[ { "id": 216405, "series_id": 26, "series_slug": "histsyn-rashkb-journal-engine", "series_title": "RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "RAS-2003", "page_number": 164, "title": "RAS-2003", "content_text": "114\n\nIn the meantime two machines from HERMES carried out their aerial survey work for the day.\n\nAs the ship was due to return to Shanghai the opportunity was taken to give passage to the Lindbergh's and to their aircraft.\n\nOn Saturday afternoon, 3rd October HERMES commenced her passage downstream and three days later anchored off Woosung. Here the Colonel and his wife disembarked. The following morning our ship proceeded up to moor at her buoys off Shanghai. Here the damaged Sirius was off-loaded into a lighter and later was shipped back to California for repair at the factory.\n\nAt Shanghai on Monday, 2nd November 1931 HERMES slipped from her buoys at 0726 hours and proceeded downstream to Woosung. There she altered course to starboard and at 1500 hours passed the Yangtze River Fairway Buoy on passage to Hong Kong.\n\nIt was not to be the usual uneventful coastal voyage.\n\nIn response to an S.O.S. message the next evening HERMES increased speed to fourteen knots to close the Japanese steamer RYUJIN MARU aground on the Tan Rocks near Turnabout Island. Just over two hours later our ship anchored in 21 fathoms. The night was dark, the sea rough, and a light rain was falling. Nearby HERMES found that S.S. SHANTUNG had also responded to the S.O.S. message and already had arrived at the scene of the grounding.\n\nThe stricken ship could not be made out by searchlight so Captain Mackinnon fired star shell. By the light of these the ship was sighted clearly and was seen to be on nearly an even keel and free from the effect of breaking seas. Since she was not in immediate danger and the weather was poor Captain Mackinnon decided to wait until daybreak before attempting any rescue operations. Also he informed SHANTUNG that she could proceed.\n\nEarly the following morning, Wednesday, 4 November, HERMES weighed and shifted to a position only seven cables - 1,400 yards - from the wreck and anchored in 22 fathoms. Subsequently Captain Mackinnon was to note that this move was not without risk:", "txt_file_path": "txt/dfo323lmgvd/RAS-2003.txt", "external_url": "https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/2v242g390", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 216406, "series_id": 26, "series_slug": "histsyn-rashkb-journal-engine", "series_title": "RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "RAS-2003", "page_number": 165, "title": "RAS-2003", "content_text": "115 \n\n\"This position was chosen to ensure a beam wind for boats sailing to and from the wreck. I did not consider it safe to go any closer, as I felt the chart could not be implicitly trusted, it being an 1886 survey. This was borne out by the lead getting an 8 fathom sounding between two of over 20 fathoms.*19\n\nNot mentioned but in the case of HERMES always a point to be considered carefully, the more so when manoeuvring at slow speed in high winds, was the tremendous sail effect of her considerable island superstructure.\n\nCaptain Mackinnon continued:\n\n'It was too rough even here to use either the motor boat or motor cutters, and so the port sea boat was sent away under stormsails in command of Commander Baxter, the crew consisting of Lieut. Commanders Harrison and Sherwood and six picked ratings. Great difficulty was experienced in getting the boat alongside the wreck owing to the heavy surf and the close proximity of rocks on three sides of the wreck. A large quantity of water found its way into the boat and the pintle of the rudder sheered, but nine of the crew of the wreck were taken off and the boat got away without loss of life, returning to the ship under sail and being hoisted without accident.'\n\nThis rescue operation lasted for two hours, from 0730 to 0930 hours. At 1050 hours a second attempt was made to save more of the shipwrecked men but in the meantime the sea had increased, especially in steepness in the vicinity of the rocks, and so half an hour later the attempt had to be abandoned.\n\nDuring the day nothing more could be done. However, since four large sampans had been observed in the vicinity of the wreck, and as RYUJIN MARU had made a signal saying that she feared pirate assaults, during the night a searchlight illuminated the wreck at intervals in order to deter any such visits.\n\nAt 0800 hours on Thursday, the 5th the Japanese destroyer NASHP\" arrived and anchored close by. It was too rough to send a boat over but by semaphore it was learnt from her that a salvage vessel was on her way from Moji. Further Captain Mackinnon was informed that the\n\nPage 165\n\nPage 166", "txt_file_path": "txt/dfo323lmgvd/RAS-2003.txt", "external_url": "https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/2v242g390", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 216412, "series_id": 26, "series_slug": "histsyn-rashkb-journal-engine", "series_title": "RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "RAS-2003", "page_number": 171, "title": "RAS-2003", "content_text": "121\n\n176,243 grt. Built in 1907 in Dumbarton, Scotland as CULNA for British India S.N. Co. Ltd. In 1923 bought by Ryuoh Kisen K.K. of Dairen, Manchuria and re-named RYUJIN MARU. Japanese flag. She was to be salvaged from the Tan Rocks however on 13th April 1942, when to the south of the Bungo Strait between Kyushu and Shikoku, to be torpedoed and sunk by U.S.S. GRAYLING SS-209 (Lieut. Commander E. Olsen).\n\n1*2,549 grt. In 1915 built at Taikoo Dockyard in Hong Kong for China Navigation Co. Ltd. (Butterfield & Swire). From 2nd August to 5th December 1922 ashore at Swatow, there blown by a typhoon. Eventually in May 1948 to be sold for breaking up.\n\n19PRO ADM 116/2843. Report 158/197 dated 6 November 1931.\n\n20770 tons. Built shortly after the Great War. Three 4.7\" guns.\n\n214,400 tons. Launched in October 1911. Eight 6\" guns.\n\n223,802 grt. Built in 1919 for Osaka Shosen K.K. On 31 May 1944 to be torpedoed and sunk to the west of the Kuril Islands by U.S.S. BARB SS-220 (Lieut. Commander E.B. Fluckey).\n\n233,001 grt. A new ship, built in 1931 by Scotts at Greenock for China Navigation Co. Ltd. (Butterfield & Swire). Between the World Wars there was a great demand for a passenger service between Shanghai and destinations to the north such as Tsingtao, Wei-Hai-Wei, Chefoo and Tientsin. The ship had been especially built for this trade with twin screw steam turbines to give 16 knots, and her cabin accommodation was luxurious. For winter service her bow was ice strengthened.\n\n241,765 grt. Also built by Scotts but rather earlier, in 1905. She too served on the Shanghai/Tientsin route but was reaching the end of her useful life. In November 1933 to be sold for breaking up in Shanghai.\n\nPRO ADM 116/2844. 158/1559 dated 24 June 1932.", "txt_file_path": "txt/dfo323lmgvd/RAS-2003.txt", "external_url": "https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/2v242g390", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 216417, "series_id": 26, "series_slug": "histsyn-rashkb-journal-engine", "series_title": "RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "RAS-2003", "page_number": 176, "title": "RAS-2003", "content_text": "126\n\nTHE COMMITTEE OF LLOYD'S RECORD ON THIS TABLET\n\nTHE SERVICES RENDERED\n\nBY THE CAPTAIN, OFFICERS AND CREW OF\n\nH.M.S.\" HERMES\n\n(CAPTAIN E.J.G. MACKINNON, D.S.O., R.N.) ON THE OCCASION OF THE RESCUE IN HEAVY WEATHER AND HIGH SEAS OF PART OF THE CREW OF THE JAPANESE STEAMER\n\n\"RYUJIN MARU\"\n\nWHICH WAS wrecked ON THE TAN ROCKS NEAR FOOCHOW, ON THE 30th NOVEMBER, 1931 LLOYD'S MEDALS FOR SAVING LIFE AT SEA WERE AWARDED BY THE COMMITTEE TO THOSE WHO MANNED THE BOAT WHICH EFFECTED THE RESCUE.\n\n5. The plaque awarded to HERMES by Lloyds of London for its role in the RYUJIN MARU rescue.", "txt_file_path": "txt/dfo323lmgvd/RAS-2003.txt", "external_url": "https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/2v242g390", "rank": 0 } ]