648340-1893-Report-Signalling-Commission — Page 2

THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 4TH NOVEMBER, 1893. 1121

4. In March 1892, a representation was made to the Governor by certain Merchants and others asking for an improvement in the manner of signalling approaching vessels, suggesting that the Gap Rock Cable should be made use of, and that a direct line should be laid between Cape D'Aguilar and the Post Office.

The Harbour Master and Captain Superintendent of Police reported by order of His Excellency, on this representation, and a further letter on the subject was later on addressed to the Colonial Secretary by the gentlemen who made the representation.

5. A conference was afterwards held between certain gentlemen connected with shipping interests, the Colonial Secretary, the Harbour Master and the Captain Superintendent of Police, at which the subject was discussed and the following conclusions were come to:-

(a) That a Signal Station at Kowloon was desirable.

(b) That direct telegraphic communication should be established between Gap Rock and Post Office, and the existing Police line be made use of between Cape D'Aguilar and Post Office.

(c) That ships passing Gap Rock and Cape D'Aguilar should be signalled to Post Office and posted on a Notice Board outside that Office and the information forwarded to Kowloon.

(d) That the duty of telegraphing should devolve on three clerks to be specially engaged for the purpose and who would be interchangeable between Gap Rock, Cape D'Aguilar

and the Post Office.

6. The present system was inaugurated in October 1892, and is as follows:-

(a) Three Telegraph Clerks, engaged at $30 a month each, are stationed respectively at Gap Rock, Cape D'Aguilar and the Post Office; they are interchangeable and relieve each other monthly.

(b) Passing vessels are signalled to the Post Office by telegraph direct from Gap Rock, and from Cape D'Aguilar by telephone through the Saukiwan, Wanchai and Central Police Stations.

(c) The information thus received at the Post Office is forwarded through the Central, Wanchai and Hunghom Police Stations to the Police Station at Tsim-sha-tsui, and the flags denoting the arriving vessel (as far as she is known) are then hoisted on the flagstaff at that point.

The posting of the information on the notice board at the Post Office does not appear to have been regularly and systematically done.

7. With regard to the despatch of the signals from Gap Rock and Cape D'Aguilar announcing the approach of vessels, no instances have been brought to our knowledge where the clerks at these stations have failed to transmit the information when the line has been in proper working order; unfortunately, however, there have been many interruptions at times due to absence of operators whilst interchanging, but chiefly caused by accidents to the line, some of which, comparatively slight in themselves, have been accentuated by the infrequency and insufficiency of ship communication with Gap Rock often preventing the cause of the interruptions being discovered, and the necessary repairs being promptly made. To the desirability of improved means of steam communication with Gap Rock the attention of Government. The reports from Cape D'Aguilar in addition laboured under the disadvantage of having to pass through a number of intermediate stations before arriving at their final destination, and delays, which we believe to have been under existing circumstances mostly un- avoidable, resulted, and in consequence the signalled vessel was often in the harbour before notice of her approach was reported. We may here mention that messages to Tsim-sha-tsui formerly passed through the Observatory, but we do not consider it necessary to further refer thereto, that station having been abandoned for transmission purposes prior to the commencement of this enquiry.

we urge

8. Another cause for the non-report of approaching vessels is that some of these pass the distant stations before 6 a.m. or after 6 p.m. when as there is no Telegraph Clerk at the Post Office to receive the message the information is not forwarded. Still another cause appears to be that few passing vessels hoist their numbers, whilst many show no distinguishing flag and some do not even fly their National Ensign.

9. We are of opinion that in order to derive the greatest possible advantage from the system of signalling vessels from the two distant stations of Gap Rock and Cape D'Aguilar it is necessary,

(a) That the lines of communication should be as nearly as practicable direct.

(b) That from daylight to dusk vessels approaching the distant stations should be signalled and reported and in the event of the signalman not being able to distinguish a vessel's name when passing, that he should at once signal to her to hoist her number and national flag.

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