CO129-256 - Governor Sir Robinson - 1892 [8-12] — Page 350

information a copy of the quotation

-finding of the Marine Court of enquiry

Enclosurg 262 Oct.139 with 5 spard copila

into the

circumstances under

which the steam ship "Bokhara was wrecked.

I have the honour to be, My Lord Marquess, Your Lordship's Most Obedient

Humble Servant,

Walian Robinz

Mean

GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION.

22911

28 NOV 92

The following Finding of the Marine Court of Enquiry, into the loss of the British Steam-ship Bokhara, Official No. 68,397, of Greenock, is published.

By Command,

Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 26th October, 1892.

FINDING.

G. T. M. O'BRIEN, Colonial Secretary.

We find that the British Steam-ship Bokhara, Official No. 68.397, of Greenock, left Shanghai for Hongkong on Saturday, 8th October, with the mails for Europe, about 25 passengers and 1,500 tons of general cargo.

The ship was under command of Captain CHARLES Dawson Sams, and she had a full complement of Officers and crew.

That her draft of water was 17 feet 10 inches, and that she had a free board of 13 feet 6 inches. That she was a ship of 2,940 gross tonnage and her indicated horse-power was about 2,200. That leaving Shanghai with a fresh N.-E. breeze, she soon found this increasing, and on the following day she was running with a fresh gale on the Port quarter having a reefed foresail and whole foretopsail set.

That observations were made at noon that day, but the result of these could not be produced to the Court.

That at 8 P.M. that day the ship was placed by D.R. 8 miles east of Tung Yung Island and that the course was then altered to S. 34 W. (true) for Turnabout Island, which, however, was never seen. That wind and sea increasing and the barometer falling, the Captain, after consultation with his Officers, decided on "laying to," and the necessary preparations having been made the sails were furled and at about 1.45 A.M. on the 10th the ship was brought to the wind on the Port tack heading from N. 50 E. to East with the engines going dead slow.

That at 6 A.M. on the 10th, soundings were obtained in 30 fathoms (mud and sand) and that soon after it was decided that the ship should be put on the other tack to prevent her getting any further to the Eastward.

In coming to this determination it does not appear from the evidence of the surviving Officers that any anxiety as to the position of the ship with regard to the land was felt by the Captain.

That repeated attempts were made to bring the ship's head round to wind, the engines being put full speed ahead and the helm hard over, but she only came up a few points and then fell off again. Attempts were then made to

64 but she also refused to wear,

go off," and after these unsuccessful "attempts the idea seems to have been abandoned, the Captain still believing the ship to be on the

China Coast and not in a dangerous position with regard to any land.

At noon on the 10th the barometer was still falling and the wind and sea are described by one of the witnesses as "terrific." The engines had been stopped to prevent any forging ahead and the ship was laying beam on to the sea, which cleared her Port side between 10A.M. and noon of all boats, gangways, bulwarks, etc., and during the afternoon other boats were washed away and further damage done.

That about 9.45 P.M. three heavy seas broke on board which stove in the engine-room skylights and put the stokehole fires out and from that time the ship was at the mercy of the wind and sea.

At 11.30 P.M. land was suddenly seen close to on the sea beam, and the Captain, seeing it was "all up" with them, said "good-bye" to his Officers on the bridge, remarking that all that was possible had been done, and he then went below, it is supposed to warn the passengers of the condition of things. He was never seen again. A few minutes after this the ship struck on Sand Island, l'escalores, rebounded, struck again, and sank immediately.

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