A Naval Court at Chungking has just issued an important and interesting judgement with reference to the loss of the British steamship Chuchuen while on a voyage from Ichang to Chungking. The Court, composed of Mr. W. Stark Toller (President), Actiog Consul at Chungking, Lieut.-Com. J. M. Henderson, H. M. 8. Teal, and Mr. D. T. Keogh, merchant, sat on January 30 and February 2, 3, 4, 9 and 10, and its findings have now been issued. They are in part It appears from the evidence before this Court that the vessel is registered in the name of the Szechuan Railway Steam Navigation Ca., Ld., of Brilish nationality that she was chartered by the Szechuan Railway Steam Navigation Ca., of Chinese nationality; that the' whole of her management and contro] was in the hands of this latter company. It appears from the evidence that the alterations, additions, and extensive renewals to the boilers and machinery were undertaken under the instructions of the Chinese company and under the superintendence of their Chinese engineer, and that on the completion of the refit the report was made officially to the Chinese company only, that the repairs were paid for by the Chinese company.
It further appears that the master, chief engineer, mate, compradores, and crew were appointed solely by the Chinese company. There is no evidence that the British company exercised any control or act of ownership in any connexion.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.