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THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 28тH OCTOBER, 1893.
3. The panel in the Service Room door was broken from the outside by the lightkeeper, Mr. NICHOLAS, in reponse to the calls of the three Chinamen in the room who, I learn, were unable to open the door partly on account of the wind and partly owing to the water and broken glass against it.
The three Chinamen in the Service Room were two lightkeepers and one coolie.
4. At the time of the accident the two European lightkeepers were in their quarters adjoining the tower, Mr. NICHOLAS having just left the lantern, the two Chinese lightkeepers were in the lantern, one coolie in the Service Room, one coolie in the European kitchen and the Telegraph Clerk in the European lightkeepers' quarters.
5. The two Chinese lightkeepers in the lantern were, no doubt, in the best practical position of any one on the Rock to see what took place. These men say that they saw a solid wave dash against the lantern, but on being questioned it appears they mean by that expression a mass of water.
6. There is no evidence in the present conditions of the buildings that an unbroken ocean wave passed over the eastern portion of the Rock and broke against the lantern. Had such a thing happened the buildings, in my opinion, would have, to say the least, suffered very serious damage.
7. Had the lantern glazing been broken by débris it is possible that some of the débris might have entered the tower; this would, however, depend on the size of the portions coming in contact with the lantern and whether such débris in the first instance merely fractured the glass in the panels or smashed it in.
A careful search was made amongst the débris and no foreign material was found inside the Tower. 8. As regards the strength of the lantern glazing I regret I have no precise information, and its ascertainment" would be the subject of experiment rather than theory. I have not, however, the slightest hesitation in expressing the opinion that the force exerted by the wind was not sufficient of itself to break the glazing.
9. The lantern framing was intact and uninjured when first examined after the catastrophe and required no repairs. Portions of glass were found sticking in the frames all round in the case of each of the four panels broken, which proves conclusively that the glass was broken before leaving the frames.
10. The resisting power of the panes that were broken was not tested here before they were fixed. The lantern and glazing were received complete from England, and I have no information of any tests having been made.
11. The suitability of glass of any description for a special purpose is more the subject of practical experience than of actual experiment on its resisting power.
12. It would not be an easy matter to get the glass uninjured, viz., 44 panels in all, out of the frames, and being of opinion that the glazing in the lantern cannot be exposed in such a position to a steady pressure sufficient to break it, except by artificial means, no useful information bearing on the present accident would apparently be gained by testing the glass under a steady pressure." Also though the glass could be broken by impact I fail to see the practical application of the results of tests of that nature in this case.
13. As regards the feasibility of permanently maintaining the Lighthouse on the Gap Rock I am of opinion the exposure of the Tower and buildings has been somewhat under-estimated due more to the contour of the Rock than its geographical position, and before expressing a definite opinion as to the feasibility of permanently maintaining the Lighthouse on the Gap Rock and what measures should be taken to guard against the recurrence of a similar catastrophe, I request that during my approach- ing visit to England I may be placed in communication with an Engineer of considerable experience in the construction and maintenance of works of this nature.
14. From the information gained during a visit to the Gap Rock on the 20th instant in company with the Harbour Master it appears that the most probable cause of the lantern glazing getting broken was a mass of water being blown against it, which seems to have occurred in this way, viz, a heavy sea rolled into the gulley in the Rock on the north-east side of the Tower and buildings, breaking on the face of the Rock fully 50 feet below the base of the Tower, the broken water towered up into the air and a portion was carried by the force of the wind against the lantern.
15. In conclusion I would point out that, with the heavy sea that was running on the 1st and 2nd instant breaking on the rocks. and thes pray carried by the wind all round the buildings, it would be a very difficult, if not impossible, matter for any one on the Rock to see definitely what was going on at the time the accident occurred.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
The Honourable
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY.
Your most obedient Servant,
FRANCIS A. COOPER,
Director of Public Works.
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