November 27, 1909.]
THE STRANDING OF THE
S.S. "TAK HING."
MARINE COURT OF INQUIRY.
A Marine Court was held at the Harbour Office on Nov. 24 to inquire into the circumstances connected with the stranding of the river steamer Tak Hing, of which Captain W. Bishop was master. The Court was composed of Com. mander Basil R. H. Taylor, R. N. (Stipendiary Magistrate), President; Lieut. H. Butterworth, R.N., H.M.S. Tamar; Captain E. Beetham, master of the s.s. Empress of India; Captain G. S. Wiegall, master of the s.s. May Sang; and Captain H. W. Walker, master of the 8.8. Kong Tùng.
Mr. R. A. Harding appeared for the Sze Yap Steamship Co., and Mr. C. D. Wilkinson (of Messrs. Wilkinson and Grist) represented the captain.
The letter of Mr. R. A. Harding, solicitor for the Sze Yap Steamship Co., Ltd., applying far an inquiry, and the Governor's warrant con- stituting the Court, were read.
The President-First of all, we propose to take the evidence of the master.
Mr. Wilkinson-Not on the happenings on this particular occasion. This is more in the nature of a prosecution.
The President It is an inquiry and we want to get at the facts of the case.
I un- derstand the mate cannot be here to-day, so we shall have to have another sitting. (To Mr. Harding)-I take it the owners were not on board the ship at the time?
Mr. Harding-No.
Mr. Wilkinson-I know nothing at all about the allegations. Allegations of negligence have been made, and it seems to me that my friend should state them.
Mr. Harding said the allegations were that the captain did not take proper precautions to save the ship. The steamer left Hongkong for Kongmoon on October 18th at six in the evening, the black typhoon signals being hoisted in the harbour at the time. The Tak Hing arrived at Kongmoon at four o'clock on the following morning, and anchored between the Hoi Ming and Taz On. Later in the day the wind gradually grew stronger, and at about 6 p.m. the Hoi Ming and Tai On left their anchorages and took shelter under the lee of the land on the other side of the river. The first and second pilots then had a consultation, in consequence of which the first went to the captain and asked whether the ship should not be removed to a safer anchorage. The captain said "No," and the typhoon came on strongly at 9.30. At that time, although there were three anchors on board, only one was down. The vessel drifted from 9.30 till 12 o'clock, when she got ashore, and it was only when she touched bottom that a second anchor was lowered, and that was taken up fifteen minutes after it was put down. The Steamship Co. had since applied for the captain's log book, but had not received it.
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Mr. Wilkinson handed in the log book, The chief Chinese pilot on the S.S. Tak Hing spoke to the state of the weather when the Hoi Ming and Tai On left for shelter, and as to his subsequent interview with the captain, when the latter said he did not wish to remove the steamer. Between nine o'clock and midnight the steamer was drifting until she got near the shore. There was then only one anchor down, but a second was put down at 12.20 a.m., when the vessel was ashore. This, however, proved of no use and it was raised again.
Examined by Mr. Wilkinson, witness said he entered the employ of the Sze Yap Co. about three years ago. Formerly he was a quarter-
master.
Are you a qualified pilot ?—Yes.
Have you got a certificate ?-No. The President said he did not think pilots for
the West River were licensed..
What are your hours of duty P-As long as the steamer is running.
And when it stops your duties cease ?That is so.
Were the duties of the other pilot also finished when the ship anchored P-Yes. Tai On left for shelter about 5.30 p.m., and the Proceeding, witness said the Hoi Ming and Tak Hing shifted berth at 6 p.m. The weather
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
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was very bad after that, and witness remained below until he got ashore. He could not say anything more than what the second pilot told him
The anchors on the steamer were old ones. The starboard anchor was used on the occasion in question, the port one being rather small, s
In reply to the President, witness said the engines were not working at nine o'clock when the ship began to drag, although steam was up. When the second pilot shifted the ship the master was on the bridge The Tai On and Hoi Ming, which crossed to the other side of the river, were in a more sheltered position than the Tak Hing.
The second pilot of the Tak Hing said he was on the second deck of the steamer when the typhoon began to blow, and there was only one anchor down. At about midnight the vessel went ashore.
Cross-examined by Mr. Wilkinson :
What was the object of letting a second anchor go after the ship had gone ashore P-I don't know. That is the business of the master.
Who let it go? The boatswain, Did you see any passengers taken on board the Tai On or Hoi Ming ?-No.
Neither of these ships was aground?—The Tai On was.
And isn't it a fact that she was driven ashore by this typhoon ?—I don't know.
By the President-Before the Tak Hing began to drag, was she shifted from where she originally anchored? -Yes, she was shifted about 100 feet to the north-west.
Where were you when the ship was being shifted ?—On the bridge.
Who gave the orders ?-The master. How was the starboard anchor weighed next morning ?-By a sampan.
By Lieut. Butterworth-How do you know the ship began to drag shortly after nine o'clock? -Because I was on the steamer and felt her dragging.
Did you take any steps to inform the master or the mate ?-I told the first pilot to see the captain about it.
By the President-Was the lead over the side ?—Yes, over the starboard side.
Were the engines working after the ship shifted berth until she went ashore ?-Yes.
When P-They started about midnight. About the time you went ashore ?--Yes. Were they going ahead or astern ?-Ahead. What side of the ship struck the shore first ? The port stern.
He said that as boatswain, he put down the The boatswain was the next witness called. anchor by order of the captain. The typhoon began to blow after 3 o'clock, and continued in force till after 9 o'clock, the ship still having oné anchor down. The ship was pitching and rolling badly before she went ashore. The engines were not working between 9 o'clock and the
time the ship went ashore. Cross-examined by Mr. Wilkinson: pany P-Yes, and I left my present ship on Sat Are you still in the employ of the Com-
urday to come here.
at 9 o'clock?—I was in the bows of the ship Where were you then the storm was blowing standing by the anchors.
went ashore P-I was in the bows till the Chief Did you remain in the bows after the ship Officer told me to raise the port anchor.
How did the ship go on shore?-On the port side.
moon.
north.
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stated that at 3.45 on the afternoon of the 19th Captain Bishop, master of the Tak Hing, the steamer arrived at her usual berth at Kong- There was a fresh strong breeze from the N.N.W. which afterwards changed to the berth to the eastern shore. The Hoi Ming had At 6.15 the vessel was shifted from her
shifted earlier, and the Tai On later. The vessel held on with her starboard anchor until 11.45 P.m., when witness let go the port anchor. There were then no indications of the ship having dragged. The port anchor was let go to steady the steamer, as she was nearly on her beam ends. The Tak Hing took the ground at 12.45 a.m., just after the hardest squall. The vessel bank. The steamer was not hard and fast seemed to be lifted up and pitched on to the
The port anchor, which flukes were worn away and it would not hold. ashore before 8 a.m. was weighed at 2 a.m., was of no use, as the
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By Mr. Wilkinson-The mate was the only person with witness, except the second pilot, who got a cast of the lead after shifting his berth, after which he disappeared. Neither of the pilots spoke to witness, but he found a Chinese in the wheel room, apparently asleep, and kicked him out. The vessel's windlass was of no use, as it would not heave in the port chain. Witness did not consider he could have done anything more than he did, as the ship was unmanageable in a heavy breeze.
the
By Mr. Harding-He verbally gave a full ex- planation of the circumstances of the grounding of the ship, but he did not answer the letter ad- dressed him by the owners, because he knew that proceedings were about to be taken against him. Neither did he send the owners log book. The typhoon did not begin to blow really hard before 11 o'clock. Witness did not let go the second anchor earlier because the -ship was not dragging. It was let go to
prevent the vessel yawing to and fro..
How did you get the port anchor up ?-Heaved it up with the windlass.
Lieut. Butterworth then questioned the witness:
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What speed can the Tak Hing steam ?—In smooth water about nine knots.
In shifting berth you wouldn't have your full way -No, about three or four knots.
How long have you been on the West River run ?—I joined this steamer on September 19th this year. Previously I was about 19 days mate of the Shun Lee.
By Captain Beetham The other ships saw you when you moved off?--Yes!
Mr. Wilkinson-I have seen both the cap- tains of the other ships, and they will give, evidence that the witness did move.
The President-We will call one or other, if not both of them.
The inquiry was adjourned until Friday morning, when a finding was recorded exonerat- ing the Captain from all blame.
THE MOOSA EBRAHIM CASE.
EXAMINATION OF S. M. E. ALLANA
The hearing was continued before Mr. E. R. Hallifax at the Magistracy of the 24th inst. of the case in which Moosa Ebrahim was charged with a number of offences against the Bankruptcy Ordinance.
Mr. F. B. L. Bowley; Crown Solicitor appear- ed for the prosecution, while the defendant was represented by Mr. C. E. H. Beavis (of Messrs. Wilkinson and Grist).
The
He said he went to the office of Messrs. Hastings S: M. E. Allana's examination was continued.
8th was a Mahommedan holiday, and the 9th and Hastings on November 7th, 1907.
was kept for the King's birthday. He knew a man named K. Elias, who was an uncle of the defendant.
Witness saw this man on November 7th. On November 9th defendant paid witness
defendant's clerk was present. He was now, $8,000 in bank notes in Alana and Co.'s shop. This was about nine o'clock at night, and
might be imprisoned, and if he engaged a witness thought, in India. When the defend- ant gave Allana the money he told him that he lawyer or a barrister, the expenses were to come
out of that money.
Did he tell you what to do with the balance ?-He told me to put the balance into my shop, and to look after his family.
Proceeding, witness said that after he had defendant to take dinner. Defendant's uncle received this money he went home with the and clerk were then present. After dinner the defendant, his unele and witness went for a walk, returning to the same house between bed the defendant gave his uncle bank notes for eleven and twelve midnight. Before going to
$15,000. Witness did not see the roll of notes counted, but the defendant said there were $15,000, and told his uncle to look after his (defendant's) children.
Do you know where the defendant got this money from ? No.
Do you know an Indian called H. Molidina P- Yes, he was employed by the defendant.
for some time in a safe. Later I put $5,000 in What did you do with the $8,000?—Kept it
current account at the Deutsche Asiatsche Bank.
In what name
own.
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