K
HONG KONG DAILY PRESS, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1931.
THE PETERSFIELD COURT MARTIAL "CHRISTIANITY CAN SCOTTISH COMPANY
Commander D. C. Lang's
Defence
SEVERELY REPRIMANDED" BY THE
COURT.
The able defence put forward by Commander D. 0..Lang in the concluding stages of his Court Martial on Saturday secured his acquittal on the charge of losing E.M.S, Petersfield, but "on the charges of hazarding and stranding her he was found guilty, and was ordered to be severely reprimanded.
The Court evidently, took the view that in continuing to steer a course direct for Tung Yung Island after two o'clock, when such an action was against his botter judgment, the Commander made a fatal mistake. Commander Lang insisted that he did so on "a direct order of the Commander-in-chiet's, which he was bound to obey, and which transferred the responsibility of the ensuing navigation of the vessel from his own shoulders to those of the C.--C.
After calling evidence in support of his contention, Comman. der Lang said, "I do most bumbly and firmly submit that, the -in-C. must be responsible for the effect of any orders that he "may give. I had boon loft to myself I should have stopped at two o'clock, and we should never have been in any danger. Tant I did take his message to go on until three as an order is clearly proved by my reply to my Navigator, We have damn well got to go on because the Commander-in-Ohlet toid us ko,"
CONFLICT OF OPINION WITH THE
C.-IN-C.
Commander Lang, in samining up his deience, sati, i propose to den with the wool and third ghurpes only, for if I can prove my fanonee or these two I would submit that the first charge must netsarily fail: especially when it is elengly stated in the Commander-i in-Chief's evidence that he assumed immediat mand of the ship very shortly after she struck."
The
independent Navigators brought before the Court daarly stated that at such a distance from the coast there was practically to data Available Jur adequately judging the strength or direction of currents or tidal streams.
•
I submit that as the mist was judged to give visibility of be tween two and three miles with the ans-head light of a ship we had avery reason to hope to see such a bright light as Tupy Yung or at fast the glare of it before we got
The Commander dealt at length with various technical points re- garding the tides and currents on The Cilian east, and the way up to be in danger. which they are affected by winds Licut-Commander Chichester was and local conditions. With regard to the prosation's statement that most emphatic that should we have the rentinual taking of sundings of Tung Yang Light we should been at any time within five miles was vital to the safe navigation of certainly have expected to see the the ship he and that in many cases light as there was no indication of soundings in that part of the chart were the same five miles apart, and fog or thicker mist up above.
Coromander Lang further snid' httom was so even that the charted depib varied only between that the sireh was sounded because 15 and 20 fathers, I was als ex-day expected to hear a reply frem tremely difficult in a position so Far from land to estimate what cor: rertion should be applied to sound ings to reduce them to the level of The bottom in the immediate vicinity of Tung Yung." said Conmander Lang, "is, accord-
Intervention of the O-in.-O. ing to the chart, very even. The. charted depth to the North-East of Now I come to the very deliente Thang Yong Light House is 23 desperately distasteful but fathemat no bottom. It is, there
none the less vital point of the in- fore, considered that from abunt tervention of the Commander-in- 18.30 matit 02.13 that standings Chief. As has been clearly shown
low water
r
Tung Yung.
I added: I hope the arguments have just put before you will dis prove that if the precautions had been aburrved the Petersfield would still have ben afloat.
and
would have been of no value either under cross examination the Cum to fix the ship along her course of mander-in-Chief intervened on three advance or to get her out of occasions. Once when I obtained a danger."
fix off Taichow Islands.. Secondly The only possible yadae of taking. when I would have altered course any soundings, between 8.00 and 90 degrees to port to ensure avoid 2. wuld have beep to keep outing P Ki Shan and Nanki Islands, side the 35. fathom line which, had and, thirdly and most important done so, would have taken nie farther intervention which had such from Fung Ynag, which was con- trary to what the Commander-in- Chirl had agreed. Soundings along nar line of advance from the 22.40 position could never have given an indiention of opr' position
The currents between Turnabout island and Tong Yung did not apply to the case because the ship wie meer betgeen them, H.M.S. Petersfield was on a course which tagh her directly towards a rocky Island of considerable extent and in close proximity to a position marked discoloured water" on the chart. Bo went on to say :-: The ship could never have reached ither of the positions by 02.00, when I wished to stop the ship.
quoted
front
Navigator that he wished me to go disastrous results when he told the
I would like to point out that it sayshare ship present with him and this being a singular. It does- n't say prosent with his dag ship. Prosumably if the Flag Other stands on the Bridge of x. ship or is present in a ship it is present with him and is acting in concert with him.
In any case 1 de most humbly though truly submit phas he must be responsible for the effect of any orders that he may give, If I had been left to myself I should have stopped at 02.00 and we should novor have been in any danger. That
Chief told us to."
I, therefore, submit that the responsibility for the hazarding and stranding does not lie with me and that I am, therefore, not guilty on. the second and third counts.
SAVE CHINA!"..
DR. EDDY'S. LECTURE "AT SWATOW.
SWATOW, Nov. 4. Last night's lecture by Dr. Sher- wood Lucy at the X.M.C.A. was a continuation of the one last Satur
day. Again there was a full hous and all classes of people flocked to hear the visitor.
Summarised the address was as follows:
werk.
I Am
Friends, I would he to thank you for your kind attention this did take his message to go on úntil 03.00 as an order is' cloarly
The people of Swatow have proved hy my reply to my Navdeeply touched my heart. gator, We have damn well got to visiting twenty cities in China, RO on because the Commander-in-faithfully as I could, I wish I could have given you, ply mesang As say more and give more help for your, suke," Dr. Eddy went on to any, that the troubles in China bare been brewing for years and it was essential to cut out the "cancer of Canton and dissension between
Nanking A way must bb found to change and into works. Dr. Eddy added: 1
want to see China For this reason strong and free.
have come to China to investi. gate a way. I am not a capitalist, I am a socialist." He assured his isteners that he was an advocaté of law and of social justice and demanded both freedom and justice | for China.
The Commander-in-Chief had full nõress to all charts and sailing in- structions which he studied and was, therefore, converunt, with all the Ineta and the deductions before saying that he wished to go until
03.00,
The Cin, C." Psychological Rect."
Of course Articla 28, paragraph two, of the King's Regulations which is to the affect that the Cap tain is responsible for the safe con- duct and steering of the ship, so if is arguable that I should have disregarded his orders. Bus. I put it to the Court as a matter of com- mon sense, that when an Officer of a Commander-in-Chief's rank, with vast experience of the sea and in- timate knowledge of navigation con- tinually over-rules one's opinions it is bound to have a great psycholo gical effect and make one under estimate the value of, and doubt, one's own judgment.
ናን
AT CHURCH-
ANNUAL PARADE MARKS ST. ANDREW'S SUNDAY.
H.E. THE G.0.C. AND THE COMMODORE ATTEND,
The Annual Church Parade of the Scottish Company of the Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps took" place yesterday, St. Andrew's Sun- day, at the Union Church, Kennedy Road. After the service the Com- pany marched back to Volunteer Headquarters, where they were at home to many prominent members of the Scottish Community and of the Fighting Services.
218
Among those Present. The Company, under the com- pund of Lieut. A. W. Brown, paraded at Volunteer Headquarters and, to the tune, of a march played by their pipe band, marched to the church. Among those present the service and at the reception afterwards were II.E. the 6.0.0, Major Gonerni J. W. Sandilands, : and his A.D.C., Lient D. R. M Officials in China must discharge their duties honestly. If the nation Cameron, Commodore A. . Walk- were to follow the precepts of er and his Secretary, Paymaster Christ, China would bersine a solid Commander W. K. C. Grace, Lieut, rock of character changed from Col. G. L. Bird, Commandant, mere aand. Hope was expressed H.K.V.D.C., and Lieut. Basker- that China would achieve this re-ville-Clegg, Major H. B. Dow generation, Parades, demonstra/ tions and slogans
biggin, Mr. A. Stevenson, Chiefta cannot. sAVC
of the St. Andrew's Society, and China, China vannot be saved by
Mrs. Stevenson, Mr. and Mrs. R. be saved by one process alone or
She could either M. Dyer, and many other promin saving its face.
But Scots. The Rev. E. G. Powell conducted the service, and preached a powerful sermon from the text, The Colonist and the Colony."" The reception as Volunteer zend quarter was attended with tradi tional Scotch hospitality, cham pagne and sausage rolls being much in evidence.
she could not be saved at all. The burden of the lecture was that Christianity could save China.
Before concluding his lecture Dr.
And, further, it cannot be expect Eddy said that, if anyone of the ed that an officer with compara- tively small experience, sholandience did not agree, and believe over-ride his orders except in enge
in what he said about Christianity he or she was at Eberty to leave of dite necessity.
there and then. A few men stood up and walked out, enlling upon the others to foller suit. One of the dissentients started his own
The Cin-C.'s Denial.
I only hope that the Court will preciate in what a very difficult and most unenviable position. I was in when I tried respectfully to cross-examine the Compianiker-in-
Have you made up
your mind? Which was the best advertisement
in this paper last week
?
Your opinion may
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Don't forget to send in your letter and a cutting of the advertisement either to-day or to-morrow. See the details of our Christmas Competition. on page 8.
Chief; and that 1 was unable to make the points that I wished to. and which were so vital to the argu-
until three o'clock, instead of the incident at 14.00 when the Comments of my defence, two o'clock. In addition there is mander-in-Chief disagreed with my opinion and that of the Navigator, Finally there is the incident of the Steep Island Pass when the Commander-in-Chief told me, "You are not here to do what you want. You are here to obey orders."
I
I Tried to Adopt Every Safety
Measure."
Am
AL
acensed in the Circalar Letter that the navigation of the ship was not conducted with safety or prudence. Well, I submit to the Commander Lany
Court that no one could have been a circumstantial as follows: more prudent or, rather, could have "Whatever may have been his in tried more. I tried to adopt every tutions prior to 0.005 the decrease safety measure but was, in every in visibility amounting at bings to case, ordered not to This, in a tog, created an entirely new situa-nutshell, is the whole of my case for
on a should have called for the defeneo. A
lecture outside the road and was
cheered,
Also my mark in the Chart House Lieut. Pratt, "We have damn well got to go on clearly slows that considered that I had been ordered to do so, much as 1 disliked it.
The health of the Chieftan was proposed by Lieut. A. W. Brown, and was accorded musitzl honours.
Mr. A. Stavenson, in his reply. spoke in appreciation of the efforts. of Mr. R. M. Dyer on behalf of the Scottish Company, and said that the Company was not likely to know the full extent of the debt they owed to Mr. Dyer. He ex tressed Appreciation of the honour extended to the Company by the presence on that occasion of the G.O.C., the Commodore, and their If, however, you cannot take my Staffs. Mr. Stevenson said he re- word for this, the fact remains that gretted that the Scottish Company the weather was novas foggy after was far below the strength of 100 02.00, as visibility has bem clearly at which they aimed, and remark- proved to have been betyren two anded that young men owed a duty to three miles. This question, then, of the Community and could best dis- the fog qualification of the Com-charge it by joining the Volunteers, i mander-id-Chief's order does not He then proposed the tones of tha arise.
Scottish Company, and after it had Ilieve, In law, the accused gets been honoured the gathering broke the benefit of the doubt,
That up. thore are many grave doubts in this
cuse I think hardly anyone will deny and I therefore submit that I
am entitled to the benefit of auch $10 FOR A LETTER.
doubt.
Calling the Navigator.
The fact that I called the Navigator at 02.20 instead of 02.00 does not appear to me to be of great importance for what could he have done if he had been there 20 minutes earlier.
There is an old service tag which I her when first went to sea, which is to the effect that there is loss law and more common sense and stice in a Naval Court Martinl than in any other Court, and it is to that common sense and jus tice, and not to law, that I make my appeal.
I can honestly and constiencious- ly state that, had I had a free hand, I should have stopped at 09.00 and H.M.S. Petersfield would never have been lost or stranded on Yung.
OUR CHRISTMAS COMPETITION,
HINTS FOR COMPETITORS,
"Jean't write a letter" someone said to the advertising manager the other day.
I know which advertisement I like best, and if I had to cut it out all send it to you ! would go in for your rumpeti tion."
Perhaps you feel like that too, in which case here are a few hints which may help you." Remember but simply to state as clearly na you are not asked to write an essay Tungyou can why you liked the parti cular advertisement you chosen.
The Commander-in-Chief denies he disagreed to my plan to stop n 02.00 but I hare sworn that he did and I clearly remember every de sail. He also denies having told ious. Pratt that he wished me to go on until 08.00 and that he con sidered it safe to go on. I would The Court then adjourned to, con-
Finding of the Court.
ask the Court, if he did not do sider their verdict, and on return. so, what possible reason can be ing found that the second and third. advanced for Lieut. Pratt's coming cats were proved in that the auch an unnecessary" le, a he that frun Cournander ang continuing up to the bridge and telling mestranding and hazarding resulted would get him into so much trouble. if disaater occurred.
to ateor a course directly towards Tung Yang Island after 02.00 under dangerous procedure. circumstances which made it a The special circumstances were (1) the fact that the light, a very
should do so and it is quite conceiv
It is quite inconceivable that he able that the Commander-in-Chief, who has many other things to co- upy his mind, had forgotten he
had said so.
Two Witnesses to Ona.
havo
Ask yourself these questions:-- 1. Did you when you raw it say to yourself, I must get some of that I must go to that shop.
In other words did it crente in
a desire to buy?
desire to buy ? Did it tell you some
2Why did it create in you a thing that you did not know before about the product advertised, about! its qualities or its price, something the suggested to you that it was: what you wanteri?"
3. Did you look at it before you read the newe on that page or stop to read it before turning the page?
.4.-Why did it attract your at
werful one, which should have been sighted at about 00:15, had not Been seen by 09.00 (2) The fact that there had been thick fog between I would here submit as a law of by accused's own recount he was in 00.50 and 01.30, and (3) th fact that
witnesses, such as Lieut. Prats and faland in, admittedly, low visitation? evidence that if two independent close proximity to Tung Yung Did it attract, and hold your at I swear to a stateniant, that thatility. statement must be accepted in pre- The Court found that the first tention? Was it the picture or the ference to the testimony of a single charge of negligence was not proved words that made you look at it? person, whoever that, single person and, therefore, sequitted accused
5.Why did the picture appeal to may be.
on that churgo.
you? Was it pretty, unusual or great point is that Lieute Pratt ad-order while the Court considered
As far as I am concerned tha A further adjournment was then amusing? mits that he gave the Commander-their sentence, and on resuming, Were they convincing, amusing or 6-Why did the words appeal ↑ in-Chief's message to me, Commander-in-Chief wishes to go
The the Court announced that accused instructive 7
was to be severely reprimanded. The answers" to these questions on until 06.00 and not to stop at 02.00." I have worn that he never
The Judge Advocate, then stated will provide you with several rea- that the Court had addressed a said anything to me about,"If it letter to the Commander-in-Chief, be many others. We are interested sons for your choice and there may is not very foggy." I think that, as follows, The members of the to know what sort of advertisements Reponsibility, in all fairness, you must take my Court, desire to record their appre-make the widest appeal. That is word for this because why should I iation of the carduel of the officers why we are offering $100.00 for the go on until 03.00 less I had re- coived such a message. when the sequent to the grounding, which,
and men of H.M.8. Petersfield suh. Popínions of our readers. evidence proves that I never wish-they consider, to be in accordance have a chance of winning $10.00 Bend in your letter to-day. You ed to go on
with the best traditions of the every week, and 150 early in the service."
New Year.
decision cancelling this which was The Question of Command. made when, visibility; wan Hradi There is also the question of Com Nevertheless the steps appropriate to su na pression, namely stop videnes that he took command of mand. The C-in-Cadmits in his ping, nueboring, altering course, etc., were not considered until 02.37 the ship after she struck.. I was when, by her own dead reckoning never aware that he had and he H.M.S. Petersfeld was already in certainly never told me. As he did great danger."
not tell me, then how may I know when he is taking command The Commander Lang replied: The only possible conjecture is that he visibility of a ship's mast hond assumes it whow he gives an order. light has been proved beyond doubt When, however, he relinquishes that to be between two and three miles, command, it is more difficult to say, which shows that the actual visibi- but I presume officially it should lity was considerable I do not, be when he says so. therefore,, consider that the visibi
Personally I cannot help feeling lity, crented an entirely
new that the King's Regulations Article situation" that should have called 25, paragraph 1, covers the matter for decisions cancelling this, made I will quote it. when the visibility was good,
Flag or Senior Officer, A flag or other Senior Officer is responsible for the safe conducting of the Fleet, Squadron, ships or ship pre sent with him and acting in concert under his orders.”
My failure to allow more than two knots for safety was not in any way, due to an act of negligence, but, at the most, amounted to an error of judgment.
(Continued on next Column.)
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