Shanghai, 9th June, Before Commander R. Scorr Rogers, x.N. HMS, Archer, President; and R, W, Huxst, Esq., H.M.'s Vice-Consul, and Captain H. W. Hoo, Master steamship Tuisauy, Assessors, This enquiry into the circumstances attending the stranding of the Whampoa, John Hutchison master, on the rocks the S.E. Promontory on 7th May Inst" was concluded this afternoon.
Mr. Bruton appeared for Cupt, Hutchison, and Capt. Charlton watched the cass on bobialf of Messra, Butterfield & Swire.
On the re-assembling of the Court, the President recalled Captain Hutchison, who sxid—T am aware the Wuchang sailed for Chef on the sume tide as Tid, but I do not know whether she experienced an unusual set to the westward, I am not aware of her movements after she lete port, and 1 do not know of any ship having lately experienced a westerly set on this track, I suw the Wuchang about an hour After passing Shaweishan, not afterwards; she was right ahead, slightly on the starboard bow. saw the Poochi in the North Cheunel be-but I did not see her after pas sighted no other steamer: but two were reported to me at night, that is their whistles were heard, Tkuoiv mate has stated that two steamers ited by him, one on the starboard and the other on the port hand, [have heard it stated in Court, bu was not aware of it before. T cannot corroborate his state-1 did not sy, before that 1 know steamers had been seen, I said "heard" by the whistles, Both mates suber while in charge of the deck, Tdid not find the ship steering wildly during the voyage. T have no reason to jer avy of iny quartermaster unvelinble in keeping the ship true to her course by the compass, They are just like the run of quartermasters if anything, they are rather Detter. On coming on deck I never found the ship off the course reourde: the log-book during the voyage, I not personally check the accurney of my compassion the way down to Shaweishan, Ido not know if any one else checked it, There was yething on my way down to lead me to suppose the standard compass out of ad student., There was absolutely no opportunity onthe voyage of taking an azimuth; the sun never came out once, The weather was foggy at time of stranding. The reason I was yoing full speed was that:
could see far enough to inancuvre my vessel safely within the distance I could see. It is a fact that the Pinnacle Rock could occasionally be seen from the ship while the mainland was obscured. The Whampoa was well equipped in every respect on this voyage. The nailrod iron was stowed in the after end of the main hold in the bottom of the ship, Then were a few steel bars stowed in the fore and main tween decks, should not think it was nearer than 35 feet from the standard compass, T cannot swear it was nexter than that distance, By Mr. Aurst—Ido not think the stowage of these steel bars would have affected the compasses, I have had none of these before, and no previous experience s to how it might have affected the compasses, By Mr. Bratton—I have simply stated that the steel bars did not affect the compass, I have heard of cases where they did. When I saw the Pinnacle Ruck, Iliad plenty of room to manauvre in, and if it had been " junk, I could have got out other way. It was calm at the time and there was no surf on the rock on which the vessel ed. It is customary for the officer on duty to report to me passing steamers during the day.
By the President—I was on the bridge after leaving Shaweishan, I do not know
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