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4. Stranding of No. 4 Police (Cruising) Launch:—At 9 p.m. on June 2nd the new Police Cruising launch No. 4, which had only recently commenced duty on the Mirs Bay beat, went aground in very hazy, wet weather on a reef running out to the north of Shelter Island Port Shelter near Hebe Haven, Sai Kung District. The sea was rough at the time and the launch was in danger of breaking up, but fortunately the sea moderated somewhat and as the tide rose, the launch came off. Thanks to the assistance rendered by one of the European Staff of Messrs. Bailey & Co.'s Yard, who happened to be on board testing the oil feed, the pumps were got to work again shortly after the stranding and the water was kept down sufficiently in the Engine room to keep the engines going. The Sub Inspector in charge of No. 4 then brought his launch to the lee side of Shelter Island where he remained until day light. He returned to Hong Kong at dawn under his own steam. He was towed from Lycemun by the salvage-tug "Henry Keswick" so as to enable the pumps to be kept at full pressure. The launch was docked the same day when it was found that the bottom was badly corrugated. The entire bottom plates were replaced by the Hong Kong & Whampoa Dock Co. at a total cost of $17,500 and the launch was on the run again within a month from the date of the stranding. The stranding formed the subject of an enquiry by the Harbour Master who exonerated the Officer i/c from all blame and commended him for the seamanlike manner in which he salved his craft after going on the reef.
5. Stranding of No. 10 Motor Boat and capture of crew by Strike pickets:-Some six weeks after the stranding of No. 4 Police launch on the 20th July a further mishap occurred to Water Police craft. The Officer i/c No. 10 Motor boat, which patrols the Sham Chun river on the frontier and Deep Bay, taking advantage of the high water in the river, decided to patrol above the Railway bridge at Lowu to Man Kam To ferry. This patrol is possible after heavy rain when the river is full. At the time the river was in flood. He reached Man Kam To safely but on his return down river, the coxswain, owing to a regrettable error of judgment, tried to cut across a flooded bend in the river and grounded his motor boat on the Chinese side of the river well above ordinary high water mark. The efforts of the crew, who got overboard to get the boat back into the main stream, failed completely. The grounding took place at about 12.45 p.m. With the assistance of some Chinese on the river bank, the Sergeant i/c was getting the boat back into deep water, when the helpers were peremptorily called off by Strike Pickets, who have been guarding the Chinese side of the river since the Strike and Boycott was declared in June 1925. The pickets then opened fire on the crew of the motor boat, who took shelter on the lee side of their boat. Promiscuous firing at the crew continued until 6.30 p.m. when the Sergeant i/c seeing no chance of assistance arriving, agreed to hand over his arms temporarily on condition that further firing