COPY.
7
Honourable Colonial Secretary,
The collision regulations are universal in their
application to British and Foreign vessels in any port; they
do not however override regulations made by a local authority.
No other large commercial port, with the exception
of Singapore, has considered it desirable to make any such
regulation as is proposed and Articles 27 and 29 of the
collision regulations are quite sufficient to cover any difficult
situation which might arise between sea-going ships and harbour
craft.
It will be noted that the ports referred to by the
Admiralty, are all dockyard ports at which Naval Authority is paramount, with the exception of Singapore where conditions are
entirely different from those obtaining here.
The approaches to the Men of War Anchorage are
through the least congested part of the harbour with plenty of deep water available and, provided that II. M. 3hips are navigated
with care, there should be no difficulty in berthing them.
The case cited in which H.M.S. "lledway" collided
with a small sand junk does not establish the necessity for the adoption of regulations designed to prevent similar casualties. It must not be overlooked that this is one of the world's
largest commercial ports and, even so, casualties are of very
infrequent occurrence.
H.M.S. "Medway" is a large and difficult ship to
handle and should in my opinion, always have a tug in attendance when approaching or leaving her berth; it is observed, en passant, that compensation was paid to the victim of the collision.
Whilst it might be possible in daylight to enforce
a regulation such as is proposed, though I have grave doubts about its practicability, I am firmly convinced that in darkness it would be utterly impracticable, as neither party would be able to judge the status of the other with any degree of certainty.
Collisions under these circumstances would be inevitable.
(3D.) J. B. NEWILL, Harbour Master,
25. 11. 37.