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THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 17TH APRIL, 1886.
GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION.-No. 133.
293
The following finding of a Marine Court appointed to enquire into the loss of the British Steam-ship Breconshire, is published for general information.
By Command,
Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 17th April, 1886.
FREDERICK STEWART,
Acting Colonial Secretary.
FINDING.
We find that the British Steam-ship Breconshire, Official Number 79,674, WILLIAM EDWIN POPE, Master, who holds an Extra Master's Certificate No. 07090, left Nagasaki on the 13th March last on a voyage to London via Hongkong.
That at the time of leaving, the ship was well and fully manned and found for the voyage.
That at noon on the 15th March, the position of the ship was Latitude 20° 17′ N., and Longitude 122° 57′ E., and that soon after this, the weather became thick and foggy and continued so until the 17th, when the Vessel struck on the White Rocks, when she became a total wreck.
We find that the Master navigated the ship in a careful and creditable manner until the morning of the 17th, though we are of opinion that he did not show sufficient confidence in his reckoning, preferring to be guided more by the soundings, which are shown to be very irregular.
That on the 17th at about 7 A.M., a course was set W. by S., which we are of opinion was not a safe and proper course, under the circumstances, and that the Master afterwards obtained an observation, the result of which should have shown him his error; and the reasons given by him for adopting this course we are of opinion, do not justify him in so doing, and we consider that this was the direct cause of the loss of the Ship.
We are of opinion that the measures adopted after the Casualty and the conduct of the Master under the circumstances, are creditable to him.
It appears evident to the Court that the Breconshire must have passed within about two miles of the Lamocks, in weather, in which it was reasonable to expect that the fog signals there would have been made use of and that at this time, the Breconshire was making constant use of her Steam whistle.
The Court is of opinion that blame must be attributed to the Master for setting an unsafe course on the morning of the 17th, and his Certificate is therefore suspended for three months from this date.
Given under our hands at Hongkong, this 2nd day of April, 1886.
Approved,
W. H. MARSH, Administering the Government.
R. MURRAY RUMSEY, Ret. Com., R.N., and
President of Court.
GEORGE S. KEIGWIN, Navigating Lieutenant, R.N.
THOMAS GUY Pocock, Master Mariner.
THOMAS HAMLIN, Master Steamer Amatista.
A
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