1929-01-18 — Page 4

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THE HONG KONG DAILY, PRESS, FRIDAY, JANUARY 18th; 1929.

THE "HSIN WAH" MYSTERY.

LOCAL SHIPMASTERS" OPINIONS.

NEW STORIES COME TO LIGHT.

NO OFFICIAL INQUIRY LIKELY.

With the sinking of the ss. Hain Wah there appears to be vet another mystery added to the great quota of unsolved enigmas of the sea. To the lay mind, it seems almoss incredible for a well. found modern steamship, carrying over 400 human beings, to crash on to rocks which are indicated at night by a powerful beacon light, without some definite and easily understood cause.

As is usually the case in this type of disaster, the true facts, have to be carefully selected and considered from a vast number of garbled statements given by survivors. It frequently happens- and it is probably so in this instance--that not even the most com- petent of any of the survivors is able to form anything like a clear idea of the events immediately preceding the disaster."

As for the disaster itself, the evidence seems to suggest that each individual who remained to tell of their experiences in this tragedy of the sea was more concerned in the moments of danger with obeying instincts of self-preservation than in taking mental note of the doing of their fellows.

In the absence of any official inquiry, it seems that we shall have to take these garbled statements, many of which may be con tradicted as soon as they are made, and construct from them' a story based on the most likely statements which may, or may not, contain much truth. In any event, it' is more likely that the true history of the Hsin Wab disaster may never be known..

THE CHIEF OFFICER'S

STATEMENT.

Further details are to hand of the Hain Wah disaster, writes a Daily Pre representative. The owners of the ill-fated vessel state that it is not likely that an official inquiry will be held as the ship was registered in Shanghai. It is also authoritatively stated that the total number of lives lost is 103. Only 28 have been saved.

OTHER NAVIGATORS'

OPINIONS.

THE

AARONACULAR - MIDDLE |

SCHOOL

SUCCESSFUL YEAR RE-

PORTED.

235 CANDIDATES AND SU ADMISSIONS.

Dr. R. H. Kotowall, C.M.G.,

| gave away, the awards at the Government Vernacular Middle School annual prize giving yesters day morning. A large number of parents and friends were present including Mr. A. E. Wood, direc tor of Education.

The Headmaster read a very satisfactory report and the keen- ness for admission was shown by the fact that 235 candidates com peted for 63 vacant places.

Dr. Kotowall in a short speech mentioned that the University School for Chinese students had recently been started and had drawn a

number of pupils from the Middle School. He was glad to see the school supplying the higher grade pupils preparing for a University course.

The Report.

The Headmaster (Mr. K. E. Li. B.A.)," in the course of his report said I have the pleasure to nounce the appointment by the Government of Mr. Woo Hang. Kam, Mr. T. N. Chau and Mr. Kwok You Ting as "Hok Tung of this school. These gentlemen have been with Dr. S. W. Tao, our friend and untiring supporter, a highly esteemed body of helpers and advisers to our school.

Local maritime circles find the

The maximum enrolment of the mystery of the Hsin Wah' an all-year was 206, and average attend- absorbing topic. Various theorie ance 186.31 as against 178 and 1884, respectively, in 1987. It is and conjectures have been advanced interesting to note that during the to our representative by captains year 31 students have never been and mates of vessels in harbour. absent, for a single school day..

"There has been no suggestion,ed by the Director of Education on The school was regularly inspect- up to the moment, of any engine. May 4th, July 16th, and December room - trouble," said one officer. 15th. The Medical Officer for ** It seems to me that if the Schools inspected the school on

October 2nd and 3rd. Her assis engines had broken down or if her tance and advies are much appre- steering-gear was giving troubit, ciated. she would have given some notifica- The entrance examination held tion to the lighthouse people. I on January 3rd was attended by 238 candidates; of whom it was rather think the trouble was due only possible to admit 63. Though to a wrong bearing being taken on the school is only three years old, it had had to refuse admission to the lighthouse in the dark.

661 candidates, largely owing to lack of classroom accommodation.

The rescued Chief Officer, Mr. P. Jacobsen, in making satisfactory progress in the Government Civil Hospital from the effects of his six. hours immersion in the ice-cold water. Yesterday, he was less dazed" and more able to make a coherent statement. He said that of being awakened from his sleep by the shock of the vessel striking the rock, he fought his way through crash. We both belonged to the

sarging mass of struggling humanity to the bridge where he joined Captain Jensen. They were unable to quieten the panic-stricken Chinese and the Chief Officer was washed overboard.

The bo'sun his modified his pre- vious story in which he said he "saw no European officers on the bridge at all." He now states definitely that he aaw Captain Jensen on the bridge directing the course of the ship as far as he was able and sounding distress signals on the siren. With the Captain were the Chief Officer," the Chinese Second Officer, the Chief Engineer, the Second Officer, and the quarter- master.

It will be noticed that no state. ment had been made by either the Chief Officer or the bos'un, as yet, to indicate who were the offiers actuals ly on the bridge before the collison, nor would the Chief Officer repeat a statement he is said to have made to the police that he saw Captain Jensen at a later stage swimming in the water.

"If that was the case, I do not think Captain Jeasen could have been on the bridge prior to the

J

This year we had much greater access in sports than the previous years. We sent our Volley Ball Team to compete for the Senior same Guild and I knew biui quite Shield and turned out to be the well. He was a most experienced runners-up. Over twenty Football Teams, including two of the focal navigator and, moreover, quite con Army, challenged us. for friendly versant with these waters. A man matches, and we were fortunate of his experience could tell his enough to have in most cases vic- distance from the lighthouse with one of our boys, Yeung Hang Wah, tory on our side; In swimming out difficulty, even if the night was competed for the open champion- as black as pitch. All navigators ship in the two Harbour Races held know the drifts of the currents under the auspices of the Chinese around Waglan,"

Bathing Club and the Victoria Re "No navigator in his right senses creation Club, and he came out would steer so close to Wagian second and fourth respectively. opined the captain uf another ship. The health of the students 'It was a dark night but I should throughout the school year has not describe the weather conditions been satisfactory. As a precaution as terrible it was just an or- against small-pox o number of dinary dirty night at sea.' The students were re-vaccinated. in De- ship was a fairly modern one with cember...

good engines and well found and In concluding, I have to pay a driven helplessly on to the rocks loyalty of my staff during the year do not think she could have been tribute to the co-operation Lad by the elements in the ordinary under review. way.

ALLEGED ARMED ROBBERS

REMANDED. T

ONE DISCHARGED.

A Likely Opinion?. "I knew Captain Jensen fairly well. From what I knew of him should say he was a very competent be inclined to take great risks. man. At any rate, be would not

You Dust remember that the Second Officer, who was on watch The five Chinese who are appear- probably the first time he had been in the Shatin district, and kidnap- was quite inexperienced. It was ing on charges of armed robbery in charge of the watch when enter- ping two children were again be ing harbour, and I am inclined to fore Mr. E. W. Hamilton at the believe that this young Chinese Kowloon Magistracy yesterday officer tried to bring the ship in as afternoon. Evidence was given by far as he could without the assist-detectives of arrest and the Magie ance of, the Captain.

trate remanded four of the defen-

SCOURING THE WATERS.

Mr. T. W. Hosegood (Assistant

Maybe he had instructions to dants until Monday, January it, Harbour Master) and Mr. R. J. on the bow but for some reason or who was not identified by the young call the Captain when the light was and discharged the fifth defendant Nuna (Boarding Officer), have been other did not do so. This is only girl found in the flat at No. 606, out to Wagian They saw the Hain theory, of course. I doubt if we Shanghai Street, when the police

shall ever know the truth of the raided the place on information. Wah submerged with a portion of

matter. At any rate, the disaster It will be remembered that an her foremast showing above water. I should teach a lesson to the people armed gang raided an unnumbered The ship was apparently almost concerned and, in future, ships not matshed at Shatin and after over. on her beam end. Upon their re-equipped with wireless, should not powering the inmates carried off be permitted to carry passengers." not only all articles of value, but turn, the following notice was

The ship was in pilotage waters two little children, one of whom was isaned :--

clearly marked on the charts," said at the flat in Shanghai Street. Sunken wreck of. as. Hain" I should think the Captain would the mate of a Chinese-owned vessel. Wah in position approximately North 4 degrees West true from bo on the bridge. If not, I do not Waglan Lighthouse, distant five think he was called No Chinese cables."

Becond Officer should be allowed to take a watch unless he is fully.com- petent. Even then, he should be supervised by the Captain in an approach to any harbour.”.

The tug Henry Keswick has made & Becond journey to the scene of the wreck to search for bodies. Beveral vessels have searched ad jacent waters and police have land ed on Pu Toi and other islands and have satisfied themselves that no living persons were washed ashore,

Twenty-two of the survivors are accommodated in the Wan - Kau boarding house. The owners of the Hain Wah and the Tung. Wah Hos pital are looking after the interests

of all the survivora,

À FRUITLESS SEARCH.

The Kwang Wah Hospital engaged the services of two steam launches Kwang Shuen and Wing Lee, mi made a thorough search of the For the sake of the honour of further survivors or victims of the neighbouring islands and base for the Captain and the First Officer ill fated Hain Wah, but both vessels there should be an official inquiry returned late last night without of some sort," said another officer. having found any trace of either. "This could take the form of a The launches carried provisions Coroner's inquest into the circum and clothes in case any survivors stances surrounding the deaths, of the persons whose bodies have been recovered."

There is strong local feeling that the authorities concerned should institute an inquiry notwithstanding the fact that the ship was registered

in Shanghai and Chinese-owned. (Continued on next Column).

with necessary gear for saving the were found, and were also squipped:||

bodies of any victims which they might see so as to bring them to Hong Kong for burial orgy

A round of all the Police Stations late last night confirmed the state- ́ment that no further survivore from the shipwreck have been found.

K. M. A.

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Hong Kong Weekly Press

THE CURRENT ISSUE

THE HONG KONG WEEKLY, PRESS, PUBLISHED TO-DAY GIVES A FULL ACCOUNT OF THE LOSS OF THE STEAMSHIP. "HSIN WAH” WHICH SANK IN THE EARLY HOURS" OF WEDNESDAY, AFTER RUNNING INTO THE ROCKS NEAR WAGLAN LIGHT, WITH THE LOSS OF OVER 400 LIVES. GRAPHIC ACCOUNTS OF THE DISAS TER WERE GIVEN BY THE CHINESE BO'SUN AND THE CHIEF OFFICER, MR. JACOBSEN, WHO IS THE SOLE SURVIVOR OF THE FOUR EUROPEAN OFFICERS.

The Important pronouncements, regarding the aims and the future of the Hong Kong University, made by the Chancellor, H.E. Bir Cecil Clementi, and the Vice-Chancellor, at Degree Day, are fully reported.

Changes are announced in the constitution of the Legislative Council in the addition of two Official and two Unofficial members, the latter both of them residents of Kowloon.

Our Canton Correspondent gives an amusing account of the discomfort and indignation caused in Canton by the continual failure of the electric lights. The views of both Government and Company are stated. He also describes some troubles of the Railways in Kwantung,

Cable news from the North include the sensa- tional execution of Yang Yu Ting, by Chan Hsueh Liang, who seems to have inherited the flair for such coups so characteristic of his father Chang Tso Lin

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