Shanghai, 13th Nov. Before B. C. G. Scorr, Esq., H.B, M's Vice-Consul, President, Lieut. F, W. Banzesr, H.MLS, Cleopatra, Gap, We. Basete, pener, Captain A. V. Brown, J ship John Potts.
Assistant-Paymaster R. P, Manwoop, ELMS. Cleopatra, Clerk of the Court.
A Naval Court of Enquiry, composed as above, assembled at the British Consulate 10.30 am, to report on the loss of the Banyan through collision with the lorcha Arnie on the 29th Oct, last, The President read the correspondence convening the Court, James Fox, sworn, deposed—I am master of the's.s. Banyan, I hold a cortificate, No. 8662 Plymouth 23rd Juno 1862 (produced) 1 left Hankow on the 26th Oct. bound for Shanghai laden with gout eral cargo, I remember the night of the 29th Oct, About 3 a.m, I was in bed was aroused by the noi the Kukshang light. was-about a hund yards off, Teculd her lights distinctly as they were clear of the ship when I came on deal dimly. The lorcha was hardly As soon a8 we were clear of her, after the collision, we turned round. The lorcha struck us just abaft the engine bulk: head on the port side, The helm was hard a-port, when 1 came on deck, Almost immediately. after the holm was placed hard a port the lorcha came in" collition with the Banyan; the mate reported the eireumstauce to me. As soot at wore lear I ordered the olm tobe ateediod, When T came out of my cabin the lorcha was clearing our port bow j abe twas scraping slong the side of our vouol, I gave orders to return to the lorcha to see what time was. 1 gave the order to the pilot. Just at the same time it was reported that waler was running into. die ip. L ordered. the helm to be put to Atarboard and directed the carpenter to fee, what damage was dove, "I hoard water rushing into the ship. I found the after cargo boat was afore in, I reached over and saws. largo hole in the alip's aide, "I looked down the after hold and saw the water rising; it -was coming in very fast, At the same time cond engineer reported to the chief er that water was coming in the ttled down. atarbourd to run the ship to the bank to save i out twenty minutes after the collision the slip waa atcauded, It was about 3.20 when wegotashore. Isigualled toa steamer that was passing, she came ttonr, sout boats, and took all the pag was the there was only three fathoms of water under her bows and about eight fathoms under her stern, By the time all the passengers were out the water got over the spar deck, As aeon as the ship atruck the bank I let go the port anchor. After all the passengers were out, we could dono more we all went on 3 it was then about high water. When the ship stranded the current was very strong, about seven knots ('The witness indicated rt the place where the Banyan ded.) About 9 a.m. we returned to the vessel, we got some hawsers and cut her back stays down. The current was slacking. I noticed the vessel's stern slewing, called all hands to the beata before they got into the boats the ship slid off the bank, capsized and broke in two, After the Kianghuan had taken the Paszengers on board she went to the
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.