559140-1928-Finding-of-the-Marine-Court-of-Enquiry-into-the-circumstances-attending-the-stranding-of-the-British-S-S-Kochow — Page 1

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THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, JULY 6, 1928.

No. 385. The following Finding of the Marine Court of Enquiry held on the 26th June and 3rd July, 1928, to investigate the circumstances attending the stranding and sinking of the British Steamship Kochow, is published for general information.

FINDING.

The S. S. "Ko Chow", Official No. 137695 Hong Kong was, on 9th Jure, 1928, on a voyage from Hong Kong to Wuchow via ports. Her draft was 9' 5" for'd and 10' 6" aft. The master was David Morgan holding a certificate of competency as Master No. 565 issued in Australia.

The mate was William Claude Cyril Becks holding a certificate as mate of a River Steamer issued at Hong Kong.

The ship left Hong Kong at about 5.30 p.m. with a cargo consisting mainly of rice, flour and salt fish stowed in the holds and on the main deck and also a large number of Chinese passengers on the main and saloon decks.

At about 10.30 p.m. the ship was approaching the Wang Mun Bar.

The mate was on watch taking soundings and an un-certificated Chinese pilot was in charge of the navigation. The Master was in his cabin.

The speed of the ship at the time was about 7 knots and the strength of the cur- rent about five knots across the course. The ship took the ground and listed heavily to port with the result that water entered through the cargo doors and the ship sank.

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The passengers and crew were eventually taken off under the supervision of H. M. Armed Launches "Nessus" and "Onslaught" and the ship abandoned.

There is as yet no evidence that the cargo was improperly stowed and the evidence as to loss of life is not complete but the Court finds the Master in default in proceeding to sea with the ship overloaded and in being absent from the bridge when the safety of the ship required his personal supervision and in attempting to cross the bar under the prevailing conditions. The Court orders his certificate of competency to be suspend- ed for a period of three calendar months and recommends that a certificate as 'Ist Mate in the meantime be issued to him.

The Court is satisfied that the stability of the ship is satisfactory with the cargo properly stowed but notes that the stowage of cargo was left in the hands of a coolie and that neither the master nor the mate took any steps to ensure that the cargo was properly stowed.

The Court records its opinion based on the number of casualties to ships, the evidence produced in this case and its own intimate knowledge of the River Trade, that the state of ships so engaged is frequently unsatisfactory and recommends that a commis- sion be appointed by the Government of Hong Kong to enquire into the general conditions. under which British ships operate in this trade.

Given under our hands at Victoria, in the Colony of Hong Kong, this 3rd day of July, 1928.

J. B. NEWILL, D.S.O., R.N., Commander,

Stipendiary Magistrate and President of the Court,

(Signed)

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L. KING, Lieut.-Commander,

H.M.S. Curlew.

A. J. SCOTT,

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Master, British S.S. Kwong Tung.

J. ACOCK,

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Master, British S.S. Kwangsai.

A. W. MUIR,

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Master, British S.S. Tung On.