Britannic Majesty's Consulate at Tamsui on the 15th day of January, 1889, to investigate the circumstances attending the wreck and abandonment of the British sailing ship Anglo-India Official number 72,303, between Nam-kam and Paksa Points onthe North-west Coast of Formosa, on the 6th day of January, 1889, when ona voyage from Shanghai to Ilo-ile, The Anglo-India was a sailing vessel full rigged 1,049 tons registered tonnage, official number 72,303, built at St. John's about 1877, and belonging to St. John's, New Brunswick.
It appears from the evidence given before this Court that she sailed from Shanghai on the 3rd January, 1889, in ballast with a crew of 23 hands all told, and that from the evidence of the Boatswain and 8 seamen (which however the Court regards as insufficient,) that the last land seen was Video Island W.N.W. about one mile, the ship then steered a course 8. W. by S. which course was steered until she struck at Moihow 8 miles N.E. by E. of Paksa Point in thick rainy weather with a strong breeze.
That Thomas Murray, the Boatswain, who was acting as Second Mate, with eight men put off in a boat under the Captain's orders to lay out a line and bring boats through the surf, that they were at once attacked by the natives, stripped and driven land, thus being prevented from rendering any further assistance.
hat the Captain and the remainder of the crew seeing how the above boat's crew had been received, put to sea in two boats on the afternoon of the day of the wreck, and although careful enquiries have been made nothing further has been heard of them, That after the vessel had been abandoned by the crew she was looted and burnt by the natives of the Island.
That the Court having regard to the circumstances above stated finds as follows (1) That the evidence is unsatisfactory and not sufficient to warrant any finding as to the way in which the navigation was conducted, more especially as no log books or papers were saved.
have conducted themselves properly, and (2) That the master and crow appear to used their utmost exertions to save life (8) That proper discipline appears to have been maintained on board.
(4) That the Court desires especially to direct the attention of the Board of Trade to the fact that this vessel is not the first that has been looted and burnt on the coast of Formosa, and that steps should be taken to induce the Chinese Government to make a serious effort to put a stop to this practice in the future.
(Signed) Frevx. S. A. Bourse, H.B.M,'" Act. Consul, President.
Price V. Lewes, Liewtenant, K.N., HLM.S. Cockchafer. Members.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.