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the deed to Lai Wai Chan as compradore of the bank. The books of the Wang Fung have never been brought into Court. (Witness produced three books). These books were given to me by the accountant of the Wang Fang Company. His name is So Pat Ting. These are all the books. Those give the whole of the transactions.
The accountant of the Wang Fung can be found though I do not know where he is at present.
I have not the cash ledger of the Lai Hing: the accountant has it. He is in San Hing. He went away two days ago.
By the Court-The chief office of the Wang Fung Company is in Canton. Hongkong people are not invited to take part in the lottery. There was an office of the Wang Fung Com- pany in Hongkong because there were share. holders here, and money was sometimes given from here. The office consisted of one room only. The Wang Furg has no other business but the lottery. The money we had to pay for the monopoly was $1,000,000, more or lesz
Hearing continues.
THE STRANDING OF THE
TRAVANCORE.“
Before the Marine Court at the Harbour
Office on July 10, this inquiry was continued. The court comprised Hon. Capt. L A. W. Barnes-Lawrence R.N. (President), Lieut. C. B. McCallum, R.N., HM.S. Tamar, Captain H. Pybus, s.s. Empress of Japan, Captain St. John George, s.s. Mucquarie and Captain W. Robb. 8.5. Taiping.
Mr. C. Ď. Wilkinson (of Messrs. Wilkinson and Grist) represented the Captain, and Mr. J. Hays (of Messrs. Johnson, Stokes and Master) appeared on behalf of the owners of the
Travancore.
Before the inquiry opened, Mr. Wilkinson said he noticed that Saturday's papers con- tained the evidence adduced in Court on Friday almost verbatim. He submitt d that this was a very unusual thing, and very injudicious. It would be all right where Chinamon were con- cerned, but these men, or the majority of them, eould read, and if they read the evidence of previous witnesses they knew what had been said in Court. Such might possibly lead to a perversion of justice, and he considered that if the press published just the gist of the evid
ence it would be sufficient.
The President (to the press representatives)- It may be that certain portions of the evidence may be of value to other witnesses, and if you could reserve such statements you would be assisting justice by suppressing them. I hope the press will hear this in mind, which will help
the situation.
Boatswain Thomas Nash of the Travancore was further questioned.
I was
To Captain George--I was stationed at the forrard capstan at the foo's'le head when the captain was lying with his head and arms over the rail, and fell down. I saw him look at us, and thought he was taking notice. expecting an order to let go anchor when the vessel missed stays. I did not get the anchor ready, as it is not usual. When the captain told me to man the boat, I put four men aboard, I noticed the ship afloat when at the bow in the boat. I called the mate's attention to it when we returned on board. Before 1 brought the charge against the chief officer I mentioned to him that the ship was afloat. The mate told ns to heave on the capatan, but it was of no use. I am quite sure I did not misunderstand the mate when he spoke of scuttling the vessel. If he went below to souttle her it would be quite possible for him to do so with a hammer and cold chisel. So far as I know he was in his right mind at the time. I have strong reasons to believe that the captain know of the chief officer's intention. The idea of bringing this charge against the captain and the maté originated when we were accused of cowardice by both captain and reporter.
To Mr. Wilkinson-Senior apprentice Gordon was at the wheel when we saw the captain, in the state mentioned, on deck.
To Mr. Hays-I am quite sure I saw the captain lying over the poop rail. I am not sure what time it was. I have not spoken to Mitchell about the matter. When I law the captain in this state I did not make a remark to any
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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
of the crew on deck. When the chief officer | made this proposition to me I did not make any When we came in port I reported the matter to the captain. At the time the mate made this statement, the ship was afloat fore and aft. It was not an impossibility for the mate to scuttle her. We had not to he ordered off the Likin and directed to return to | the Travangore.
To the PresidentThe ship was bumping ou the rocks when we got alongside. When the ship wus pulled off the rocks by the Robert Cooke we were in the boat.
To Mr. Wilkinson-It was the captain of the Likin who ordered us back to the boat. I was standing at the gangway, but did not see any blue lights. We were called, but were all awake at the time. We were within half a mile of the ship. I never heard a word about blue lights being burnt. When called to leave the Likin we were aboard the boat within a space of three minutes. At the time the ship was afloat, there was eight ten feet of water in the hold. I did not inform the captain when the ship was afloat. I thought it quite sufficient to inform the chief mate. The men were going forward when the chief officer expressed his intention of scuttling the ship He did not offer me any compensation. I am quite positive the mate intended to do it if I had consented.
No boats were lowered before the ship struck, although orders we given before that to get them ready. There was very little panic on The Travancore is a very handy board the ship. ship to manage. Until we got to dry dock I never told the captain about the ship having been afloat. I then asked him if he was aware of the mate's intention, and be said, No, and called the mafe aft. On the second afternoon after
the ship had gone ashore, the captain gave orders to set certain rails. Some of the crew the
drew his attention to the fact that the wind was, on the starboard side of the ship. The sails ware not clewed up again.
To the President-The main and fore lower topsails and the forosail were set, and the yards were braced on the starboard tack, The port side of the ship was lying broadside on to the
rocks.
To Captain Pybus-The wind at this time would have the effect of pressing the vessel further on shore.
To J. T. Roberts, chief mate-The men did not refuse to set the sail on the main, but sail was not set on the mizzen mast. It was not set on the mizzen because the men said it was doing the ship harm. The stream anchor was put out sometime during the afternoon of the 2nd June.
heard of the charge pre. He knew nothing at all
1
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[July 15, 1905.
We
and told him that we could take him up and beach him in Harlem Bay, but he was not of that opinion, and said that if we did take him he would probably go down in deep water. finally persuaded the captain to let us have a towline and try it. The captain consented, and orders were given for some of his men to pass out a line. The orders were given in a proper seamanlike manner, and carried out. As soon as I saw the towline out I returned to the Robert Cooke. In my opinion some of the men should
have remained on board. I saw no hesitation on the part of the men to do their work. I did not see anything wrong with the chief officer. The master and chief officer were in danger by remaining on board while being towed off the rocks. When coming alongside the Travancore I saw that a kedge had been run out on the starboard quarter. It was lying at an angle of about 5 degrees from the ship's keel. I signalled to the Likin, telling the crew of the Tra ancore The men said they to return to their ship. could not distinguish our signal. but they pushed off in the lifeboats, and the Likin came alongside of us.
To, Lieut. McCallum-When we went to the Travancore for the first time there was no rush made for the gangway. I had no idea of getting aboard first to claim salvage.
To Captain Pybus--The captain made the remark that the crew abandoned the ship. We had no difficulty in towing the ship off. She came off easy after about five minutes tow.
To Captain George-I heard it remarked that the first position of the Travancore when she struck was bow on, but that afterwards she
I think it
floated off and went broadside on. was the captain who made the remark,
To Mr. Wilkinson-I did not inquire as to what steps had een taken to get the vessel off. I am quite certain there was only one hawser
ont.
David A. Purves, foreman engineer in the Kowloon Docks, stated—I was in charge of the engine room of the Robert Cooke on this occasion. I was on deck when we sighted the Travan- cors on the 3rd June. I heard the conversation between the masters of the Travancore and Robert Cooke. The master of the Travancore seemed to be alright, but rather worried. I went off to the Travancore in one of the life- boats. She was lying port broadside to the shore but I cannot say whether she had any auchers out. I took my turn in going aboard the vessel.
There was no rush. noticed on looking down the ona,
two was about and three hatches that there three feet of water on the starboard side. The captain previously told us that the bottom was out of the ship, and that she was full of water. I told the captain I did not think the ship was ao bad as he thought, and that there was no time to be lost in getting her off.
The mate licre informed the court that this was the first he had ferred against him. about the matter.
John A. Martin, chief officer of the tag Robert To Captain Pybus-The height of the ballast Cooke, deposed-We arrived in the vicinity of in the hold might be from eight to ten feet. It the Travancore at 0.50 am. on the morning of would depend on a man's capabilities as to how the 3rd June. She was lying port side to the long he would take to make a hole in the ship. We lay off at a distance; It could be done with a cold chisel and a heavy shore on Fokai Foint. of about two cables. When we first sighted herbammer. If two rivet heads were knocked off, saw two lifeboats lying from four to five cables the ship's pumps would be able to overcome the off. The revenue cruiser Likin was auchored amount of water. about four cables from the Travancore, and outside the boats. One of the boats returned to the Travancore after communicating with the Robert Cooke. When we first arrived neither of the lifeboats communicated with the Travancore, on board of which there was no body. The master of the Travancore did not conie on board the Robert Cooke. He came
To Captain George-I would give one man half a day to make a hole in a sailing ship. The captain of the Travancore did not appear to be much excited. I remarked in the docks about three days ago that I would have claimed salvage had I been on board first. no difficulty in towing the vessel off.
To Mr. Wilkinson-I heard one of the craw
There was
in the boat saying that he was going to sare his life.
alongside and remarked, You have arrived too late, the bottom is out of the ship; the rocks
James Holland, steward of the Travancore. have got through her bottom and she is full of water. I did not see anything wrong with the said-I have charge of the liquor on board. master of the Travancore. Immediately after and keep the key of the room in which it is this the captain of the Robert Cooke called the kept. The stock consisted of one case of port captain of the Travancore to bring his boat, wine and two bottles of gin, and there was no alongside, saying that he would send the mate' other liquor on board. The officers could have The (myself) and the chief engineer (Mr. Purves) | liquor in their cabins unknown to me.
We got captain and officers had breakfast at eight o'clock to see the condition of the vessel. on board, and I noticed that the ship on the morning of our departure, and things were as usual. Both captain and officers were had a heavy list to starboard, and she was bumping very heavily on the rocks. Several perf ctly sober at breakfast and dinner. While sails were set, but I am not quite certain what the captain was at supper he said he was sleepy. they were. We examined the ship and found that there was only from eighteen inches to two feet of water over the ballast on the star- board side. I drew the attention of the master
of the Trovdacore tn the condition of the ship.
afterwards went up on the peop. I saw the captain again at eight o'clock, and he was then perfectly sober.
To Captain Pybus-Two of the charts were in the master's room, but there was always ons
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