Captain Kent received his early training as an apprentice abos sailing ships, and after obtaining his master's certificate came out for service in China waters. While he was in command of a coasting] steamer the Spanish-American War broke out, and it is understood that fon more than one occasion he undertook the adventurous operation of running the blockade of the Phi pines.
That was only one part of a strenuous career in these waters. He ran the narrowest possible escape at the time of the Japan earthquake, for actually he was on the pier at Yokohama when the first shock occurred and was precipitated into the water in the midst of un indescribable accumulation of wreckage. He was able to reach safety, and during the appalling days which ensued did an enormous amount of work in securing the safety of the refugees who poured Quelled After Hard Fight Within a few minutes daylight broke and they went to the ship. The Customs float tied alongside and began cooling off the heated shell and deck. Fiftecn minutes work had cooled the steel enough to permit them fighting from the deck, Whereupon they attacked the fires in the hold; Pownrful engines pumped tons. of water on the flames every minute and the Brizude did valiant work. Even with the fire under control, the fonts did not get back to Shanghai before 11.30 a.m, When the crew. got ashore, one of their number notified an officer of the company, the China Merchants! 8. N. Ca. who tried to get to the Settlement and inform the authorities, but way prevented because of martial law being in} fore 'The Tungkadoo force saw the fire end two machines approached the xeene, but being without boats, would' not get at the flames and had return to the station. As soon as the crew lett their Durning vessel, sampans set out on to reap a harvest odds and ends, They made off with cushions, dishes and anything loose. Several boats as they returned to shore Were met by police, who arrested the pirates.
The Tse Kiang is an old vessel, it i believed built by the Old Dock, tone of the type seen on the Missi sippi River years ago. Probably the only wood untouched by the fire, was the immense paddle wheel at! the stern, The vessel is still at anchor and afloat in about 30 ft. of water] and 100 yd, from the shore.
The centre shell plates are buckled upwards and outwards and midships Fas been raised higher than usual, while bow and stern have sunk several feet. The wooden lower deck is gone, as are the deck planks covered the steel upper deck. In addition to the steel plates, which anay be salvaged, report has it that 10 tons of copper may be resold. Otherwise the vessel is thought to De a hopeless: wreck.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.