1924-04-11 — Page 5

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THE **

HEUNGSHAN

ENQUIRY.

EVIDENCE CLOSED.

J. II. Woolacott. '

THE HONGKONG DAILY PRESS, FRIDAY, APRIL ffru,

Don't you think when you got there and yum had nos picked up the light that sonie measures ought to have been taken?

The President: And the Canton Authorities have taken no exception to this No.

EX-ACTIVE SERVICE MEN'S

ASSOCIATION. “

EVERYTHING FOR TENNIS

THE QUESTION OF A PAID SECRETARY DISCUSSED. meeting of the Ex-Active Service.

Capt. Thomas asked permission to Asked as in, the speed of the ship, Mr.make a statement concerning the No. 1 Gibsony said there was a food tide. and Pilot's evidence which he thought would The estimated the speed at 6 to 7 knots cormorted on by the public. Capt. Men's Association was held last evening.

per hour.

OHIEF OFFICER IN THE HOX.

The Court of Enquiry int the strand-

Going had asked if the No. 1 pilot would ing of the s. Heusychan was continued

What visibility was there a few Jesterday.

minutes before she struck-I don't know refuse or ignore, the orders of the Chief The following were the members of the what you class it. I could see the sam

Officer. I would ties to explain that on Court: --Listit, Comdr. Conway Hake.

the river boats we have frequent changes PALTIN I picked them up about half a Lient. Comple. F. J H. Dawson, Capt.hip's length in front, I should say

of officers. Some of them are youths, and Davison, Capt. 1. Going and Caprabou toe to 200 feet away,

when they come I say to them: "I da Lient-Coudr, Dawson: Do you ever not wish you to alter the course set by use the lead-Yes,

the pilot "that is if the officers do not Did you use on this ocension--No, it know the river. I say: "There is

telegraph on the bridge which is abeo. lately under your control and you can always stop the slip; therefore remem ber if you see anything, such as an in- fringement of the male of the road. you must pall up. But if a senior officer comes to the ship we leave it to his discretion.

Mr. G. K. Hall Brution, solicitor, appeared on behalf of the Chum Cast OfBeers' Guild, and Mr. Ehlon Potter, K... harrister at iny. represetites the owners, the Hongkong, Calton and

Mués. Steminboat Company,

The first witness called was Mr. James Patrick Gibson, a master Mariner and

was not necesSATY.

་

Well, before you strack what distance was the Punahing in front-About two ships' Length: about 000 feet.

EVIDEO OF 1 LINE DION SLI Long Wang, a sailor and the look-out Chief Offer of the sa, Hrungthan, Heman at the time of the stranding toki said that on the night of the standing the Court he knew there was a boy be relieved the second offer at 230 m. situated at Junk Rock hat on the octa-think of disputing the pilot's orders ex- The No. 1 pilot was on dig. Jást passion in question he did not see it until Tixer Istard it was foggy and he started after the shop Struck: either did he

see any light,

A whistle Two blasts were bhawn and then the Captain came on the bridge and, naturally, the Captain," when he came on the bridge, tank over command. con tinued foggy. The Captain suggested that if they did ret, make Blake Point soon they should deep anchor but just then they made the point.

for him to geport lights or anything un- Asked by the President if it was usual usual to the bridge, the witness said it

Wa..

Mr. Brutto announced that this was all the evidence he proposed to put be- fore the Cort.

The President said that no-one would

by Mr. L. D. Martyn presided over (Chairman). It was suggested that, in view of the scanty attendances at the quarterly meetings they should he dis« continued.

The members also discussed at great rngth the question of engaging a paid European Secretary for the Association. owing to the difficulty in seguring an to All the vacancy Hon. Secretary created by the pending resignation of the present Hon. Secretary (Mr, T" N. MacReynolds). It was auggested" that the funds necessary for this be raised from proposed increase of subscription from St to 32 per month. The proposal. which was put forward by the Chairman was not received with great favour, and

several members spoke against it includ

He thought Capting the President of the Association (Mr. X. Teesilale Mackintosh), who said that to adopt such a proposal would make it sappear that the Association was weaken- ing and that the members were "losing interest in it. What was wanted was a strong. Committee to support the Secre tary An amendment That the Com- mittee he authorised to elect an Hon. Secretary from their midst who shall con- tinue in office. to next October" was carried. A farther motion that the Hon. Secretary receive an honorarium of not less than $300 a year was also carried.

The meeting then proceeded to elect members to fill vacancies on the Com- mittee. The following were elected:

ect the Captain. Thomas could take it from the Court that the pik.t's evidence was given in the right spirit and should be looked upon as cemi- plimentary to the Officers.

Capt. Thomas: Thank you, sir.

THE COMPANY. THE CASE FOR

Mr Potter briefly addressed the Court saying he was not there for the purpose CUTALS OF THE "KWOSOSAI "* CALLED. of finding someone to blame for the Mr. Pälter said he had proposed "to accident. He wished only to be of some call Captain Hayreek of the 5.8. Kwongai assistance to the Court in coming to their who was present in Court, whose ship decision. There was nothing so distaste- came on the scene of the stranding 10ful to Counsel as to attack any ship's minutes afterwards, to say whether there officer of long experience. There seetged was a light on the Junk Rock busy or to be four points which he thought were tot, les in view of the Chief Officer's worthy of consideration. It was, ha existence, that there was a faint light thought, the bounden duty of the captain barning at the time of the stranding, heto have informed his owners of the did not know whether the Court thought

The witness described the journey, up to Shum Cho village where they passed dhe lot of sanipaus and fater they, "picked" sup what they thought to be another lot of sampans. He proceeded to say: The Captain gave the order to starboard with the idea of passing them. I was then on the port side of the beaige looking at the fights of Shavu Cho village. I then went to starboard and looked right over the side and saw the very faint glimmer of a green light. It was then that I made the exelsanation: J.---, its the Junkit accessary for him to be called.

The Court decided to call Caps, Hay, Rock buoy," had to look right down before I could slistinguish the light, work, who stated that he saw the green Immediately when I saw sampans ahead die ertier to starbnani was given. The engines were stopped, but, of course, tha ship struck..

light on the buoy at 5.10a.m. It was not bright, just burning half-and-half.

Mr. Bratton, "cross-examining: It seems an absurd question to ask Capt. Hayenek. but you can't say what the light was like at 150, or 451 4.7-Imposs-

Mr. Brutton: Could you give us the length of time between the Captain giving the order to warboard and the time gonible. first saw the gliner ?

Wit: Well, it would it be more than half a minute or a little more than that, probably.

Asked by Capt. Ching to describe where he first encountered fog on the river, the witness said at Chain Rock It cleared up until they reached First Bar Light where they struck it again.

Can you tell us whether the ship was sheering off to "port when the Captain] He did not auchor, save the order!-I do not know what they were doing in the wheelhouse. After! passing Terrace Head my whole idea was to pick up Junk Rock' buoy.

Did you see the light as you were ap proaching-No; I did not until looked righ: down over. The light looked as a it waused trimning verý badly.

we cut, barcock worLD HAVE DONE.

Capt. Woollacott: If you hall not seen Junk Rock buy, would you have con sidered it safe to proccedt--No.

Mr. B. W. Chaney (Vice-Chairman), Messrs. S. C. Feltham, H. H. Rosc. T. N. MacReynolds and J. S. Beach (to he members of the General Committee).

The Chairman informed the members that it had been decided to re-open the beach, during the EASMA bathing coming summer.

ном.

countermanding of his orders as soon as he heard of it himself, in fairness to them and to himself. The captain said that he knew that an enquiry was coming off and that he knew the evidence would come out then, but eleventh hour evi- dence was apt to be discredited. Dealing with the question of the veracity of the ARMED ROBBERY AT HUNG pilot, Mr. Potter said the man appeared to have a remarkable memory, a phenomenal! mewory, a memory worthy of a far better position thao'a pilot on a river boat, and it occurred to him that the pilot had carefully studied what he was going to say before he came into Court. In regard to the pilot's position on board, he seem ed to hase virtual control of the boat, and he would suggest that it was hardly a right system of aavigation.

The third point was our of considerable importance: Was there a light on Junk Rock bung? Until that morning he had Mr. Potter: If you had not seen the thought that the captain's case would be light what would you have done? that there was no light on the buoy that should have got over to the other side night, but Mr. Gibson had told them

Witness, replying to further questions, and passed the boy and then have ant there was a light, although it was

wards.

chored.

.

CAPT. THOMAS' STALLED.

the North

Whis Yuen Ei and his three sub. tenants were sleeping at $4, Ma Tau Waij in the early hours of yesterday, six men raided the house. One was armed with a chopper: another with a dagger, and a third with 1 revolver. The visitorsa threatened the inmates with their arms, and decamped with money and jewellery collectively valued at 380.

next place, and so on, They had beer. every inch of the way and knew the set courses off by heart. There seemed a dual responsibility" between the captain and the pilot.

Officers on these boats

THE GANTON RIVER PILOTS. ought he not, in view of the fact that the knowledge of the captain. The cap-

ཐ་

Mr. Bruston: Do you know the course the pilot set from Tai Kok Tau?-I don't know, but I know the course he should have set-S.W.8.4-8. I might mention that I have been up the river in just as foggy weather.

Commander. Dawson: This pikt sectus With regard to the second lot of sam- pans, What did you think they were ?to have been ruching on the river as a Well, they might have been fishing boats, No. 1 pilot since 1915 without a licenes

I until March of this year! or ferry boats or boats at anchor.

The witness replied that none of the state that we have, to continus.lly dodge

pilots on the river were licensed, with sampans up the riyor.

Now, as a matter of fact, you were fur- the exception of three. ther up the river than you thought you were 1-Everybody must have imagined that, or we would not have let the ship

were changed very frequently, and a new a very faint one. Capt. Haycock had officer who knew nothing of the river said the ship was proceeding slowly and the tide must have been the beginning of "

told them thas the light, was visible at could not be expected to tell the pilot, of all persons, what to do, and it was Capt. Thomas was recalled at the res., which was only about forty minutes absolutely impossible for the captain to the flow. When the ship struck he sound- en the wells and found that the ship was quest of the President who asked him. Why after the Heungahon struck." Perhaps, be on the bridge from the time the boat as the captain said, the light was trim-left the wharf at Hongkong till sbe making water. While making his inspeedid you beach the ship on

He conreached Canton Mr. Brutson said that tion the engines were started. Every-bank-Beenuse I noticed as soon as I med between the two times. thing possible that a seaman conki do for put the engines glow ahead that the shiptended that the boat was entirely out of the quarterinaster must have obeyed the

He was swinging and then to have swung her course.

was not trying to order of the pilot; the Heungshan could the safety of the passengers was done.

Mr. Gibson then related what arrange her round again would have taken time exaggerate; the members of the Court not have been pointing to the shore had he pot done so. It was an impossibility. sdents were made for the transferring of and possibly she would have suck in deep were all Exporicaced men and would un. the passengers to the Kungs, There Water. I had to act quickly and my main derstand what he meant when he said Ho was used to obeying the crders of she was entirely out of her course. The the pilots, and probably did it instine- was no panie. The Chinese were trans thought was to save the passengers. ferred first and the Europeans after The President: The situation called point he wanted to make was Ought the tively.

There were three reasons for the ac for immediate action 7-Yes, the only captain to have known that he was near thing to be done was to keep her swing Junk Rock Ought be to have realised ident; the first that the pilot placed that he was almost on top of it? And the boat on a different course without ing

tain thought that the usual course had ~Lieut.-Comdr., Dawson: Who are the he had seen no light, to have taken some been set and that she should therefore to the north bank, pilots engaged by the master or the steps to avoid danger?. Counsel recalled have been bearer Company --We engage them,

that when he examined him the captain The second was that there was no light pat to him the position of being placed visible on the Junk Rock buoy. The, evi- in a dark room and walking across it desce was conclusive, What Capt. Hay. without bumping into something-a chair cock saw at 5.40 am, but no bearing at or a table. In answer to that he would all. The third reason was that the cap say that he thought if he could see the tain's orders were countermanded. The walls he would be optimistic enough to act of porting the helm turned the boat say he could find the door without collid on to the, rock, whereas, bad she con- ing with anything. Capt. Thomas adtinued to bear to the starboard, there was a possibility that she would have got mitting he could sen both banks.

through on the south of the rock without. TIME CASE FOR THE CAPTAIN. touching. She might have got through Mr. Brutten submitted that it was and then the captain could have given The President of the Court produced a perfectly sound policy to allow the pilota the order to port and they would have copy of the Regulations governing the control of the ship. They were men who got in the straight again. Mr. Potter had said that the captain" should have pilet service on the Canton River and were brought up to be pilots and were known his position. Three things point- read a paragraph to the effect that any selected because of their knowledge of ed to the opposito. He did zot know They started as quarter that the usual course was not being ship"carrying an unlicensed pilot was the ziver. liable to a fine of $100.

masters, were promoted to second pilots, followed; he thought the sampans were The witness explained that it was an and, finally, were appointed first pilots, ferry boats which ran to the north side ancient custor and usage, since about They were on the boats for the sole pur of the river; and he did not know that 1962 to have unlicensed pilots on board pose of piloting the boats up the river. there was a flood tide running which When you got to Shum Chu village the river steamers, but these pilots were Referring to Mr. Potter's references to would tend to carry him into the south bank. He asked the Court to say that you realized that you were near to Junk fully experienced and had been trained the memory of the pilot for times. Mr. the captain was not culpable in regard on the river from their youth upwards, Brutton said these pilots steered their to the accident, and to exonerate him and that they were gradually promoted purse by times-five minutes to such and from all blame.

The President annonhood that the from quartermasters after many years of such a point, and three minutes to the Court would consider its finding which

would be announced in due course. experience.

Contiqued at foot of next column.).

hit it, *

Cross-examined by Mr. Potter:

Do

you agres with the pilot's evidence as to the course he steers?

Mr. Gibson; 1 lo not.

Does be consult you Not always. Does he, give orders to the Quarter master without consulting you 1-Yes, but if I thought he was not correct I would

tell him so.

Rock Island-Yes.

17

Were you surprised when you got to that village that you had not picked up the light-Yes.

Then there are to Regulations for licensed or unlicensed pilots?

The witness replied that there were, Regulations, but they were not compul-

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