1929-01-25 — Page 11

SINKING OF THE HSIN WAH.

OFFICIAL ENQUIRY INTO THE DISASTER.

THE "MESSAGE FROM THE WAGLAN LIGHTHOUSE.

ALLEGATIONS OF WASTED TIME,

Complaints about the loss of twenty minutes valuable timo in getting a message through regarding the grounding of the Hsin Wah on the morning of January 16th were made at the inquest proceedings on the body of a victim yesterday." It was alleged that a radio operator at the Hong Kong end refused to appreciate the urgency of the message sent by telegraphic signals and over the telophons from Mr. Hast, the lighthouse keeper at. : Waglan, and wasted time by asking for repetitions and spelling

of words,"

JLT

At 3.40 h.m. the vessel grounded. Witness thought as she became stationary and began to swing, at the same time sending out rockets and fares as distress signals. Wit- ness tried to communicate with the vessel by means of a Morse lamp, bat could get no answer.

During the proceedings Mr. Hast was questioned regarding a statement which the Coroner said had appeared in a local now- paper and was misleading. The reference was to a report that another vessel had seen the lights of the ship,when she was aground...

Proceedings opened in the fore- noon before Mr. R. E. Lindsell, sitting as Coroner, and a jury eom prising Captain A. W. Davison and Mesars. J. W. C.. Bonnar and Wong Kwong Tin. The Harbour Mastar (the Hon. Comdr. G. F. Hole, Witness estimated the vessel had struck Table Rock, on the most R.N.) was also on the Bench.

Mr. M. M. Watson (of Messrs. northerly point of Waglan. It was a very dark night but clear, other Johnson, Stokes and Master) watch lighthouse lights being visible. The ed the proceedings on behalf of the light at Waglan was burning as China Merchants Steam Navigation the ship would have been able to The officers on brightly as usual. Company, owners of the 8.5. Hainge. the Waglan light all the time.

Wah.

Object Of The Enquiry. In opening the proceedings, the Coroner said that the enquiry was undertaken with a view to establish

ing, if possible, the identity of the deceased, and the circumstances under which he met his death. I the jury found that he lost his life through the sinking of the Hsin Wah, it would be their duty further to ascertain the causes of that catastrophe.

It would be necessary also, the Coroner continued, to ascertain whether the vessel was properly equipped and navigated, whether

A Stowwitted Operator. After he had failed to communi- cate with the boat by signals, wit- nesa said that he started a message on the telegraph cable to Hong Kang but the operate at that end failed to understand and kept on asking witness to repeat words. Realising that time was being wast ed, witness asked to be put on to the Supervisor of Government tela phones. Witness was connected by telephone, but the operator again kept on asking for words to be re- peated and spelt.

Witness became angry at the

Supervisor. This time he was

THE HONG KONG DAILY PRESS, FRIDAY, JANUARY 25th,

TWO MORE LARCENY CASES.

MONEY AND CLOTHING STOLEN,

A Chinese shopkeeper of the Kwang Yick Loong medicine store, 30, Ko Shing Street, has reported to the police that the sum ol $507.38 has been stolen from the premises He suspects one Tre To, alias Shu Chuen, who was employ. ed as a salesman in the shop and bas disappeared sines the report was made

Silk clothing valued at $48 is reported to have been stolen from

Chinese resident at 29, Con- naught Road West. The report was made to the police at 7 am yester- day.

be there. On the morning of the 18th the portion of the mast was no longer visible.

Disaster Not A Surprise.

In answer to questions, Mr. Rast said that had the vessel kept on her original course" she would have passed in safety three or four hun- dred yards north of Waglan. The ship appeared to turn south-west too soon before she was past the point.

The steepest part or Waglan where it sloped down to the sen Island was at the northern end

with Table Rock below. Tho Waglan light cuts right at the northern end every time, it comes. round. At other times when the the steep part would not be con- light does not cut in that direction, spicuous on a night like that to anyone without knowledge of the coast,

Witness said that it was not sur- prising to him that this dissater had occurred and he wondered there were not more considering

the way some of them pass the point." He had never before seen a vessel pass so close to the island at night time.

Asked if any steps are taken to

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warn a vessel if it was seen from OUTRAGE IN DAIREN. | KONG KONG METEOROLOGICAL

taking a dangerous course, witness the lighthouse that abe Wus said that be would give warning signals in many ways, but in this starboard light was visible the vea

proper measures had been taken by taste of time, and asked again for those on board after the vessel had successful and was connected to the grounded, and whether any more Inspector of Lighthouses at Green could have been done at the time Island, to whom the message was or before by the shore authorities communicated at about 4 o'clock. in the way of rescue work. At the | This was twenty minutes after the case there was no time, When the conclusion of the evidence, he would ship grounded, and it took that direct the jury on any points of law amount of time to get the message! i was heading in the direction of;

which might affect their verdict.

THE EVIDENCE.

through.

i!

Ship Binks An Hour After Tha Stranding.

Sun Keng

On the question of exchanging Shortly after 4 o'clock the vessel, signale with passing ships, witness which appeared to swing round on said that this would be done either the bows as though she Was Body Found On “A‘Eift.

by flags or lamp. There was a wire- pivoting on a rock, started to movers apparatus to communicate with Captain C. H. Thompson, board either under steam or merely drift the D'Aguilar Station This was ing officer of the Harbour Departing and went about a quarter mile only used in case all. other means ment said that be visited the scene to the north-west,

of communication failed. If aeces- of the wreck at 2.30 in the afternoon

sary the wireless could be used to of the 18th on the tug Henry

communicate with strips.. Witness Keswick to search for survivors. Witness cruised among the Poo Tai

explained that he did not use the Group of island, and then proceed

wireless in this case as he had ed to Ling Ting Island, about five

already got his reports through and miles south of Cheung Chau

assumed that the news of the sink Wreckage was seen here, consisting

ing bad, after that, been broadcast. of an ice-chest, a hatch cover, and three packing cases. A ship's raft was also observed on which a man was lying. On getting alongside the raft it was seen that the mas was dead, and one of his legs was jammed under the hamboo shafts of

At 4.17 witness received a message on the telephone from the Inspec tor of Lighthouses to say that the news had been pasted on to the Harbour Office and other authori- ties concerned. He was also in- formed that Taikoo tug was coming to render assistance.

Witness watched the vessel which was still sending distress signals the whole time. At 4.42 a.m. be sent an official report through, having already gone to the landing stage

EX-BANKER AND YOUNG

CONCUBINE MURDERED.

HOUSEHOLD CHLOROFORMED

BY BURGLARS.

About I p.m. on January 7th, says the Manchuria Daily News, the Dairen police received a report by telephone that a band of mur- derous burglars had broken into the home of Mr. Chiang, ex-Direc- or of the Shantung Bank, Tainan, at 106, Harima-che (south of the Yamato Hotel).

The police detail despatched at once found the gate bolted inside, They got in at the rear entrance and heard à woman groaning. They entered the house, and were surprised to find the Inmates bound up with copper wire. They were at once unbound, but none of them could find tongue from the terrible Flace where the vessel sank.

fright they had come through. In The Coroner asked Mr. Hast it be one of the rear Japanese rooms,

Newspaper Report Criticised. Witness had stated earlier that the first ship sighted after the sink- ing was the Douglas steamer Has Ning at 5.30 a.m. Several others followed, but none passed near the

the raft. A life-jacket was lying where he ordered the staff to get could say what time the 1.1. Soo.. Chiang, the master of the

on the raft away from the body.

During a further search witness found a life-boat marked "No. 3" and with the name of the wrecked vessol on the bow. The boat was empty, except for a few pieces of clothing. On the return of the tug witness handed over to the police the dead body, life-hoat and raft.

Unsafe Sea For A Launch.

In the

mistress, Feng, Jui Lan (21 years old), was found murdered in exact ly the same cruel manner.

pick up any boats that might por stated in a newspaper report (not a ball, and stone dead. out ropes, lights and life-belts to chow passed Waglan, as it had been house, was found alac bound like

A silly arrive with survivors.

the in the H.K. Daily Press) that the rearmoet roem beyond, a young strong wind was blowing, at the Soochow saw the lights of the Hsin time and a high sea running. At 4.47 the ship disappeared. Wit Wah at about 4 a.m., when she was ness and the staff stood by at the Witness said that the. Soochow

aground.. landing stage expecting possible survivors, but none came ashore.

camo in much later than the On his return to the lighthouse building at about 5 o'clock, wit A dozen times, over a period of

Douglas boat. It must have been about 7 4.7., but he was unable to

Free Use Of Anaesthetic,

· REGISTER.

Hong Kong Observatory, Jan. 24th,

Previous Date! On Dat

Day *t

jat 2 p.m.) 6`am. p.m.

20.11 30,10 30.09

6+

4

78

Barometer..... Temperature Humidity.. 73

Direction ENE Torce Weather

0

с

0.00 0.00

Baine d 0.01 Highest open-air Temperature, 23rd: 86 Lowest open-air Tempestre, 24th÷61

B-Blue sky C-Cloudy; D- -Mist; OnOvercant; PPassing Drizzle; F-Fog; L-Lightning; showers, Q-Squalla; R-Rain; T-

hander

54

HONG KONG TIDE TABLE.

From January 25th to Sist, 1929,

HIGH WAZIL

Date Cinth

Low Warna.

fleight.

Hong

Hong

Kong

Kong

Standard

Standard

Timu.

Time,

*

b.

b nitin.

m.

Fri. 2510 51 41m 51

9 8B 3 2

3

It transpired that out of nine Ba 26m1! inmates in addition to the master and his concubine, only one was Ban. 27

Witness said that a strong north-ness said that he tried at least half state the exact time without refer out at the time-a Chinese, boj Mon. 8

twenty two minutes before he was

were recorded.

east monsoon was blowing at the time and heavy seas. In his opinion able to get a message through on no ordinary harbour launch was

the telegraph reporting the sinking safe under such conditions, and only a tug boat could make head- of the vessel. At 6.27 a message way Even the Henry "Keswick, came over the telephone from the large as she was, bad great diff Commodore's office asking for paramination of the body was given by

Wad. 30

2

******2958 ****

མ་

1 82 8

Height.

5 42 3 2

7 12:1

A 429 4

7 54 3 6

tive rooms, of which there are more Thur. 31m1377#

culty in getting alongside the raft, ticulars of the steamer in distress. Dr. J. E. Dovey, medical officer in the raiders naturally disagree and

and tossed about like a cork..

Crown Sergeant Wright, of the Water Police, stated that when he received the body from the previous witness and before he removed it to the Kowloon Mortuary he noticed a life-jacket on the body, which he had to cut away.

Tug Arrives: Wreckage Visible. ̈ At 8.45 a.m., as it was getting daylight, the Taikoo tug made or appearance, signalling with Morse lamp" where is the ship ashore " but those on the tug did not seem to take the answer. The tug steam- ed past north of Waglan and then came back,

It was new daylight

enco to the register where the times and it was through this boy on his return that the first alarm was The Coroner remarked that the raised. The raiders are supposed as 29 report was misleading and the point to have been several As the in- should be investigated.

mates were bound in their respec- Evidence of a post mortem ex-

than a dozen, their descriptions of are fragmentary. Luckily the police found the raiders' finger-marks left at different points in the house, The police surgeon, who conducted the post-mortem, examination of the victime confrme the, statements of the surviving inmates that the raiders had made free use of chio- roform before proceeding to bind the inmates.

charge of the Kowloon Mortuary, Witness said that the body was that of a Chinese male, about 30 years of age. The cause of death was us phyxia from drowning.

Mr. Thompson, recalled: said he and possible to exchange fag report by telephone from Mr. was positive that there was no life-signals. Witness signalled ship jacket on the body Witness sunk near or off Waglan, north- thought that probably a member of

west, mast visible

feet nine

the crew of the Heary Keswick put at that time the life-jacket on the body to keep the body warm in case the man was still alive.

The life-jacket removed from the bedy, continued Sergeant Wright, was similar to these he saw in the possession of survivors the following day.

Lighthouse Keeper's Observations.

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Message Received At Green Island,

Mr. G. H. Taylor, Inspector of Lighthouses, living as Green Island seated in evidence that he received Hast at about 4 a.m. The message In the opinion of the Public was to the effect that a vessel had Procurator, Mr. Ikeuchi, and Sgt. meas struck the north end of Wagian and Hoshi of the Dairen Police, who Witness

was in a sinking condition. Wit were also on the spot, the raiders theness at once rang up Mr. Thompson appear to have been on quite in- masts of the sunken ressel, above him to inform the Harbour Maater, Tan (the master of the house). at the Harbour Office and asked timate terms with Mr. Chiang Yu the water with a portion of wires. Tamer and the Water Early in the morning, a group of less aerial attached to it. Other signals were exchanged with the Police. At about 5.23 witness "re them called at the house asking for tug and she proceeded in the direcceived a further message to say that an interview. The name card pre- tion of the wreck. No signs of the vessel had sunk This was also sented bore the name of Wang. boats were visible. All he could passed on to Mr. Thompson with When told that the master was not sce was the portion of the mast and request for circulation to other at home, they forced their entry something which looked like boxes. concerned.

without taking off their shoes, and Mr. W. F. Hast, Government At 7.50 H.M.8. Tamar rang up

The Coroner asked witness if he at the point of the pistol, they lighthouse keeper at Wagian, stated asking if the tug had arrived. A could account for the delay in re chloroformed every one, then bind-lation. Mrs. Chiang was also in that at 3.15 a.m. on January 16th reply was sent in the affirmative giving the message; according to ing them up.. he observed a vessel approaching and an official report of arrival Mr. Hast, the ship went aground.

danger of her Hits. The effects of -Attack On Mr. Ühisng," with only mastucad and port lights and return of the tug was despatch at 3.40 and witness received the

the chloroform passed over towards showing. The vessel appeared to be ed..

message at 4 o'clock. Witness said Mr. Chiang, who was still in bed, about three miles south of the At about noon, continued wit that he understood from Mr. Hast was ruthlessly roused, and high noon,

that he had been in ̈communication words werë erchanged.

Probable Large Booty, One of ordinary course. From the position ness, he saw one and a half miles

Since the master and his con- of the lights then showing the in- away W.S.W. three rafts with an with the radio office, but could not them dealt a blow to Mr. Chiang dications were that the vessel would object like a life-boat and bits of get the operator there to appreciate on the forehead with blunt incubine are dead, with Mrs, Chiang pass clear, but very close to the wreckage. It looked as if some, the urgency of the roessage he want strument, and the rest of their in a precarious condition, the pro north end of the Island: While the people were clinging on. A police ed to convey. Witness added that diabolical work was easy Mra perty loss cannot be even guessed vessel was opposite to the North launch passed near the rafts at he heard Mr. Hast over the tele- Chiang, 37 years old, and Miss at. But aceing all trunks and end, the starboard light came into about 1 p.m. Possibly the launch phone very clearly, and there was Feng (the pretty mistress) were baskets were ransacked, jewellery view, which indicated that she had could not see the wreckage owing no difficulty in getting the Harbour cana chloroformed and bound. In and cash must have been carried the cases of Mr. Chiang and Miss off, and from Mr. Chiang's financial altered her course to make for the to the rough sea. In his opinion Office“.

ostern entrance in the barbout by Is A Mety riaky for the Jaymer to:) Further hear

djourned | Feng dead zenited frous strangul standing the boot passing to the south of Hong Kong. (Continued on next Column). I until 2.15 this afternoon.

(Continued at foot of next column.); siderable.

.

Hong Kong Weekly Press

THE CURRENT ISSUE

THE HONG kong weEKLY PRESS PUBLISHED TODAY GIVES A NUMBER OF INTERESTING PARTICULARS AND SPECULATIONS BY LOCAL NAUTICAL MEN, REGARDING THE WRECK OF THE HSIN WAH OFF WAĞLAN LIGHT.-

The feature of the Criminal sessions has been an unusual number of acquittals, and further comments from the Bench with regard to minor irregularities in identification parades.

Our Canton Correspondent relates a crop of troubles in Canton. The Electricity supply breaks down nightly, the busmen are on a semi-strike" and the theatrical companies facing bankruptcy owing to cinema competition!

аго

Hong Kong Boy scouts have had a suceessful ·

year and a full report of their activities is contained in the account of their annual meeting.

Fanling Hunt held a successful steeplechase meeting on Saturday but a train smash, on the Canton Kowloon Railway, fortunately without serious injury to any passengers, held

up the return of the race goers..

"Telegram news from the North reports progress in the diplomatic negotiations between Japan and China, and Baron Tanaka has made an important pronouncement on his country's policy toward China.

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