Shanghai, 9th November, 1870. A. Davesrort, H. M. Acting Vice-Consul, President.
Linvrexant Corrox, H. M.S. Zebra. Navicatixe Lizvr. Kise, H. M.S. Zebra. Mr. Sresty, Master, S. S.
Mu. Stzrmss This Court was held to make enquiry respecting the loss of the Lismore at the outer jar.
Captain Morrison handed in his Master's Certificate, in accordance with the requirements of the Board of Trade.
The following evidence was then heard Hexny Monnisox, master of the Lismore, duly sworn, states—The striking upon the wreck occurred on the 2nd November, when coming up the Channel of the Yangtze, on our voyage to Shanghai. The ship was steered the usual course until Roundy's light was sighted. The helm was then starboarded one point, and ering on that course until the wreck sighted. The light marks the wreck ofa sunken junk. Then the helm was again course about W.R.W. trac. We continued starboarded one point, which brought the running on that course until the light on Roundy's bungalow was well open, north of the wreck light. After running about half an hour on that course, I Judged we were sufiiciently well up the river to keep away for the mouth of the Woosung river. At the same time Tremarked to Mr. Paynter, the chief mate, that a well gles and could now run the after compartments, until assistance ar-right straight into the Woosung river. At rived from Shanghai. this time Roundy light bore S.W. by W. 3 W.
By the President—TI believe that I strack the true. The time was about 1 in the morning. wrecked junk which the light ship was appoint We kept the vessel away between the red ed to guard. The wreck is not visible at low buoy and the wreck light for the channel. water.
I think about 20 minutes after, and when I By Lieut. Krxo~I think the ship struck both believed the steamer to be say 200 yards N. the mast and the hull of the wrecked junk, N. E. of the wreck light, the ship struck On striking I immediately sounded, and found heavily, on the port bilge near the foremast, the we had two and three-quarter fathoms under wreck of a sunken junk, or what I presume the stern, and eleven fect on the port side for-to be such, where she remained fixed. Idon't ward. The Lismore's draft is nine and a half know whether there are more sunken junks feet. When the lightship took up her new than one there. We struck about 1.40 a.s.
The engines were stopped at once; not reversed. position, on the evening of the Gth November, the wind was strong from N.N.E., and the atoll, as I knew, from my knowledge of the lightship's stem cleared the Lismor lace, that she must be on the wrecked junk. board bow, I should think, by from who wreck light was then S. S. W. of us, and thirty feet to the best of my judgment 250 to 300 feet off, By Mr. Sreruexs—If the lead had been goon the port side; the channel at that place Doing rather Jess than a quarter of a mile in width, and Roundy's light at the time a quarter payed, there would beno perceptible difference ing by the ordinary class of men usually em-
im the depth of water to give an idea of whether ofa point on the port bow. I gave orders the ship was in mid-channel or not; unless it immediately to ey-7r1 the forward compart-had been have by a very intelligent man, who ment, and simultaneously with those orders had been asked to be very particular, gave orders for the boats to be lowered. The Ricuanp Rowerr, duy sworn, stated—I com: 3. I then ran a line from the ship carpenter reported 9 feet of water in the fore was a passenger on board the Lismore. I think the wreck light was about 150 yards tothe wreck light ship, asa warp, to warp from the position where the steamer struck. the boats backwards and forwards; and_pro-Cunwest P. Buerues, duly sworn, stated—ceeded to the Chinese ay on board 1 went down on the morning of the 2nd Nov., the light ship, and after them the Europeans, at to the wreck. I think the distance of the the latter's request, We succeeded in saving all ship from the wreck lightship was from 300 the passengers and all the luggage. We re-to 350 feet. ceived no assistance until 2 o'clock that after-Gronoz AxpRews, Master of the Kiangse noon, when Captain Patridge came down, At (s.s.), duly sworn,' stated—I came up the 10 or 11 o'clock the Captain of the U.S. S.
Fiver at halfyast five a.m, and saw the Lit-more aground. I should judge the wrecked-already sent up the passengers and ba; Colorado praterred his assistance," had by the Maggie' Lauder, tug, about half an light ship was distant from the Lismore about 185 yards. Thave noticed that the wrecked: our before, having made arrangements with the Captain for that purpose. The utmost light ship shifted her position on several occasions. expedition was used in savin, @ cargo as soon as we had the means of doing so, and all her proper position I should think it quite By Lieut. Kixo—If the light ship were in in the afterhold was saved without sustain-safe to pass her 250 feet to the northward. ing any damage whatever. I have no com-By Mr. Sreeve—1 don't depend on the plaint against the crew. The cargo was taken light vessel, as it is constantly shifting in foul away by the coolies who came down in the weather. i trust to the light on shore—Roundy's light.
ly. the President—We were not taking Wittsax Jous Paysren, chief officer of the soundings at the time of striking, the draught Lismore, duly sworn, stated—The defendant of water of the ship being so little that it was Morrisob, and myself were on board when the not necessary, nor would it have affected the ship struck; quartermaster steering, and one result. I was in charge of the ship myself man onthe lookout. I noticed the light ship shift when che struck. I was on one side of the her position during the following three or four deck and was piloting the ship myself. I days. On Sunday morning (the 6th) the light Judged where the red buoy was from its posi-was about 200 yards from the Lismore, tion.
I saw her get under weigh in the evening and By Lieut. Corros—It is usual with me to beat to windward in the position of the wreck come up many parts of the Yangtsze at night outside the Lismore. without soundings, and in the place where Joszrm A. Penxtss, in charge of the Lizzie the wreck occurred, i.e. between the red buoy Allen, hulk, daly sworn, stated—The light snd Woosung it is also tot usual forme to take soundings. The channel is so well-defined and Jessel was lying just ahead of the Lismore, on the port bow. This was two days after the the draught of the ship +o small that it is not wreck. necessary. In some parts of the Yangtsze I Dasiet, Patemor, duly sworn, stated—do heave a Jead.
On the Sunday evening the position of the Navgt-Lieut. Kixe—I was allowing for last quarter ebb tide, when entering be: of the wreck Lismore. "When I. first went light ship was 20 to 30 ft, on the starboard bow
tween the red buoy and the wreck-light ves-down tothe Lismore the light vessel was alittle sel. T sny from ly local knowledge, on the port bow of the Lismore—about 250 to that the ebb set down the Yangtsze from the 300 feet. I mean to leeward of her.
North-west to the 8. E., and also that it set out of the Woosung river to about North-east. The The Court delivered judgment as follows direction of the ship's head, when we struck, The Court, having carefully investigated the was about W. and by 8.38. true. We were evidence adduced, is unanimously of opinion going full speed. I have on former occasions that the loss of the British Steamer Lismore, steered 250 fect to the northward of the wreck-on the morning of the 2nd November 1870, is light vessel, to the best of my belief. I es-attributable entirely to the sunken junk light timated my distance to be from 250 to 300 feet vessel having drifted from her proper position, from tite wreck-light vessel, by personal obser-and that there is no blame attached to Captain vation both from my own vessel and from the Morrison, the officers or crew of the Lismore. ight vessel, as well as by taking the opinions of others. The night was clear. "I could not sce The Court cannot separate without expressing great regret that _so dangerous an obstacle to the wreck-light vessel, but only her light be-the navigation of the River should not be fore striking. more carefully marked, and that they con-By Capt. Sreete—The bearing S. W. by sider on this occasion the person in charge of 4 W, of the wreck-light ship was the pro-the wreck light ship was guilty of culpable per bearing. I believe the light ship was not negligence. in her pro]. She was 250 fect, at the least, inside (S.S.W.) of the wreck, instead of Foochow, Oct. 18th. being outside. While I was still on board the Before Cecil F. W. Johnson, Lieut. Command-Lismore 1 saw the wreck-light vessel shift ing H. M.'s Banterer, President; J. G. her position frequently, from being just north Murray, H. M.'s Acting Vice-Consul; J. of the wreck to 400 feet to the southward of it: W. Roy, Master, British ship Chusan and on Sunday Jast, I saw her pick her Stewart, Master British ship Guinevere. anchor up altogether and hoist a sail, and an-'The Court was held to enquire into the loss char to windward of the wreck again, from a of the brig Escape on the Coast of Formos, ition 600 feet to leeward of her. At the time on the 2nd October, 1870, when bound on the Captain of the U. 8. S. Coloradocame along-voyage from Newehiang to Hongkong. side 1 had no boats of my own to take off car-'The decision was as follows Teonsidered my vessel then sufficiently considered all the "evidence, is of opinion The Court, having maturely weighed and out of water to keep the cargo in security, in
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.