and the houses deck, and about three o'clock in the Is may be mentioned, as an illus were' 200 jars of sulphuric acid on hear it had also been smashed in. afternoon the lashings around them tration of the strength of the wind, gave way, endangering the safety that one of the midship boats was.. of the vessel by fire as well as by cut in twain, the bow part of it water. The jars were, thrown over-still hanging to the davit; three board as quickly as possible, a dan- davits were torn entirely away, and gerous occupation for those engaged nearly all the others were beat, in it, and four or five of the sailors while one of the passengers assurer were severely burat. But this was us, that he saw two of the boats only as it were a foretaste of the carried by the wind over the ship, greater perils which followed. away out of view,
Starboard Ancher Lost,
The Rising Glass.
The Second Officer was not in ing of the paddle wheel, flooding the had all been baled out of the fire Court, Comdr. Hole informing Mr. engine-room, putting out the firea, Brutton that it was certainly very choling the pumps, and leaving 31 inquiry important for the man to attend the fest of water in the fire-room,
Mr. Bratton aid he understood
Terrified Chinese/ The proceedings for the next few that the Second Officer bad not been minutes were inaudible to the Press summoned.
as the noises of passing motor-cors Comdr. Hole indicated that the
This naturally created consider able consternation on board, but no
Shortly after nine o'clock the It was feared the vessel was drift barometer again to rise, and when ing in the direction of the shoals the gladsome news to the passers extending out from Shawaishan, and of the buckets in the fire-room was when in thirteen fathoms of water given Glass up 2-0 and head up the starboard anchor was let 60, half a point," the work of baling with a view to bring her head to wind. This had no effect on her amid varied signs of thankfulness; was continued with renewed vigour, and the anchor with 150 fathoms of and the danger of drifting on the chain was lost. Then, shortly after apit had also considerably diminish- six o'clock in the evening, a large ed. At midnight the barometer sea struck the vessel on the star- board side, carrying away the sliding from S.E. to S.S.W.; and by five stood at 29.15; the wind had hauled shutters, bulwarke, and the cover-
o'clock the next morning, the water
room and fires were re-lighted.
Steam Up Again, Steam was got do and a little after six o'clock the vessel was again under control. It was found that during the gale she has drifted
that she was then only in 11 fathoms feet, and witness decided to leave
| affairs ascertained and communicat the ship where it was, instead of operations, drowned the questions and they should get hold of him
and answers between bench, bar trying to get her off.
Mr. H. B. Middleton, the Chief to the passengers on board than of water. At 3.30 p.m. in the after- and witness, **
Engineer, anid he was ordered towing hands were offered to do on Shaweishan bore north, and Capt. Edmondion sent a wireless
at 7.20 p.m. she was brought to an their best to save the vessel and Witness was understood to tell stand by at. 11.18 p.m. on July 13. their own lives. But we are told anchor inside the Tangeha Light message to the owners of the boat, Mr. Brutton that the tug Kau Sing The ship left at 11.2 p.m., half there were exceptions as regards ship, where she remained for the after which he broadcasted zn.
was about a quarter of a mile from ahead at 11.45 and full ahead at 5.0.8. and rocket signals of dis the stranded Lok Sun at one time 11.58. The All clear" signal was some of the Chinese, who lost all right, proceeding at 8.30 a.m. on tress were also used. The Naval and that the passengers were trans given at 12.09 am. He was in the below and in the saloon wherever ping at Shanghai at noon. The
heart, stowed themselves
the 2nd and arriving below the ship... Authorities sent a message back ferred to the Kau Sing by boats.
engine room when the ship struck, they could hide their heads, some the vessel presented an address to foreign passengers before leaving arking for the ship's exact position,
When the telegraph rang, be noticed with life-belts round their waists but this witness was unable to give,. An Unobservant Engineer.
Capt. Edmondson said that when The Third Engineer was next call- room clock.
that it was 1.30 a.m. by the engine and ethers armed with revolvers, Captain Conner and his officers. he told the Chinese substitute to ed. He said he was on duty in the
The damage the vessel has receiv- daggers, and knives, presumably for it engine room that night from 12 till engine room could not hear eight selves in preference to death by three davits, the amashing in of the In the Lok Sun, those in the the purpose of despatching themed principally consists of the loss ring the telegraph for alow,'
of six boats, three skylights, and was his (witness's), intention to 4. mj
bells when the engines were going drowning, or to attack any person paddle box and the deck-house near anchor, as it was raining heavily, Comdr. Hole: What happened beat full speed. The pumps were started and worked tween midnight and 1 am. 1
In answer to Licut. Comdr. Had.who used pressure on them to take them. destruction of a portion of for 18 minutes, but they did not Witness: Nothing happened. dington, witness said the engines part in the work mutually engaged the bulwarks, and injury to the make any appreciable difference to At 1 a.m. did anything happen 1 were running normally on the night in for one another's preservation. the water in the bolds Boats were No. I was in the engine-room at that of July 13-14, lowered and everything was made time, and nothing happened.
If nothing happened, why are you ready for the polsengers to leav
Later on the weather cleared and here -No reply), witness discovered that he was │¦'・ Witness, after á number of at- ashore on the south of Bamun tempts on the part of the President, Island
said that, the ship struck at 1:30 He wirelessed the position to the .. by the engine room clock. The Commodore and at 6 am, the tug atop telegraph rang at that time Kau Bing arrived. Later HMS. He was in charge of the engine Somme followed by the tug Taikoo Witness admitted that the clock came to their help. At about 10.48
.m. the Kan Bing left with 400 paa the time on the bridge. That was tug Talkoo went alongside and took done every day at 4 p.ra. He knew off the remaining passengers, No that it was done that day. lives were lost.
(Continued on next Column.)
The water in the holds rose to 14 and what sounded like road digging) man was & most important witness sooner was the actual position of 18 miles to the NW. and N., and
sengers on after which the
room then.
away
at the beginning of laut June and the man in the right place; he acted Witness said he joined the vesse! Passengers in the Engine Room.
Captain Tucker, we are told, wAI
deck furnishings generally but the hull of the vessel, we are informed, is not strained in the least.
It may be added that Captain
Connor was in the typhoon off had been on her since, a
The question of locating the like a true Englishman, to use the Nagasaki in August, 1874, and ex- quartermaster and the Second words of our informant (who by the perienced that at Hong Kong in Officer then came up. Capt. Bray- way is an American, Mr. Denny, September of the same year, and Beld informed the Court that he the United States Consul at Tien- with the Geikni muru encountered understood the former was now em- tsin, who had been confined in his the gale in which the Tokyo-maru played as a watchman. He promis cabin through indisposition, but left was so badly damaged last Septem to get hold of both the quarter to give hand.), The Rev. Mr. anything like the gule of July 31 ed Comdr. Hole that he would try his wife and daughter in the saloon ber; but he never before experienced faster and the Second Offer Dyer did the same; the Rev. Mr. last, and to put it in his own siraple The Court then adjourned T. P. Crawford was nobly to the words he says no one could imagine 10.30 this morning in order that the fore; while Mr. F. Shorter one of the wind sould possibly blow só evidence of the quartermaster and the knights of the che now travelling hard, and that he often thought the the Second Officer could be tüken, (Continued on next Column.) vessel could not be saved.