Shanghai, 8th May. Before Lieut. P. Vaughan Lewes, H.M.S. Spartan, President, H. B. JoLy, Esq., ice-Consut, and Captain Srreer, master of the P. &'0. steamer Ravennct, Tae Loss oF THE s.s. Onwo"
The Naval Court of Enquiry atthe British Consulate-General for the purpose of enquiry ing into theless of thes.s. Ontvo, was resumed this morning. Mr. William Bell, Assistant Paymaster, H.M.S. Spartan, acted as Clerk of the Court. Mr. McNeill (Messrs. Dowdall and Hanson) appeared for Messrs Jardine, Matheson & Ca., the owners of the nwo, and Captain Whittle appeared for Messrs. Butterfield & Swire, the agents of the China Navigation Company, the owners of the Newchwang.
On the re-assembling of the Court, The President said before going on with the evidence he wished to ask the representative of Messrs. Jardine, Matheson & Ca. if he could name the person who was responsible for issuing the tickets to the ers on board the One.
Mr. W. F. Inglis explained that very fow tickets were sold in the office, the custom being for the passengers to go on board and buy their tickets there after leaving Shanghai. In the present case they had not had time to get their tickets before the accident.
The President said the Court desired a statement of the average number of passengers carried by the Onwo at this particular season of the year for previous years, It was absolutely necessary for some idea of the number of passengers to be given in evidence for the information of the Board of Trade.
Mr. McNeill said the Onwo had only been running on the river fora year, but the information for that period would be supplied. "He vas informed that as a rule the bunks, which accommodated 180, were not fully occupied.
Mr. Arthur Lewis Cooper, re-called, and further examined.
The Court—Did you consider the Onwo had many passengers as usual or more?
Witness—As usual.
'The Court—You stated there were about 200 on-board Witness—Yes, of course it was very hard to judge.' I could only tell by the mass.
The Court—Where would the passengers without bunks be stowed Witness—On the main deck.
The Court—Were there many there on the occasion of the collision Witness—I cannot state.
The Court—Describe the trade custom of checking the Chinamen on board the river steamers.
\Witness—Chinese come on board, a few with tickets from the office, the majority buying from the compradore's staff after passing Woosung.
The Court—Does the chief, or other officer, check the compradore Witness—The chief officer checks them, by a book in which there is a duplicate of the number of tickets sold.
Captain Whittle—I should like Mr. Coo-pet to put down the position of the Ontvo as she passed the light boat.
models, explaining that she passed close Witness Ewo den the chart bia to the light boat and the shoal.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.