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THE LAUNCH INQUIRY,' CONFLICTING EVIDENCE.

EXPERTS VIEWS AS TO THE

STABILITY OF THE LAUNCH.

Conflicting evidence was offered yester day afternoon at the resumed sitting of the Commission inquiring into the cir cumstances surrounding the capsizing of the Cheung Chau ferry launch, Fre Din Fat. The question was raised as to whether the launch carried any ballast. According to Mr. Swan, a draughtsman,

who examined the launch after she was raised from the harbour, there was no ballast on board. The Coxswain, called, reiterated his statement of the previous afternoon that she did carry ballast. He had seen it bimself, and he suggested that the ballast had been taken out of the launch after she had been tained.

THE HONGKONG DAILY PRESA, THURSDAY, AUGUST 280, 1913.

JEXCITING INCIDENT NEAR

THE KOC

บ

DETECTIVE EMPTIES HIS-REVOL- VER AT AN AMERICAN.

ANOTHER ALLEGED SMUGGLING INCIDENT.

last. It did not kirike him then that the lenged him. The America out and ran

.

PIRATES?

POLICE OFFICER'S SENSA- TIONAL FIND.

APPARENT PLOT TO PIRATE CHINA MERCHANTS' STEAMER FRUSTRATED.

BOARD OF EDUCATION.

MEMBERS AND INSPECTORS 'OF SCHOOLS.

THE LANGUAGE DISPUTE.

The Board of Education met at the offices of the Sanitary Board, Post Office. Building, yesterday afternoon. The chair was taken by the Director of Education (Hon. Mr. E. Irving).

The CHAIRMAN reminded the members

The police, yesterday alternoon, There was mueft excitement in the through the diligence of one of their neighbourhood of the Kowloon Cricket officers nipped in the bud what appears Club on Tuesday night at about 9.30 to have been a well-isid plan to pirate a o'clock when shots were heard in the large Hongkong ateamer." The vessel direction of Austin Road. The members as the a. Kuang Tah, belonging to that he had been instructed by them to in the Club and the Europeans in the the China Merchants Steam Savigation make further enquiries from the Head- neighbouring houses rushed towards the Company. She had just embarked some mistress of the Balilios Girls' School on scene of the shooting. On arrival it was two to three hundred passengers and a | the subject of the respective merita of the found that a Chinese detective was in pursuit of an American quarter-master good cargo of merchandise, and was on Portuguese and French Innguages for belonging to the... President McKinley, the point of departure, when Sergt. certain of her pupils, Unfortunately the Acting on information that an Anieri-Carey of the Water Police, boarded the the Board left out of consideration the can was likely to pass that way on na alleged smuggling mission, a Chinese vessel at West Point from a police launch fact that the school holidays began the The first witness called was the Assist-detective had been specially posted in and instituted a search of the passedgers, day after their meeting Consequently ant Government Marine Surveyor, Mr. Austin Rond. At about the hour stated His presence was sufficient to cause a he was afraid he would be unable to see P. J. Taylor, He said that the launch the man made came under him for survey on Jaho 8th riding in a ricksha. The detective cnal-made desperate efforts to make the shore. weeks, and he suggested that the question is appearance. He was panic and a number of people on board the Headmistress for at least another six

it is stated, launch was tender, nor that she was stopped the ricksha,

Sergt. Carey succeeded to some extent too narrow in the beam.

away, closely pursued by the detective, in stopping the rush with the aid of the be left in abeyance till then. "There was Asked under what circumstancese shouting to him to stop. The fugitive police Launch crew and the crow of the no particular hurry in any case, because launch was sent on that occasion to took no notice and the detective pulled steamer. He then picked out a man who the subject could not be included in the Bailey's Yard to be teated, the witness out his revolver and emptied the cham- appeared to be acting in a suspicion school curriculum till the new school year. said that certain alterations had beenber at the retreating figure. six shots searched him. The suspect was armed The Chairman proceeded to move that

manner and, taking hins into a cabin, made to the vessel which had not been approved. The bridge had been length

with three fully loaded revolvers.

His suspicions oba plot to pirate the till their October meeting.

discussion on this subject. be adjourned ened without permission.. After the

ship were by now fully confirmed He launch had been tosted he considered her

Mr. communiented with the Water Police to be a good and proper launch for

E RALPHS seconded, and the service to the islands outside the

Station and asked for party of police motion was carried unanimously. Jecal harbour ferry services. He could

to be sent along to the vessel at once,

...PLANS AND ALTERATIONS. and in the mean time he kept a very not say whether the launch had any

close watch on the passengers. On the

The next business on the agenda was ballast when he surveyed her. She was then equipped with one boat and 79 life-

arrival of the police party it was decided the appointment of a sub-committed to belts or buays.

to take the vessel out into Kowloon Bay, inspect new school plana" where there would be no fear of any of Mr. B. WYLIE Boggested that before the people on board escaping, and where they deal with the matter it would be the ship couki be searched without inter-advisable to alter the words "new school ruption. The search took a considerable plans" to "plans of new schools and time, but it was not a fruitless, for in plans of important extensions and alter- different parts of the vessel a number of ations to schools." revolvers and quantities of ammunition were discovered. These, along with a number of suspects, were taken to the Water Police Station....

11

In reply to Chairman, the witness said that all launches going through the survey were measured for passengers and that it was not usual to measure them for cargo. If they carried cargo they would have to carry fewor passengers in proportion. This was done in accord- ance with the Ordinance. They allowed one passenger for every ton superficial feet throughout..

The Chairman: Speaking, generally of the ferre launches in Hongkong, do you withhold many certificates on the ground of instability-I would not shy very "often. To my knowledge there

been four or five withheld during the last five months.

heing fred in all With the aid of a European the wanted man was caught It is stated that no arms or ammunition were found in his possession, but in the road, not far away from the scene of tion the arrest, a revolver and some ammuni- were discovered. The American quarter-master was taken to the Water Police Station. He is to be brought before the Magistrate this morning.

STREET FOOTBALLERS

PROSECUTED.

SEVERAL COMPLAINTS FROM THE VICINITY OF STATUE

SQUARE

Three Chinese school boys and three Hongkong Hotel boys were proscented by Sergt. Elston before Mr. Melbourne for playing football on Tuesday after

The sensational incident will probably have its sequel at the Magistracy, this morning, when some of the people taken to the Station will be charged.

The CHAIRMAN said that some time ago this question was referred to the Govern ment and the Government agreed to show the Board any plans of this description they wished to see. There could be no objection to altering the phrasing as Mr. Wylie asked.

have noon at the junction of Wardley Street his prompt action, "for, apparently heceed to appoint a committee, Mesars.

Replying to Mr. Davison, witness said that if any alterations were made to the vessel, which affected its stability a certi- ficate would not be granted.

Mr. George Swan, a draughtsman in Messrs. W. S. Bailey's Shipbuilding Yard, said that after testing the launche ho gave a certifiente of testing_to_the Government Marine Surveyor on June oth.

|

and Queen's Road.

The boys entered different pleas. Some of them said they were playing; two of them denied the accusation, and another said he did play, but realising that he was doing wrong, he stopped playing. Another said he was playing on the Murray Parade Ground when he vas invited to join in the game. He did sot accept the invitation as he realised t was against the law.

Sergt. Elston told his Worship that he

The witness then described the tech-had had three complaints about the nut nicalities of testing the stability of the launch in different kinds of weather with varying quantities of ballast and pum bers of people, on board. Te allowed for 131 passengers by measurement.

The Chairman: Did you consider this launch was a safe and proper launch to carry passengers according to the men- surements-Yes, sho was very good.

Had she extra stability-thak is to say more more than you find in harbour launches 1-Yes, that is so,

sance. One was from a shop keeper in Beaconsfield Arcade who had had his window smashed by the youngsters. A driver of a motor-car had also complain ed that his car had been hit by a ball whilst a pedestrian said he had been annoyed. The Captain Superintendent of Police had suggested that three of the defendants he lightly fined, whilst the three hotel boys, who had spent the night in the side. room at Central Station, should be discharged with a caution.

The Magistrate told the defendants the dangers they were running of being run over, and pointed out that they had been Bir. James: Assuming that her 78 pas | smashing windows. Three of them were sengers on one side of the vessel reprefined 50 cents each and the other three sented. Be piculs, including bunkerage wero let off with a caution. And one ton of fresh water, what would

Witness said that she recovered quick ly from a roll, and went on to describe in technical terms what would be her cap sizing moment.

the effect be -

B

The witness consulteil his tables of figures and replied that she would have " righting moment." at 12 feet tons," which would be all right.

Supposing 50 people came on board on the same side that would be 50 picula more-what would be the effect 1-She would not have a chance.

She would become unstable-she would be over her "righting proment "-Yes.

She would not stand up to it at 100 piculs --No,

Witness went on to say that he looked for ballast on the bont but could not see any".

Mr. James: How much hallast. would she want, approximately - don't think she would need ballast at all The launch would be quite steady without.

So that what upset the boat was the people coming on board-It was the outside people that did it.

What would be the effect of putting in 8 tons of ballasti

Witness gave a technical answer that 6 tons of

would bring her up to fect

The Chairman: Would that additional ballast have any effect où her speed- Ballast of five or six tona would baye little effect on her speed.

The Chairman naked if her quick re- coveries from rolling would make her alightly uncomfortable!

Witness said that it would.---

As launches go, she was extra safe?

You..

So that 'she was uncomfortable but

safe-Yes.

A THIEF IN NATHAN HOUSE.

· EUROPEAN'S UNPLEASANT

SURPRISE

Sergt. Carey is to be congratulated on frustrated a scheme to pirate the ship.

WRDER CHARGE

WITHDRAWN.

WOULD-BE SUICIDE RELEASED FROM CUSTODY..

וי

Tse Chung Lin, the man who jumped into the harbour with his wife during the typhoon last Friday, and who was re scued after a gallant struggle with the elements by Chief Preventive Officer Clark," has been released from police custody,

This was agreed to, and the Board pro

Wylie, Ralphs, and Rumjabn were the selected members.

INSPECTION OF SCHOOLS.

With reference to the inspection of schools by members, Mr. Ralens remarked! that they considered the matter at their April meeting, and it had been decided that members should visit the schools for ↑ the purpose of inspection. No more than two members at a time were to visit the schools, and they would be selected by the Inspector, and the latter would accom- pany them during the visit. It was to be the Inspector's duty to choose members to visit the schools, that they would be most interested in. Since they had decid ed this it had been found necessary to visit only a certain class of school. These schools, had been visited and on nearly every occasion he had invited one men- her of the Board, who was specially interested in the school to be visited, to accompany him. The Autumn term was, for various reasons, the best and most suit- able term in which to make the visits. He had found the comments and suggestions made by the members very useful to him

as there were some!

On the day following the attempt the Ban was charged with murder at the Magistracy, owing to the fact that his wife had lied as a result of the immer sion. A formal remand was granted in the ease. On the advice of the Attorney Genend the Captain 'Superintendent of Police withdrew the charge of murder and the man was released from custody on Tuesday. The reason for the release is that the Attorney-General could see no possibility of a conviction being ob- the past, and tained owing to the statement made by thirty schools he proposed to visit during the man. This statement gave a brief the next term, and as he wished to ask story of the tragedy which surrounded two members to socompany him each the unhappy couple's lives. They had time, he ventured to predict that been married for spine 20 years and re-members would be frequently called upon cently the deceased woman had been to act He did not think it desirable afficted with that terrible malady-con- that any school should be visited by mem- "Samption from which there was apparbers more than once a term, and in some ently no hope "of recovery. As a "finalenses, only once a year." effort to combat the disease the man Mr. SILVA NETTO expressed agreement. brought his wife to Hongkong, and on the morning of the typhoon paid a visit to a local physician who confirmed his fears that there was no hope for his wife. They straightway went to the Canton Wharf and there threw themselves into the turbulent sea.

A house-boy on going into a room to call Mr. J. Murphy, a resident at Nathan House, on Tuesday morning, discovered a thief in the room, He was holding a pair of Mr. Murphy's shoes is his hand. The boy promptly aroused Mr. Murphy, who was asleep at the time. He jumped out of hed and seized the thief. Police When the Captain Superintondent's whistles were blown and the man was decision was announced to the man he taken in charge by a Chinese constable. expressed surprise as he had solaced Before being marched off to the Station,bimslf with the thought that it was much the thief took out of his pocket a five better to die, as he had nothing to live dollar note and 30 cents, which he had taken from the dressing table.

This was the outline of a case given by Sub-Inspector Spear before Mr. J. R. Wood yesterday morning.

Asked by the Magistrate if he had any- thing to say, the defendant shook his head, but did not utter a word.

He was sentenced to six weeks impri- aonment with hard labour..

The Chairman pointed out that wie Cheung Chau residents had taken a dis.I like to the launch.. Probably this was because she was extremely uncomfort abie?

The Witness: Well, that is a reason. This concluded Mr. Swan's evidence. Evidence was next given by Leung Shing, the contractar who raised the sunken launch When he went down to the sunken launch he found her on her side with bridge touching the bottom. The futinel was not touching the hottom but her mast was broken. He did not take anything out of the launch when he raised her.

The coxswain, recalled, said he remem bered when the launch was surveyed in Juno. She was not then equipped with -4 boat; neither had she any davita. The ballast was still on the launch when she was taken to the yard for testing

The Chairman: Is it in the launch now, the-Yes, it was, but everything was taken out after she was raised-even the engine and the boilers.

(Oontinued, at foot of next Golumn.):

AN ORWEGIAN DESTITUTE. Magnus Ambjornsen, o Norwegian scaman, was brought before Mr. C. D. Melbourne, at the Magistracy, yesterday charged with being a destitute. He the Magistrate that his last employment was on an American ship.

The Magistrate: Did you desert-No, missed the ship,

Have you got any money1-1.bavo 30

cents,

Allave you any employinent?-No, I have to work.

Sub-Inspector. Cotton said that he had received complaints from Europeans at the hotels that the man was frequenting the vicinity accosting people for alma Ho found the defendant outside one of the hotels and not receiving a satisfac tory reply to his question he took him in charge,

Ambjornsen was committed to the House of Detention.

Are you perfectly certain the ballast was in the boat! Have you seen it your self.-Yo, I.ani sure I have seen it

for.

The released man was taken away by his daughter, a young womш about 20 years, and it is understood that they hirve since returned to Canton, where the father holds

position as school teacher.

THE DEFENCE OF WAICHOW.

Walchow-General Chen Chiung Ming's stronghold is still resisting all attempts to capture it,

The CHAIRMAN' said "he 'did not think there was any actual proposal before the Board. The matter had been thrashed out at the April meeting, and they were merely repeating their views. They had not altered their rules in any way.

The matter then dropped.

INDIAN SCHOOLS.

Adverse commeat was made on the state of the sanitary arrangements at the Ellis Kadoorie School for Indians. The CHAIRMAN informed the Board' that he was corresponding with the Government on the subject, and ho hoped that some thing would finally be done. He added that the question was one of sewerage,

This concluded the business of tho meeting.

Education (Chairman), the Inspector of Those present were the Director of

English Schools (Mr. E. Ralphs), the, Inspector of Vernacular Schools (Mr. B. A. D. Forrest), the Rev. T. W. Peprce, the Rev. F. Valtorta, Mr. B. Wylie, Mr. Yesterday's 'afon Daily News con H. B. L. Dowbiggin, Mr. S. W. Ts Mr tains the following references to the. Ramjahn, and the Secretary, (Mr. Y.

P. Law).

situation there-

from Waidhow the city is faced with the According to refugees who escaped grave danger of starvation. The short- age of food supplies it causing rauch con- cern among the enemy troops that are under stego, and inutiny is expected.

[

THE PIG AS A GOD.

The following letter recently appeare in The Times:

The firing of the 18-centimeter gun hasi caused considerable damage in the city, and the refugees are of the opinion, that Sir-Many octituries ago the Chis should the firing continue the city is deifed the pig for its services na a likely to be captured with little trouble, killer of snakes, and a special star was Another report given out by the reassigned to it in the firmament Eulogies fugees is that the enemy troops there are and poems have been written honour forcing the residents to work in the conf. this animal, which forms a staple of new wall around that part food in China, second only to rice. of the city, that is liable to be attacked Herewith a short poem written by Mei the Constitutionalist forces. A great Yao-ch'en, a well known port and critic portion of the old city wall was destroy-of the eleventh century AD.:-- ed by the 1-centimeter, gu, and the enemy fears that" subsequent ring will

struction of

SONG ABOUT A - NIG.

2.

reader the oid wall useless to withstand ou Yuan kept an ordinary pig... the attack of the Constitutionalists Which daily greeted him with friendly

looks. On weather, work on construction of the new walt is greatly Delighted, he regarded it as a white handleapped, and very little work has unicorn (kylin), been done. The employment of peace. Grieving only that it did not grow, fal. wall, has enused much indignation among The pig would rush at people with a ful residents in, constructing the new a blustering gales or deluging rain,

the people in the city, who to praying

loud grunt. for the early enpture of Walchow by the But did Su Yuan-carol Constitutionalist forces.

His affection was proof against fear

taken by the Commission which then This concluded the evidence to be adjourned.

The finding is to be published in die

course,

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