May 7, 1898.1
By the Court-Off Net Island the position was fixed by cross bearings of Net Island and a point ahead bearing N. 49 E. The latter bear- ing was exactly on the line previously marked on the chart as course N. 40 E. true. The bearing of Not Island I do not remember.
By Captain Williamson-It was low water at the time we struck, the tide, however, being inclined to set in, but the wind and sea were on the port bow, and I never saw so much set going round that way before.
The Court was then cleared.
A few minutes afterwards the captain was recalled, and in reply to furthur questions he said-The Rocks were sighted three points on port bow, the ship's head being N. 78 E. Three points on port bow from N. 78 E. is N.E. The Sailing directions" say that the reef extends three cables S.W. of the Rocks. Therefore when the Rocks were sighted the Rocks and reef were in line.
By Staff Commander Rogers-The time 5.25 might have been taken some little time after she struck. The second officer took the time. It must have been a bit of a guess.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT. kong was 143 aft and 96. The draught of | sun is visible. I did not take it on the day wa water is not in the official log. We left Hong-struck because there was no sun. kong at about seven o'clock in the morning. It was blowing strong from the north-east. We anchored inside Tamtu Head, and weighed again at about half-past one. The course steered was inside the Nine Pins. From outside the rooks at Tamtu Head we steered N. 49 E.(true). I set that course myself. The deviation at this period was three degrees east. We con- tinued on that course until we got to Tumang Island at half past four. The next course was N. 78 E, deviation three degrees east, until we sighted the Middle Rocks We saw them three points on the port bow at 20 past five. After that we steered 187 E. true for a few minutes and then S. 86 E. true or east by com- pass, deviation four degrees E. When Middle Rocks were bearing N. E. true the ship struck, bumping three times. We were then three- quarters of a mile off the reef. I was on the bridge looking at the rocks, I stopped the en- gines and went astern. The helm was put hard a-port by my orders before the engines were stopped. I sounded the pumps and found the ves- sel was making water in Nos. one and two holds. I then ran back for Mirs Bay and anchored there for the night at 7.40. The donkey and deck pumps were kept going during the evening.| At 5.40 the next morning we hove and up steamed for Hongkong, having ten ft. of water in No. 1 hold, the ship having a strong list to port. We arrived at Kowloon Docks at 8-20, and went into dock at 9.15. The ship had a donble bottom fore and aft. No. 1 hold comes from the collision bulkhead to a few feet abaft the fore mast. No. 4 hold commences abaft the engine- room. 8.86 E. true was the course we were steer- ing when we struck. That course was intended to take the ship about three quarters of a mile off the reef. I had often been this route before though not perhaps in such a heavy sea as on this occasion. The last time I marked off the posi- tion of the ship on the chart was at 4.30, inside Tuniang Island. I altered my course when I saw the rocks. I estimate that the rocks were about three miles off when I sighted them three miles three points on port bow. The ship was going five or six knots, going by the land. It was low water at 5.45 when we struck. When we struck I took a bearing of Middle Rocks and the reef over which the water was breaking heavily. I did not take a cross bearing. I esti- mate that my distance off the nearest part of the reef was three-quarters of a mile. The ship was then in 11 fathoms of water by the chart. I did not take a sounding, as there was time. The second officer was on the bridge with me, and the chief officer came up just after we struck. A Malay quartermaster was at the wheel. There was no look-out in the chains. I was on the upper bridge. The wheel is on the upper bridge.
no
By Staff Commander Rogers-We sighted the Middle Rocks about 5.20 abaft three miles off. We struck at 5.25. It cannot be right that we sighted the rocks at 5.20. I am sure they were between two and three miles off. The Directory gives this reef as extending three cables off the Rocks. I was steering to pass a good three-quarters of a milo. I believe we struck a coral reef unknown. I determined my distance off the reef when we struck by seeing the sea breaking.
By Captain Sealby-After leaving Net Island a little over a mile the course I steered was 78 B. true. That was till I saw the Rocks. Then I steered to N. 83 E. compass, mak- ing N. 87 E. I was on the lower bridge when the Rocks were sighted by myself and the second mate at the same time. I went on to the upper bridge as the second mate told me he had altered to N. 83 compass. I said, "All right, bring her on to east by compass so as to give this reef a wider berth." The Rocks were between two and three miles off, The weather was a little misty, not raining, and was good for seeing.
By Captain Williamson-I could see the land all the time when we struck. The compass was corrected when we were coming into Hongkong from Saigon; I swung he round to east. We had been in the dock shortly before that. Going up the previous voyage I swung her for the upward course and swung her down for the downward course. I saw it done myself on each occasion. Every morning and every even. ing I take Azamuth with the compass if the
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George Simmonds said-I am second mate on the Sishan. I have been in her about three months. I have a master's certificate issued in Hongkong last August. I have been on the China coast about two years. On April 22nd I went on watch at 4 p.m. The weather was blowing hard from S. N.E. I could see land on both sides. I relieved the chief officer. The ship was going about five knots. I was given N. 46 E. by compass as the course. I do not know the deviation on that course myself. We continued on that course till 4-30, when it was altered to N. 742 by order of the Captain. That was the compass course. The deviation was four degrees east, N: 78 E. true. The time was not taken by me or any one else. I always know the time when I am on watch. I entered it in the scrap log as 4-30. Within two minutes of the compass being set at N. 74 E. I went down and marked her off on the chart in the wheel house. I did not take a compass bearing, but I saw Peak Island just on the starboard beam. I could see Net Island with White Rock under the mainland. I judged the ship to be about half-way between the mainland and Net Island, and I marked her off in that position on the chart. That position has not to my knowledge been transferred to any other chart. I did not take the time when I marked her off. I went back to the upper bridge. I sighted the Rocks first.
I saw
the water flying, and at about the same time I saw some rocks standing up out of the water nearer to us than the break. I did not take a bearing at that time. They were not in line. The break was open to starboard of the Rocks. I estimated that they were about two miles off.
As soon as I saw them I ported a point and sent to call the Captain. I altered the course with- out the captain's order because I could see that going as she was the ship would ultimately pass inside a mile from the rocks, and we have general orders not to do this. It would have taken about 12 minutes for the ship to have got within a mile of the rocks, I don't know the time we sighted the rocks, but I seut the quartermaster to call the captain and he came on the bridge within I should say three minutes. When he came up told him I had altered the course, and he altered it more to east by compass. I am not sure that I told the captain that I had altered the course. I showed him the rocks. He did not say that he had already seen them. I did not take a bearing, but the rock (not the break) was about two and a half points on port bow. I estimated the two and a half points by the eye. I steadied the ship at east, and in less than five minutes after wards she struck and floated over within a minute. She struck two or three times all within the minute.
By Staff Commander Rogers-The draught of water was 143 and 9'6. The ship was light. The sea was more than usually heavy, I can give no reason but beyond what I have said for altering the course without orders. It did not seem to me that we were steering inside the breakers. I cannot say why the captain kept her further out. He may have seen something I did not see. This is the first time I have been through this passage. I took the time of striking
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as 5,25 almost directly after striking. I took it by my watch which I was wearing.
By Captain Sealby-It was clear enough to see the islands, they were so high up and clear on the water, I don't think there was much tide coming through the passage.
At this point the Court adjourned until half. past two.
Herbert Holton was called on the Court re-assembling. He said-I am chief officer of the Sishan. I have been in her four months this time. On April 22nd I was on deck a little after five p.m. I did not go on the bridge before the ship struck. I was engaged aft and she struck just as I had finished. did not take any notice of the position of the ship before she struck. I went on to the bridge directly after she struck. I saw one rock standing well up out of the water a little before the port beam about a mile off. There was also a break close to the rocks. There was no break within three quarters of a mile of the ship. This was two minutes I should think after the ship had struck. I did not notice how her head was. No souudings were taken. The rock and breakers were pretty well in line. There was no conversation as regards the casualty between the captain and myself,
The court then adjourned.
THE FINDING OF THE COURT. The enquiry resumed on 4th May, when the quarter-master, a native of Manila, was called to give evidence, but little could be made of his story.
Captain Jenkins, recalled, said-The rock I saw above water consisted of a small cluster of rocks quite close together. I had plenty of op- portunity of looking at the compass to see how it was that I first saw the rocks three points from the port bew, and I availed myself of that opportunity. I use the standard compass. I was at my room door when I first saw the rock. I should think one rock would be from six to seven feet high.
How far do you think you could see a rouck six or eight fect high from the door of your roon in & heavy sea and with a strong wind blowing P About five miles.
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After consulting in private with his col- leagues for about an hour,
The President called Captain Jenkins into the room, and read the finding of the court as follows:--
We find that the British steamer Sishan, of which John Jenkins was master, left Hongkong on the 22nd of April, 1898, bound for Swatow with a general cargo. The ship was light, her draught being 14.3 and 9.6. That she en- countered a strong N. E. monsoon, which caused her to anchor after leaving Hongkong, but that at 1.30 p.m. she resumed her voyage. That after passing through the strait between Tuniang Island and the mainland a course was set which the captain intended should take him three-quarters of a mile south of the Middle Rocks. That the rocks according to the evi- dence and the log were sighted at 5.20 p.m. The second mate it then appears altered the course to east without any orders from the Captain and sent to call the Captain. The Captain came on the upper bridge almost immediately, and altered the course half a point more to the starboard, and almost at once the ship struck and passed over a rock which so damaged her that she returned to Hongkong with ten feet of water in No. 2 hold and four feet in No. 1 hold. According to the evidence and the log, Middle Rock was sighted three points on the port bow when two or three miles off, but no bearing was taken and the time of sighting was guessed. Also according to the evidence and the log the ship was going at a speed estimated at five to six knots, and five to eight minutes later she struck what it is the opinion of the court was a reef which the China Sea Directory states lies about three cables S. W. of the rock. It is evident, therefore, that either the time was very inaccurately guessed or that the estimated distance to the rock when first sighted has been very much over-stated. The latter is much the more probably correct by the fact that immediately on sighting the rock the course was altered by the second mate on his ⚫wn responsibility, and then the captain almost immediately afterwards altered it still more in the same direction, the inference being that this hurried and extended alteration of course
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