806
The measures taken, and when, to avoid a collision-When the Hangchow had approached to within about 300 yards of the Glengyle, the Glengyle gare a short blast with her whistle, and it was then noticed for the first time on board of the Hongchow that the Glengyle was under weigh. A collision was then inevitable, and the order was given on board the Hangchow to port hard, to go full speed astern, and to let go both anchors. Both anchors were promptly let go, first the starboard, then the port. The engines were put full speed astern, and the helm put hard over.
Parts of each ship which came into collision The stern of the Glengyle came into collision with the starboard bow of the Hangchow, about five or six feet from the stern.
What fault, or default, is attributed to the other ship (1) Want of proper look-out; (2) failure to blow a long blast on the whistle when the Hangchow came in sight passing Kowloon Point, to give notice she was under weigh; (3) failure to fly the pennant required by the Har bour Regulations to be flown when entering a fairway; (4) porting instead of starboarding when a collision was imminent; (5) not stopping or reversing her engines.
Mr. Francis also read the preliminary act for the Glongyle, which was as follows:-
The names of the ships which came into collision, and the names of the masters-The steamship Hangchow (Joseph Pearce, master) and the steamship Glengyle (Temperley Darke, master).
Time of collision-Thursday, 21st March, 1991, at about five o'clock p.m.
Place of collision-Harbour of Victoria, half e ship's length from the easternmost M. M. buoy, which was bearing about 8. E.
Direction and force of wind-Easterly, about force 3.
State of weather-Fine and clear.
State and force of the tide—Flood tide, run- ning about two knots.
The course and speed of the ship when the other was first seen-The course of the Glengyle was due E.S.E., and her speed two to three knots.
The lights, if any, curried by her-No lights, it being broad daylight.
The distance and bearing of the other ship when first seen-About one knot distant, and bearing about two points on the port bow.
The lights, if any, on the other ships which were first seen-No lights; daylight.
The lights, if any, on the other ship, other than those first seen, which came into view before the collision-No lights; daylight.
The measures which were taken, and when, to avoid a collision-The Glengyle blew a pro- longed blast on two occasions--the first when the Hangchow appeared to be making across her (the Glengyles) bows, and the other when the Hangchow failed to alter this course. When the collision appeared to be inevitable, the engines of the Glengyle were put full speed estern.
The parts of each ship which came into colli. sion-The stern of the Glengyle and the star- board bow of the Hangchow.
Which fault, or default, if any, is attributed to the other ship-The Hangchow, which had the Glengyle on her (the Hangchow's) starboard side, did not keep out of the way of the Glengyle, as required by Article 19 of the Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea; the Hang- chow endeavoured to cross ahead of the Glengyle, contrary to Article 22; the Hangchow did not slacken her speed or stop or reverse, as required by Article 23; the Hangchow did not keep on that side of the fairway mid-channel which ran on her starboard side, as required by Article
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND preceding the collision and at the time of the collision were made some time after the accident by the chief officer. The book produced was the rough deck-log, the second one produced was the ship's log made up from the rough log by the chief officer, and the third log produced was the official one, kept by witness." In the engine-room the man on watch entered up the rough log in pencil, and the official one was kept by the chief engineer and entered up from this log.
By Mr. Sharp-Witness had known the harbour of Victoria for about fourteen years; he had been connected with his present company for ten years, and with the exception of fifteen months, had all that time been run- ning in and out of Hongkong. He had been a captain for six years. Until the accident he had considered the line of buoye containing, amongst others, the M. M., the P. D. O., and the Austrian Lloyd buoys, to be in the middle of the Northern Fairway. Witness was aware that anchoring was not allowed in any of the Fairways, but had seen ships anchored im- mediately to the south of the line of buoys mentioned, although a track was generally left clear. He was unable to reconcile this " with anchoring of ships in this "neutral zone the regulations already spoken of prohibit. ing such anchoring. On the occasion of the accident he dropped his anchor a little to the north of a line joining the M. M, and the C.P. R. buoy-a place he considered part of the Northern Fairway. It was a case of emergency.
Thursday, 9th May.
IN ADMIRALTY JURISDICTION.
BEFORE SIR JOHN CARRINGTON, KT., C.M.G., ('OMMANDER BLACKBURN, Ř.N., AND
CAPTAIN ANDERSON.
THE
"HANGCHOW "."GLENGYLE" COLLISION.
The hearing of evidence in this case was pro-
oseded with.
Captain Pearce, recalled by Mr. Francis, said Harbour Regulations from the Harbour Office. the day after the collision he got a copy of the The copy produced was the one. alteration or correction of the printed figures contained therein. He had not received an amended copy from the Harbour Office.
There was no
By His Lordship-Witness had not received any other copies since the one produced.
on the
Honry Stanley Consterdine was examined by Mr. Francis. He said he was chief mate of the s.s. Hangchow. On 21st March, on coming into the harbour, the ship's crew went to stations just on entering the Lyeemun Pass. Witness was on the look-out on the forecastle, and along with him were several sailors all Chinese. The anchors had been got ready before entering the Pass, and both were on the rail, ready to let go. The speed of the ship then was not known to witness. The distance from the forecastle head to the bridge was between 130 and 140 feet, and ordinarily he could not hear the orders from the bridge. The Hangchow came in ordinary steamer track on entering the Pass. Witness first noticed the Glengyle when she blow her whistle, which was when the Hangchow passed Kowloon Point. He heard one short blast from the Glengyle; it was not true it was a prolonged blast, as had been said. No other steamer had whistled. When witness saw the Glengyle she was about two points on the star- board bow, but he had no means of determining exactly; she appeared to be three or four ships lengths off-from nine hundred to twelve hundred feet away. The Glengyle was heading at an angle across the Hangchow's bows. Im mediately afterwards witness received orders to let go the anchors-first the starboard and then Mr. Sharp cross-examined.
the port. The interval between the whistle and Captain Pearce, of the steamship Hangchow, the letting-go of the starboard anchor was said his second officer was on the bridge all scarcely perceptible; it was done almost im- the way up the Lyeeman Pass till the time of mediately. The port anchor was let go the next the collision; the chief officer was also on deck moment by the boatswain. Witness did not hear to keep look-out. Down in the engine-room any other orders from the bridge; the captain the second engineer was on watch and the chief | had given the orders to let go the anchor. engineer standing by ready for duty if re-Witness was too busy with the anchors to pay quired. The dook log was a rough book, and attention to other matters, and could not say what entries were usually inade in pencil. The the Hangchow or Glengyle was doing. Fifteen entries in the rough log for the half hour fathoms were paid out on both the starboard and
25.
Hon. Basil Taylor (Asting Harbour Master) was called by Mr. Francis and examined at great length on technical points dealing with courses, positions of buoys, etc.
[May 11, 1901.
port anchors. The Glengyle struck the Hang- chow on the starboard bow, close to the hawss pipe. At the moment of collision the anchor chains were running aft of the Hangchow, Witness held a master's certificate for date February, 1897, London. The blue pennant was run up on the Hangchow, but witness did not see when it was hoisted.
Cross-examined by Mr. Sharp.-Witness did not see the Glengyle until she whistled ; at that time they had passed Kowloon Point, but how far he conld not say. The distance from the Glengyle at that time was about twelve hundred feet. He did not remember hearing the Hang- chow whistle but would not say that she did not. When witness first saw the Glengyle the fact that she whistled seemned to indicate she was under way, but his own observation did not convey any impression. The distance between the two ships when the orders were issued to let go the Hangchow's anchor was between three and four ships' lengths.
By Commander Blackburn.—Both anchor chains were braked at fifteen fathoms. The
anchors, witness thought, must have dragged,
as there was not much of a strain on the cables.
By his Lordships-Witness could not say what interval there was between the letting-go of the port anchor and the collision. Pressed, he said anything from one to two minutes, but would not confine himself to that. Neither could he say how far they were from the Glengyle when the port anchor was let go,
but there was time to run out fifteen fathoms of chain, screw up the brakes, and get clear of the fo'o'sle head. Witness saw a collision was inevitable when the anchore were let go; he took it that that was why the order was given.
Sydney Herbert Jones, second mate of the Hangchow, said he was on the bridge at the time of the collision, on duty. He first noticed a red-funnelled steamer, amongst others, shortly after the Hangchow rounded Kowloon Point. He was using glasses, and when he the Empress boat. The Glengyle (the steamer saw her she appeared to be lying parallel with
with the red funnel) was flying her house flag,
channel in front, on each side of which ships and appeared to be moored. When he came round Kowloon Point witness noticed an open
side the Glengyle was lying.
He could not say on which were moored.
Witness did not recollect hearing the Hangchow whistle, then about two points on the Hangchow's star- but the Glengyle gave one short blast. She was
board bow, and about three or four hundred yards off
ness
44
Wit-
whether sure
the
At the time witness heard the slow. Witness was giving the signals to the whistle the Hangchow's engines were going engine-room. As soon as the Glengyle whistlod the captain gave Hard-a-port," "Full speed astern," and "Let go both anchors."
conld not be anchors were ordered to be let go one after another. Immediately on the order "Full speed astern," witness telegraphed it down the engine-room, and it was answered immediately. Witness saw the helm put over, and the an- chors were let go as quickly as possible. He could not say the time between the whistle and the collision. It was his first voyage as second mate.
By Mr. Sharp.-The Hangchow was just rounding Kowloon Point when the Glongyle was sighted, and was three or four hundred yards off when the latter steamer whistled. Witness was of opinion that the Glengyle was practically stationary; she may have moved backwards or forwards, or she may not have moved at all, before the collision. The Hang- chow's helm was put hard-s-port immediately The wheel was' after the Glengyle whistled. on the bridge, and the helm was at once Witness, however, could not ported hard. say whether the Hangchow answered her helm or not, nor that her anchors prevent- ed her doing so. The Hangchow was going at half-speed when the engines were put to slow; the steamer's half-speed was between five and six knots. Witness could not say whether it was before or after passing Kowloon Point that the engines were put to slow. As to whistling, he could not remember that the Hangehow used hers, although she might have done so.
By Commander Blackburn ➡Sometimes the captain pulled the whistle, sometimes witness.
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