THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 9TH JULY, 1887.
767
The "Lammocks Rocks" are marked by a white light, showing at a distance of 22 miles. There is also a red light on the Lammocks, visible from the Sea between N. 341° E. and N. 50° E., covering the "White," and "Boat Rocks," and placed there expressly to keep ships off them. The night was fine as the Master was able to take a bearing of the Pole Star to check his deviation, yet the Cape of Good Hope light was not seen at all, and the Lammocks white light (a 22-mile light) was only seen at 7.20 P.M., when the ship was only about 16 miles from it. The Cape of Good Hope and Lammocks white lights overlap each other for a distance of over 8 miles, and cross bearings of the two, assisted by an observation of the Pole Star for Latitude, would have shewn the ship's position very nearly.
As regards the red light, the chart, by which the Master says he navigated the ship, has the lines of light defined, and the words "are of visibility of the red light" marked on it, this arc is placed about mile to the South-Westward of the "Boat Rocks." The Master of the Benledi heard the red light reported when talking to the Chief Engineer. He went on the bridge, took a bearing of the light, told the Second Mate (Officer of the watch) not to come Eastward of his course, went to the Chart-room door (aft), speaking to the Chief Mate on the way, did not go into the Chart-room, but was about to return to the bridge, with, as he states, the intention of changing his course, when the ship, going 11 knots an hour, struck the "Boat Rocks" and became a wreck.
The red light is purposely and properly described on the Admiralty Charts, confining it to a narrow compass, to caution Navigators seeing it that they are in immediate danger, and any one accidentally bringing it in sight, and imagining himself farther from it than so described, in my opinion, assumes an unreasonable and dangerous responsibility.
The Master of the Benledi, when the red light was reported, instead of at once altering his ship's course to lose sight of that light, lost very valuable time, and with it his ship.
Fortunately in this case, the weather was fine, and there was no difficulty in rescuing the Passen- gers and Crew.
H. G. THOMSETT, R.N., Stipendiary Magistrate and President
of the Court.
30th June, 1887.
GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION.-No. 287.
The following Notice is published for general information.
By Command,
Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 9th July, 1887.
FREDERICK STEWART,
Acting Colonial Secretary.
PARCEL POST.
The limit of weight for Parcels despatched by German Packet has been extended to 11 tb., and the rates to most countries of Europe by this route have been slightly lowered.
•
Parcel Post has been extended to Ceylon, British Honduras, Italy and Luxemburg. The rate charged on Parcels for Canada has been lowered.
All the above alterations, with other information, are embodied in the following Table, copies of which may be obtained at the Post Office.
Senders are requested to make their Declarations of Contents complete and accurate. Everything in the Parcel should be entered. Two Parcels have lately been confiscated in London; one for con- taining cigars falsely described as curios; the other for containing books copyright in the United Kingdom.
A. LISTER, Postmaster General.
GENERAL POST OFFICE,
HONGKONG, July 1st, 1887.
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