January 21, 1899:]
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
The Court was again cleared, and on being | Had they done this it is possible that they | Otaru, Kosuna, Barraconta, Kornoloff Bay, thrown open again in about ten minutes, might have been able to save the four lives
The President read the finding of the Court which were lost. as follows:
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Fusan, Chemulpo, Amoy. Tamsui, Chefoo, Shanghai, Okata, Yamadu. Gosbkivitsch, "The court desires to place on record its | hama, Port Arthur, Chusan, and Manj “We find that the British steamship Glena-high opinion of the conduct of the master, of the ports have been visited several times, so von, of which William Pithie was master, left chief officer, and others who stood by the ship the engineering staff and s1okers have been Hongkong on the 29th December, 1898, at to the last and exerted themselves to reduce as kept well employed. Practice in other de- bas been well : sustained, änd about 5.23 p.m., bound for the United Kingdom, far as possible the conséquences of the casualty.partments with a cargo of 3,200 tons. The ship appears
"Further the court also wishes to place on the crew have had plenty to do whilst at target to have been well found with one exception,
record their high ap, reciation of the conduct of practice, outrigger and spar drill, manning and namely, that there was only one compass on the the second engineer, Mr. Robert Boyd. who arming. small arm drill, gun and tube firing, bridge, which was of necessity therefore used stood by his captain in the ship and did his clearing for action, big and small gun firing, for all purposes, steering as well as bearings, duty below alone to the very last.
night firing, torpedo practice, and cutter and though it does not appear that this attributed
pinnace rigging. The crew will certainly de- to the casualty. She appears to have been
serve their six weeks leave on arriving at home, properly and sufficiently manned, and was in a good and seaworthy condition,.
"That her draft of water on leaving here was 20 feet forward and #2 feet aft.
"That after passing Green Island light at „5.54 pm, a course was set S. 34 W. by compass,
or 8, 30 W. true.
That at about 6.34 p.m. the course was altered to 8. 15 E. by compass, there being no error in this course.
That shortly after 7 p.m. the ship struck and sustained such severe damage that she foundered in about 50 minutes,
That the crew and passengers were saved with the exception of the chief officer (William Dixon), one quarter-master (William Smith), the second steward (Frank Wilson), and one Chinese (Cheung Ip, No. 3 fireman).
"It appears from the evidence before the Court that the first course, §. 34 W. was set by the master as being a mid chanuel course between Lamma and Chung Islands, and though this course in the opinion of the court was not the best that could have been taken it cannot be considered as an improper course.
"From a position when the eastern end of Chung Island was abeam and one and a half miles distant it was the object of the master to alter his course to S. la L. so as to pass two miles east of Eing Ting Island. Again this course in the opinion of the court was not the best that could have been taken, as it passed only one and a quarter mile off the northern Ling Ting rock, a distance which was little enough, having in view a set of the flood tide to westward. A
The master gave orders to the third officer to take a four-point bearing of Chung Island and to let him know when it was abeam. The court is of opinion that in the darkness and owing to high land at the back a reliable four- point bearing was not taken, and that con- sequently an erroneous position was arrived at, making the S. 15 E. course an absolutely dangerous one, and that such an erroneous posi- tion was the principal cause of the casualty.
"The court is of opinion that the master did not exercise proper care in fixing this position. It cannot consider that a general direction to a junior officer to take a four-point bearing of an island itself more than two miles long, and which has to be passed at a distance of only one and a half miles indicates sufficiently careful and seamanlike navigation, though the court believes that the master's direction was carried out by the third officer to the best of his ability. "Further it appears to the court that it is at least probable that there was a not inconsider able lapse of time between the taking of the beam bearing of Chung Island and the altera- tion of the course to 8. 15 E., and the ship continuing on the S. 34 W. course was con- tinually making the 8. 15 E. course more and more dangerous.
The master, is he so desires, may be granted a first mate's certificate. The master's certi- ficate having been lost with the ship cannot be given up."
THE PANTOM.ME.
Since this vessel has been on the station the crew has seen six other vessels go home to pay off, and fifteen have paid off on the station, the crews having been relieved by boats sent out for that purpose. When the Immortalité The fifth and, for a time, the last perform-joined the fleet, there were on the China ance of the pantomime "The Yellow Dwarf " station 30 vessels of various descriptions, and was given in the Theatre Royal on Saturday since then ten more have been added. Other eveling, when there was again a crowded an. nationalities the crew have sighted, or have dience. Though many present had seen the been in harbour with, are: 12 French, 24 performance before they enjoyed it none the less, Russian, 2 Dutch, 1 1talian, 14 Spanish (at Man- the capital local hits which were introduced no ila), 3 Portuguese, 1 Austrian, 10 German, and doubt largely contributing to this result. The 10 American vessels, which have comprised bat- new regiment-the Royal Welsh Fusiliers tleships, cruisers, torpedo-boats, eto. Of court- were naturally brought on to the carpet, special martials there have been seven held on board, mention being made of a peculiarity about the and all who have been unfortunate to come dress of the officers which has been puzzling us under such a ban have received respectively, all. We refer to the black ribbon which hangs 6, 24, 12, 18, 24, and 12 months, as well as being from the back of the collar and which resembles discharged from the service. so much the old pig-tail in vogue a hundred years ago. If we are not mistaken this is what it is intended to resemble, the Welsh Fusiliers being allowed to retain their queues when the other regiments were despoiled of theirs. "Wideawake's ' criticism of Lord Charles
Beresford, which appeared in the Daily Press the other day, was utilised, whilst jokes were cracked at the expense of various public men both in the colony and out of it. Mr. Sexton, who so ably fills the role of the King, was warmly applauded on his making his ap- pearance as was also Mr. Caldwell as the queen. Mrs. Fallerton, who makes such a charm. ing Princess Allfair, sang exceptionally well. After her first vocal effort she was recalled and a tribute of flowers was handed to her. Little Queenie Lambert was as popular as ever, pre- seats, floral and otherwise, being showered upon her. Her souvenirs of the pantomime of 1899 will be numerous indeed. A children's perform. ance will be given on Saturday afternoon, and three other performances are advertised.
11.M.S."
IMMOKALITE'S"
COMMISSION.
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Four poor fellows left the home shores never to return. C. Hooker, an able seauan, was buried at Yokohama; J. Joliff, a petty officer, in Hongkong; and J. Rogers and W. Richard- son at Nagasaki.
Three of the crew, who were probably dis satisfied with the service and unwilling to serve their Queen longer, deserted, two being stokers and one an able seaman:
of wind.
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A few extracts from a diary, or log, as the bluejackets term it-one kept by a member of the crew, who seems to have been keen over its compilation may prove interesting. He sayɛ:-On the 31st of August, 1896, a regatta was held at Otarranni Iskarri. One of the events was a sailing race for cup presented by Admiral Buller, which Rear-Admiral Oxley won, in his own galley, after an exciting race during a half gale Whilst salmon fishing at Barraconta the Captain caught a fish which weighed 26 pounds.
On the 19th November, 18.6, all the companies from the ships in harbour were invited on board to a smoking concert given in commemoration of the first year's commission.
Christmas of 1896 was spent at Nagasaki, when general leave was given and "beer served out twice. On February 22nd, 1897, the American flag.' ship Olympia provided sports for the fleet; the next day the captain of marines on board the Graftum committed suicide After leaving Chemnlpo on April 2nd it started to blow a gale of wind; we shipped heavy seas, which buckled the battery doors and "broke two of the | boatswain's ribs" whilst he was engaged in secur- On the 18th of ing the sheet anchor. May a grand entertainment was given in / celebration of the 19th mouth, or half the commission.
At Chefoo, on the 22nd June, we celebrated the Queen's Diamond Jubilee by firing a salute of 60 guns; we dressed ship with electric lights, made a V.R with lights, and held a regatta We anchored off Shanghai on 28th June, dressed ship in honour of the Queen's Corona- tion Day, and saluted our arrival at the Chinese country with 21 guns. We then weighed anchor, took the pilot on board, and male for the channel. Whilst on the way a Chinese on us from two guns, and the shots passed about fifty yards off our starboard bow. We slowed round and went into action, loaded all guns, and steamed past the fort. [The Chinese did not fire again; had they done on the Immortalité would have opened At Hakodate on August 30th fire]. the annual regatta took place; we secured
· The places visited by the Immortalité during seven second and three first prizes.. her commission are: Gibraltar, Malta, Port Said, | On November 25th an entertainment was Sex, Aden, Colombo, Singapore, Hongkong, given in honour of our being two years in com- [Another concert was given at t'ormoss, Pescadores, Nagasaki, Port Hamilton, mission. Port Lazeret, Hakodate, Akasiki, Endermol the end of the third year].
H.M.S. Immortalité left Hongkong on the 16th January with the home pennant flying. She commissioned on the 19th of November, 1895, at Chatham, with a complement of 505 officers and men. Her trial trip took place on the 27th November, and she was inspected by Admiral Wells on the 30th. Two days later she left for Spithead; the next day she went from there to Plymouth, sailing from that port for Hongkong on the 3rd December. In the Bay of Liscay she did circular trips and gun testing, arriving at Gibraltar on the 7th December. Christmas Day was spent outside Port Said. and she arrived at Hongkong on the 1st of February, 1896. Since her arrival in the East she has done duty in the waters between Singapore and Hakodate in Japan. By the time she arrives home she! "After the S. 15 E. course was set no steps will have steamed about 43,000 miles exclusive of were taken to fix the position, and there is no many hundreds in and out of several harbours other evidence before the court until a few during steam trials and firing. During the minates before the casualty, the chief officer, first half of her commission she did 20,569 who was in charge of the deck, and the quarter miles. The amount of coal that she will have master who was at the wheel having been most | consumed by the time she reaches England's fort opened fire unfortunately drowned.
After careful consideration of all the points which have come before it the court is of opin- ion that the loss of the ship was caused by the wrongful act or default of the master in that the ship was not navigated with sufficient and seamanlike care, and it therefore directs that his certificate be suspended for a period of 12 months from the date of the casualty.
“The court is of opinion that the boats should have remained by the ship as they were ordered instead of making for Hongkong as they did.
shores will not be far short of fifteen thousand tons; it might possibly exceed that, as it is not certain that she will go direct home for two or three months. Her officers and crew have had a busy time since leaving home, and during the several scares out East have been continually on the move.
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