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terms of friendship and alliance.
155
The evidence is very simple, and there is little or no
divergence between the statements of the witnesses.
On the
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18th August, about 4 p... two steamers were approaching the
eastern entrance to the harbour the "Impress of Japan" and
the ship on which the deceased was, the "shikoku Haru."
launches of the Examination Service approached the Empress
flying the International Code flage "M N" which moans, "Stop
instantly." The Empress stopped, and an officer vent on board
to make arrangements.
As the 'Shikoku Karu“ did not then stop he sent his launch:
towards her. The launch approached the "shikoku aru" still
ing the "H_N" signal, but the stoarer still advanced.
Another examination launch also approached, The launchiog
nied their syrens and one of the examination officers shout-
so the ship at a distance of 100 yards, telling her to stop.
these attempts to stop her failed, a signal was made to the éficer in charge of the forte. He fired two shots across her
bowe. No notice was taken, the Fire Commander was consulted by
telephone, and another shot was fired across the bows of the
jateazar. Then a shot was fired at the upper part of the ship,
which resulted in the death of the deceased. It was not until
the fifth shot was fired into the hull of the vessel that sho
stopped.
The master of the vessel gives two accounts of the occur-
rence, but they do not quite agree. He appeare to have taken
no steps at all to stop the ship until after the third shot was
fired, and even though he stopped the engines the ship had way
on, and it was not until the fifth shot struck the ship that he
have orders to put the engines full speed astorm, One would
avo oxpected that common precaution would have induced him to give that order, full apeod astorn, at a much carlier stage.
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