Shanghai, 7th May. Before Lieut. P. Vaughan Lewes, H.M.S. Spartan, President, H. B. Jouy, Esq., Vire-Comsnd, and Captain Srreer, master of the P. & O, steamer Ravenna.
Tre Loss oF THE s.s, " Oxwo"
A Naval Court of Enquiry was held at the British Consulate-General for the purpose of enquiring into the loss of the 8.8. One. Mr. William Bell, Assistant Paymaster, H.M.S. Spartan, acted as Clerk of the Court, and read a letter from Messrs. Court of Enquiry. Mr. McNeill (Messrs Butterfield and Swire applying for the
Dowdall and Hanson) appeared for Messrs, Jardine Matheson & Ca., the owners of the Onrev, and Captain Whittle appeared for Messrs. Butterfield & Swire, the agents of the China Navi ation Company, the owners of the Newehreany.
The President, after explaining the object with which the Court was assembled, said it was intended to carry out the enquiry in the fallest manner penile: in the hope, besides finding out the cause of that particular disaster of suggesting means for the poeeention of the recurrence of such unfortunate results.
Any suggestions or recommendations which the Court might consider advisable would be embodied in a rider to the decision, and he (the President) would take care they were brought to the notice of the Consular authorities, the Chamber of Commerce, and the Customs authorities, who, at' present appeared to have no control over the river. It was proposed to first examine the captain of the Netchwurg, and then the captain of the Glengarry, Who wished to go away.
Captain Hards, the master of the New-AU'I1 am, we left Amoy. At 1.20 oan, chacang, sworn, deposed—On April the 26th on the 27th anchored in Haitan Straits. At 5 am. same day weighed and proceeded. 1,30 a.m., on the 28th anchored off Bullock Harbour, weighed again at 4.45 aim. Moderate'N.E. winds and hazy weather, 1.40 p.m. off Bella Vista; anchored, thick fog. 7.30 a.m. on the 29th fog clearing away, weighed and proceeded. 4.20 p.m. passed W. of Video.
11.55 passed Tungsha light-vessel. 1.2 a.m. on the 30th passed Kiutoan light. 2.4 a.m. half-speed, 2.10 slow, 2.20 passed Lismore Tight vessel. 2-30 stopped engines through Woosung. While passing shi saw 'a steamer's crossing bar. Off fqeen and masthead light woosung Creek steamer's green light ahead; passed over to the star-ard side. 2.35 light about a point and half on the starboard bow. Put engines half-speed ahead, blew two blasts on the whistle. No reply from other steamer, repented signal," Still no reply. Passed cashing (Custom's hulk) about thirty or forty feet 2.38 steamer showing red light. Stopped engines. Blew two blasts on whistle. Helm hard a starboard. When steamer shut in green light, seeing a collision inevitable, put engines full speed astern. Almost immediately collision occurred with steamer, which proved to be the Onwo. A large hole being reported in fore hold, put engines full speed ahead for one minute, helm hard a port. Beached ship on Pheasant Point. At the same time called the Onto to also beach ship, but received no reply. Lowered two life-boats, fi leaving ship five minutes after the collision, in charge of second officer. The other boat left. shortly after in charge of chief officer. They were away about half an hour and returned finding no trace of other steamer. Kept the boats alongside until daylight and saw then the nwo sun Witness at the request of the Court marked on the chart where the collision occurred and where the Newchtany was beached. Captain Whittle handed' in a chart on a large scale for the purpose.
By the Court—I was going at half-speed with the engines at the time the collision occurred, about two knots over the ground about 45 to 50 revolutions with the engines. Full speed gives 68 to 72 revolutions. I estimate the rate of the tide at about a knot anda half. At the exact moment of the collision my helm was hard a starboard. It; had been so for about half a minute; as soon as we saw the other steamer's red we put hard a starboard. I was in charge of the helm myself. My lights were changed and attended to at midnight, before the collision. I am quite sure they were Durning brightly. My ship struck the Onto about 10 or 15 feet from her stem on her port side. At that time the two ships were almost at right angles. [Witness, at this stage explained to the Court, with the aid of models exactly how the collision occurred.] It was my intention to take the Feima Channel. I starboarded my helm because the other steamer's green light was on riy starboard side.
The Court—Were you tied by the dangers of navigation on either side of you which prevented you porting your helm Witness—The channel was clear but. it would have been dangerous for me to port my helm. There was room to do it but of course I could not port the helm, it: was of no use.
The Court—Could you have ported your helm without running ashore or into other vessels than the One?
Witness—Yes. If the Onteo had not been there I could have ported my helm. T heard no other whistle than my own. The chief officer was on the bridge with me. I have not passed as a pilot of the Woosung river.
The Court—Did you assume you had the right of way coming up with the flood Witness—Yes.
The Court—On what authority?
Witness—The Harbour Regulations of Woosung. I have them here. Witness read Notice No. 49, Special.
The Court—Is that a regulation or recommendation Witness—It is a Notice to Mariners issued by the Customs.
The Court—You consider it is a regulation?
Witness—Yes.
The Court—You always understood that there were local rules in force for Woosung River? Is there any penalty for breaking them Witess—Yes I did. I do not think there ig is any penalty for breaking them.
Thada Jock-out man forward. All the sailors and carpenter were on deck forward. The Doatswain was at the anchor, the carpenter at the windlass, the sailors standing by. They were all Chinese. I am not sure whether the look-out man reported the light. There were so many lights I em not say. The night was fine and clear, the sky was cloudy but the night clear and a very good one for seeing lights. The moon wat not shining through the clouds. I have no complaint whatever against any of the officers of my ship. Two officers went away in the boats and the third engineer was below until the engines were rung off, The Court—From your experience of this collision can you advise anything to safeguard against such appalling accidents happening Witness—Only to keep ships back and allow ships going one way to go one ata time. Vessels with the tide against them should wait until all is clear either over the bar or through the shipping.
The Court—Then you consider Notice to Mariners No 93 issued by the Const Ins-sector should become law and be enforced with a penalty Witness—Yes.
The Court—Did you see the lights of a steamer astern of you?
Witness—No; i steamer astern of me at that time would be in amongst the shipping at Woosung where I could not see her lights.
The Court—You stated that you were only going two knots with 45 to 50 revolutions.
Witness—I am not quite sure about the revolutions.
The Court—What is your full speed in knots?
Witness—9} to 10.
By Capt. Whittle—I should like to ask the witness if he ever saw the red light of the One until immediately before the collision Witness—No, nothing but the green light and the masthead light. The red light was not seen until just before the collision.
Captain Whittle—As regards the dangers of navigation at that particular point it has helm before the Woosung Greek. At that been asked if you could have ported your
time what lights did you see?
Witness—A green and a masthead light. I should not think of porting to a green light. When I put the engines half-speed we were between Woosung Creek and the Krcushing. The collision occurred about 200 or 300 yards above the Kuwshing, up river. At the time of the collision we had been going half-speed for three minutes. When I Tight was bout " point and a half on our put the engines half speed, the Onwu's green
starboard bow. I did not anticipate any danger of collision ut that time. The light I Soneidered it the proper this to Ontco's green light showing to my green
Keep my course. I did not anticipate any danger until I saw the Ontco's red light. Between my seeing the red light and the time of the collision less than a minute elapsed. Under the conditions I do not think I could have done anything to prevent a collision.
By Mr. MeNeill—The notes from which Imade my statement were made up the day before yester-day Mr. McNeill said it was important to note that the statement was not prepared immediately after the collision, By Mr. McNeill—When I first saw the light of the Onwo I believe she was crossing the bar. Her green light was on my port side. I could not form any opinion as to her future course, as she was on the bar and I was amongst the shipping at Woosung. It is impossible to tell which ide of the river a vessel crossing the bar is likely to keep to until she straightens up. I could not tell what another man was going todo. Ikept to the port side of the channel the whole time.
The Court—Mr. McNeill, I understand you are asking any questions Mr. Cooper wishes to ask?
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.