1940-07-05 — Page 20

WAR MEMORIES

OF 25 YEARS AGO

(From the "China Mall” files). July 5th, 1915.

The cargo of the German liner Bayern, which has been interned at Naples since the beginning of the war, has been found to consist of 500,- 000 revolvers, 100,000 rifles, 200,000 cases of ammunition, two hangars with two aeroplanes equipped with radio and machine-guns, 1,000 aeroplane bombs, 14 field guns, hundreds of tons of cement and two complete radio stations.

The British 5,000-ton liner Anglo- Californian. which has just arrived at Queenstown, reports that she was shelled on route by a U-boat. Twelve of the crew, including the captain, were killed and eight were injured.

A Paris communique reports that the Germans are suffering highly in the Arras battle. Several attacks have been repulsed with heavy losses.

STOCK EXCHANGE BRIGHTENS UP

London, To-day.

5-151

*Kalerved by The Bell Byndicals, Inc.)

Studious Sue says burning the midnight oil may be a bad habit but it certainly gets you places when the final test comes up.

LOCAL DOLLAR

The demand rate on the Hong Kong doilar to-day was 1/2 7/8,

London Silver was quoted at all21-3/4 for Spot and 21-5/8 for

The Stock Exchange resumed the upward movement

yesterday,

groups following the news of the forward. French Fleet. Useful gains were The cross rate London/New York general and some shortage of stock of was quoted at £-U.S.$4.0250. leading industrials and gold minings

was reported. Early in the afternoon activity was reduced owing to the imminence of Mr. Churchill's Com-

mons statement but business again in- creased shortly prior to the close of trading. Wall Street was. closed.- Reuter.

Το

SECRET SESSION

London, To-day. A secret session on the Ministry of Economic Warfare will be held next Thursday.-Reuter.

AMERICAN EVACUEES

A SPECIAL SAILING TO

MANILA

HAS BEEN ARRANGED ON THE

S.S. "BASILAN"

(Compania Maritima) DEPARTING FROM HONGKONG July 5th or 6th

Application for accommodation and rates to be made to THE AMERICAN EXPRESS CO., INC.

SOLE AGENTS.

INDO-CHINA

STEAM NAVIGATION COMPANY, LTD.

OPERATING SERVICES FOR CARGO and PASSENGERS

TO-SWATOW, SHANGHAI, TSINGTAO, CHEFOO and TIENTSIN

KOBE and OSAKA

SINGAPORE, PENANG and CALCUTTA,

SANDAKAN, HAIPHONG

All steamers "berth alongside the Roosevelt Terminal in the French Concession at Shanghal, where pas-

sengers and cargo are landed.

For Further Particulars Please Apply To

JARDINE, MATHESON

CO., LTD.

GENERAL MANAGERS. TELEPHONE 30311.

V

THE CHINA MAIL, JULY 5, -1940

JUDGMENT IN GLEN LINE CASE

JUDGMENT WITH COSTS was given to the Glen Line, Limited in their action against the Socony-Vacuum Cor- poration arising out of a collision in the Yellow Sea on June 15, 1937, between their ship, s.s. Flintshire and the tanker "Yarraville."

In his written dgment the chief] that she then heard a whistle appar- Justice, Sir Atholl MacGregor said:ently fine on the port bow whereupon On the morning of June 15, 1937 the her engines were stopped. She then "Flintshire" and the "Yarraville" were alleges that at 7.30 a.m. she had run all her way off and was dead in the in collision in the Yellow Sea.

water, and she then sounded the first of a series of two blast signals.

The "Flintshire" was on a voyage from Tsingtao to Shanghai and was

From these two accounts it is clear on a course South 2o West, the "Yar that there is a serious discrepancy raville" was bound from Shanghai to between the recollection of those in Dairen and her course was North 3 the "Flintshire" and those in the East so that the vessels, as is to be ex- "Yarraville." After careful considera- pected in these waters were on praction of all the evidence. I have tically parallel courses.

[hesitation in accepting the times gly- The times of the two vessels vary by en by the "Flintshire" wherever such one minute, and, save where I have to conflict exists..

no

consider the handling and navigation It has not been contended that the of the "Yarraville," in which case I adopt her own times, I have for pur-Yarraville" was not in fault and I poses of convenience adopted the times find her in default in four separate given by the "Flintshire," which are one minute ahead of the times given by the "Yarraville."

About 4.54 a.m. indications of fog were seen, the "Flintshire's" engines were put at standby, at 4.56 the en- gines were put to slow, and the regu- lation blast was blown at the pre-

At 7.07 a.m. [scribed intervals.

the

respects.

(1) On her own showing from 6.54 a.m. when she ran into fog she con-- tinued at her full speed of 11 knots until 7.23 am. That speed, I am sa-

tisfied, was in such circumstances ex-- cessive.

..(II) If her speed at 7.23 alm. was 11- knots through the water I and it in- whistle of another ship was heard and possible to believe that without taking. the "Flintshire's" engines were at once the engines at 7.23 a.m. she could have any retarding action except stopping stopped. At 7.08 a.m. her engines

been dead in the water at 7.30 nor am were put slow ahead, and, as the ma- jority of opinion aboard was that the impressed by the sufficiency of the signals were from a ship on her star-steps taken by. Captain East and Mr.

themselves board bow her

Boyd to satisfy

that in. helm was ported a point. At 7.10 a.m. everyone was sa-

fact she had all way off by that time. I am satisfied that the "Yarraville” tisfied that the other vessel was fact on the "Flintshire's" starboard sounded the two blast signal some.

bow.

in

time before she was dead in the water. (III) The startling admission · by both Captain East and Mr. Boyd that in a fog, with engines stopped and with an

appreciable south easterly swell neither of them took the trou- ble to observe the compass or in any way to ascertain how their ship was heading is almost incredible.

There is evidence that the "Yarraville" fel off her course 65 or 70 degrees to starboard and indeed it is only on the assumption that she so fell off that I "Flintshire's" signals were heard on can understand the evidence that the

the Yarraville's port bow.

She was put again on her ori- ginal course of South 2° ́ West. The other vessel's signals appeared to be broadening on the "Flintshire's" star- board bow. At 7.14 a.m. the "Flint- shire's" engines were put half ahead. At 7.15 a.m. those on the "Flintshire" heard two long blasts from the other vessel, and that signal, indicating that the other vessel was dead in the wa- ter, continued at regulation intervals. At 7.20 a.m. the "Flintshire's" engines were put slow ahead, and at 7.27 a.m. as those on board the "Flintshire" were suspicious of the correctness of "Yarraville's" two blast signal "Flintshire's" engines were

her. put her engines half ahead and stopped.

time At 7.33 a.m, a single blast was heard helm hard astarboard, all at a from the "Yarraville" and almost sim- trouble to observe their own heading when no officer on board took the ultaneously a ripple was seen on the and when they had no means of know- water and the "Yarraville" emerged

the the

(IV) At 7.33 a.m. the "Yarraville”

from the fog crossing the "Flintshire's" ing how the "Flintshire" was heading. bows from starboard to port. The

So far as the second of these faults

"Flintshire's" engines were put full is concerned I am unable to hold that

astern and her helm hard aport.

ad-

it in fact' contributed to the collision. At 7.34 a.m. the vessels were in collision It is clear from the evidence of Cap- the "Yarraville's" course then being

tain Christie and Mr. Munday that at estimated by those in the "Flintshire's lett as early as 7.27 a.m. they had as approximately True East.

formed a suspicion amounting virtual- The "Yarraville" when she first en-signal from the "Yarraville" was fal- ly to a conviction that the two blast countered fog was proceeding at a speed of 11 knots. When she ran into

lacious and that in fact she still had fog she put her engines to standby and

way on her and was moving through continued at full speed until a time that they were misled by that signal.. the water, and I cannot therefore hold which she gives at 7.23 a.m. She states

Mr. D'Almada while frankly mitting the liability of the "Yarra- ville" has argued that the "Flintshire" also was at fault. A 7.27 a.m. the" "Flintshire's" engines were stopped, but, says Mr. D'Almada, that precau- tionary measure was not sufficient, and she ought to have gone astern, at the same time taking appropriate helm action to minimise swing. The "Flint- shire" throughout had kept her course with the exception of a one point port- ing for two minutes which would take · her further away from the "Yarra- ville." From 7.20 a.m. to 7.27 a.m. her engines had been at slow ahead so. that at 7.27 a.m, her speed would not. be more than 4 knots, and the evidence is that when she sighted the "Yarra- ville" her speed through the water was not more than two knots;

The conclusion to which I have- come, and which I am advised is a proper one, is that the "Flintshire"* was at all times navigated in a pro- per and seamanlike manner, and that no degree of responsibility for the col- lision can be attributed to her.

04;

It follows therefore that in my judgment the "Yarraville" is solely to blame for the collision with the "Flintshire,"

Judgment with costs.

NIGERIA'S GIFT

London, To-day.

Nigeria has given the British Gov- ernment £100,000 from the Emergency- Fund to assist the prosecution of the war.-Reuter,