Over 350 passengers were saved by the swift action and calmness on the part of the pilot of the Night Star Terryboat, plying between Honskone and Kowloon, which collided with nother ferry, the Meridian Star, and Sustained damage below the water Hine yesterday. As the boat was about 200 yards from the whart the pilot ordered full speed and was able bring the boat to the wharf and disembark. all passengers just before itera to. submerge, The seeident occurred at $45, pam. yesterday. The Night Star had of the Hongkong side and apparently owing toa defect of the steering oar of the Meridian Star, which wes Soming towards: the wharf, the two vessels collided.
Both were full of passengers, at the time as it was only shortly after Cifice hows, and they were given A rear (right'sithough no casualties oF injuries were reported and all par sengers landed safe and sound Salvage work. began la-day, and vuntil'a detailed survey is made It Impossible to know" how long It wil take. The salvage operation is Being. undertaken by. the. Hongkong, and Whampoa Dock Company. The only visible parts of the vessel to-were her funnel and foremast, in an interview with the pilot of the Night Star to-day It was earned that the mishap was caused by the strong current and a severe gust of wind™at the. time which rendered pilots of both vessels powerless 10 wert the head-on collision, He said that he had been employed by the ferry company ay pilot for sixicen sears and this was hig frst mishap, The boat was built by the Kowloon Dock Company in 1096 at a cost of ever $100,000 and had been in ser= lee for ten years, Since her maiden irlp she was under the command of the same pilot with a crew of twelve,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.