2(A)
35
•
On one
We cannot prevent smoking in the tween deck but the
I estimate there watchmen have instructions to prevent it. were about 4-5 hundred persons on board at the time fire
broke out. At the time fire broke out we were on shore lighting which failed a couple of minutes after the out- break but within 20 seconds we were on ships lighting.
It is possible that the shore cable was broken or disconnected by the crowd. Passengers began to embark
about 5.0 P.M. It is not usual for traits friends to
I never made a accompany deck passengers on board.
check of the contents of passengers baggage.
occasion I detected a passenger carrying hazardous
I do not allow goods. They carry all sorts of stuff.
deck chairs to be used on the main deck.
with the assistance of the compradore's staff regulate
the stowing of baggage. A baggage room or reserved
space would be unacceptable to passengers for they will not leave their baggage. Partial suffocation and the
resulting stampede did, in my opinion, cause the heavy
loss of life. All three cargo ports on the starboard
were closed before the outbreak of fire. They were never
open at any time. Both the stairway in the bow and that
in the stern were readily accessible.
、
not
I occasionally
People leaving the ship were carrying baggage but
were fighting with bamboo poles.
The spreading of baggage on the main deck of
River Steamers is the practice in all vessels on the
River Trade.
The foregoing is a true record of
the evidence I have given.
Sd. W. J. Andrews.