There was a very serious accident in the harbour on Saturday evening, which might have involve ed a much more important disaster. The French—gunboat Craonne was lying far out in the stream, ahead of most of the merchant steamers. It is stated that she had not been able to sight anchors for several days as her windlass was out of order. Suddenly one of her anchor cables broke. The other was unable to hold the - ship and she broke away, falling foul of the N. K. K. Yunyang Mara and causing the latter to lose both anchors. Fortunately the Yunyang Maru was able to keep clear of any further trouble. The Craonne was then swept on to the same Company's Hankow steamer Ta-hung Maru, and carried her down stream, dragging her anchors. Both vessels then crashed into the B. & S. str. Wanhsien. The an-char chains of the Tahung Maru crossed those of the (Wanhsien, when the. ships were almost on the I.-C. S. Pingwo. Fortunately the cables held, and night fell with four steamers practically inter locked. The Pingwo had to
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.