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February 3, 1908.]
THE STRANDING OF THE S.S. "YIK SANG,"
A Marine Cart of inquiry was held at the Harbour Office on Jan. 29th respecting the cir cumstances attending the stranding of the British 8.8. Yik Bang' of which Captain W. 8. Thomas was master and commander The Court was composed of Commander Basil R. H. Taylor, RN, Stipend ry Magistrate, Commander Marchant H. Penfold R.N. Naval- yard, Captain Pybus, *.8. Empress of Japan," Captain F. Jamieson, 8.8.
Bingan " and Cap. tain A. E. Hodgins, as 'Haiching."
The President read the captain's letter asking for an inquiry, and the Governor's warrant constituting the Court,
Mr. C. D. Wilkins n (of Messrs. Wilkinson and Grist), who appeared for Captain Thomas of the "Yik Sang " read a letter written by his elient to the owners of the vessel in which le set out the facts of the stranding, and then stated that the captain had lost everything in the wreck, even the log book.
Captain Thomas said he left Wakamatsu on January 10 hand reached Oksu without mishap. The vessel was travelling at full spad 8.0 to 8.7 knols. At noon on the 14th witness in- structed the Chief Engineer to reduce from 72 to 69 revolutions, which would give a speed of 8 knot. His obj ct was to get into Hongkong early in the morning. When abam of Ok-u the weather was fairly clear and continned so until witness left the deck about mid- night. At 11.50 p.m. witness altered his course to 8.46 W., error 1 east.
Ha altered
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CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT
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By Commander Penfold-Witness checked the course at four o'clock by the standard.
in landing 16 men safely. The other boat | form any impression as to what she was. He rushed on to the rook and stamped. Witness hailed her and tried to head her off, but she was then returned to the wreck to lock for the going too fast. Chief Engineer. When the bort got back the ship had sunk. They searched for the Chi-f | Engineer for four or fire bours during which time they examined all the wreckage. In this search they found No. 6 lost waterlogged, bai'ed it out and put the plug is.
By Captain Pybus-With regard to thega missing Chinese, bare you any evidence they were on board? -Yos, they were counted in Japan.
By Captain Pybus-At ten o'clook the weather was clear to seaward and foggy towards the land. The state of the weather at four o'oleck did not necessitate calling the captain.
By the President-The st-ainer witness saw could not have been more than a quarter of a mile BWAY. There was not much wind when passing Okan,
Do you keep a night order hook ?—Yes, but
James Pingle, Second Officer of the "Yik on this night I hadn't written it up.
Sang" said he joined the ship in February. When Who WAS on dock when the accident he went on deck on the 14th O csu was about a happened? -The Chief Officer.
By Captain Hodgins-Did the ship atsar well?-As a rule she kept a very good course
By Mr. Wilkingou-When you were on the wreck did you see any russel pass? - No, but we beard the whistle of nae which passed close to the Brothers, and I tri›d t› heid her off.
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Chief Offer William Gibb hal baru on the Yik Sang" three mouths, and had known the China coast for eight years. He was nine years in the employ of the Indo-Chias Cỵ,
When pissing Ost ስn
Wire-s t barings at noon.
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the
When ab-am they we miles away. Witness cousid 1 t course laid down by the captain, S 4 W A peri-clly safe cure. He was my witch from eight till twelve that evening. Tuey were the approaching apple Island in very hazy weather. He thought they could sa - from fiva to six miles after dark. They could have spell Chapple Island about ten miles away, hu! dif Lot see it. Ile kent a lookout for it until he thought it was abeam. Prior to leaving the bridge at eight minutes to tw dve the cap'a'n altered the course two degrees, remarking that he would haul her out a little. The course W&S a perfectly suf- one aul would have bul taken by other shins, At midnight the s cond officer relieved witness, and was given instruc tions to call the cap'ain if the weather cums on thick, and full directions as to the course, The Chief Officer r-turned to the deck at four o'clock, the weather then hing much the same.
By the President →Tuera wiNER m night, but it had set by four of lock.
Continning witness said it was cus'emiry to clear fires at four in the morning. They burned Japanese coil which mads considerabl- smoke, The smoke was b'o ring on the IHN how and obscured the vision of those on board. Witans thought ha e uld safely sa at leis three miles at four in th in ruing, ba
that
At
& perfectly
point and a half abaft the bam. The weather was hazy, but they could see about nine miles. Witness was instructed by the Chief Ofoer to call him if it became foggy. He was not surprised not to see th、 1 ght of Chapple Islaud as they were passing a gool distanci off. About three o'clock thera Was clear boriz 10, They would then be about twelve wil's ячу from the Brothers, The smoke from the steamer's funnels was then blowing on the starboard bow, and the wind was carrying it along faster than the steamer, so that it obioured his vision some- what. Witness was asleep when the ship struck, but awakened, and by the sound of the grating he knew that bar bottom must have been bally damaged, an proceeded to gat the boats out He had to do this himself as the ChineseA erw appairal to be dumbfounded, and would not obey orders. The cantaia was the last man to leave the ship. Witness did not see The Chief Engineer, but knew later that hə was missing.
By Captain Holgaon - Witness did not have to alter the helm through meeting steamers or fishing boite.
Second Engineer, William Mc Call, said he had bee 1 on the " Yik Sang for eighteen months, On leaving Oken the spead wu 73 revolu. tions; three days later this was reduced to 72
rer dutions; and on the morning of the 19h it was further reduced to 68 revolations. When the ship struck the engines were still going ahead, but as soon as he realised what had happened he shut them off without orders from deck. There was not much time for that. As soon as the ship struck she began to make water rapidly.
Kin Chan, quartermaster, was On watch when the ship struck. At four o'clock in the mrning it was very foggy and he could not su far.
Was
his oarse because he did not see the Chapply Island light, and therefore be decided to give the Brothers a wide berth. Witness thought He would have seen Chapple Island light had be been within eight miles of it. Ho pover turned in with a clearer conscience in his life than on that night. After leaving Oksu he thought he had two hours ebb tide; then there would be about five and a half hours flod. The Chief Officer was on deck at the time of the changing of the watch. Before leaving the bridge witness gave instructions to be called if the weather set in thick. The captain then turned in and was awakened by a heavy crash about 430 a.m. He ran ou deck, an met the Chief Officer who said the vessel had struck the high Brother with a tremendous erash. Witness went aft and asked the en- gineer if he could put the pumps on. The latter said the fires were out and he could not. Then he saw the cylinders were awash, and was quite satisfied nothing could be not in the wake of the soke At four
After the tiffin adj›urnment Captain Thomas done to save the ship. Wituess thought the o'clock they must have hou within the mile
rolled and stated that there were a› weather was then foggy. He ordered the boats of the Brothers. The All held no t be lowered immediately, but the chief and
passengers on board. The ship did not give a see them wis beausi the su ko was lowing list when she struck but lay on an even keel second officers were already doing this. There right on them. Hofst saw them who from A trenghout; she had two double bottoms under was quite a confusion among the Chinese ship's length and a half vas how longentis i the holds. Ha checked the error of the com- on board and when No I boat WAS away. They wore then sliguely on ies'a badl lowered they jumped in and swamped b. The high Boortar subdody app worl it. The chief and 8. cond officers did through the smoke, and then w
the their duty thoroughly. There was a heavy helm hard astarboard and thong e
4wd h swell on at the time. All the ship's papers able to clear. They struck, hex.i gs arthrust by were lost he put the log book into the No. 1 * nth. When the vessels rack wit tews Wartak Tari boat, but it was cap-ized. The Chief Engineer call the master, mt him coming up a to. A and witness were the last two on bard
him what had ha,pened, T. 11 second officer was then hanging on to the son d the wells, bit euld not find then pal side and calling out "Com na captain. and could not Fat tite
35 tis Witness ordered the Chief Engineer to go into
A boat two ог three times, but be wouldn't go. He said:" You first captain." Witress then got into the boat, as the water was beginning to roll over the ship's rail. The Chief Engineer made several at- tempts to follow but went back on each oce sioa Finally they had to push off. Witness told t'e Chief Engineer to jump, but he would not do
80.
The
The boats then made for the lee of the Brothers, but as there was a heary swell there witness toll the crew not to land. The ba swain did, however, and witness beli rad the fire Chinese were lost from his boat,
How far were you away wheu No 2 boat capsized P-About 30 feet
Did you endeavour to save all you could -Yes, and pulled many on to a rock.
The President-What became of the survivors from No 1 boat?-They landed on the rock.
Proceeding, witness said he took more da re with his bost than the others. He approach ed the rock with caution and succeeded
H'
Rat 100
was of the er w rush don deck AX 800] as the ship struck The bar wer imm-dia' ly lawared and witness gati to the starbux ! Na 2 bw with the affira. I
cal engines.
I
Wu a working e 14 farth bee the Chinese crew rai away and left them. Witness weŋt aft, saw th- Chief Engineer and told him to s and by and .་ ready to l-ar · the ship. It was dark by thist mcg" { witness could do nothing more to lower the ot er bats. The Captain was the last min to leave the ship. When witness re'urnel from his boat he thought he was the last man on beard; he cald not see the Chief Engineer on board then, and it was only when they left the ship that he saw him. When witnees pushed off. they steered for the Brothare. He did the 1 balswain, who was in the other ba' with him, to keep off the rock antil the morning but the la terd s bepel that ordir, h'chat was expez d and wines bli-get the fir- missing Chia-ea went down with that boat. After leaving the rok i shortly after ten, wi n•*. saw the hu lof 4 v sal. inside the Little Brother, bat he could not
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i
pass three times on the 14th.
Mr Wilkinson, ad fressing the Court, sub- mited that this was a 018+ of inevitable accident, tus accident hing dus to an abnormsi sat in of the enrrent. He thonghit the ship seen new the Brothers had not set a course të go insile them, but was carried in. The captain's conduct after the accident showed that be Way A man to be relied upon, and the only question with regard to the Chief
Offer was whether he should have seen the Brothers before he did. His view, however, was obscar d, u til too late, but there was nothing in his conduct to justify any cesare bing passed on him. The second officer was ake a reliable man, and in the circumstances he submitted ail were entitled to go free.
The Court was then cleared to enable mem. bars to on sider the evidence.
When it re-opened, the Court found that the ship was properly and prudently navigated, that a propar lookout was kept and all reason- abla precautions takeo, and that the accident was due to a very abnormal set in of the current.
Mr. L. C. Bees has been appointed secretary to the Squatters Board in place of Mr. A. Darby.
H Ero-lleasy the Governor bas given his Awa', in the nam, and on behalf of His Mty the King, to the following Ordinance pas ed by the Lgislative Council:-Ordinance No. 1 of 198-An Ordinance to amend the Fire Brigade Ordioanes 1848,
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