Phe Master was then questioned by Mr. Preston who Drought out that the 2nd Officer waa only 25 years old, that received his mate's licence last July and that it waa his second trip in this part of the coast. Capt. Noon claimed to have no knowledge that he: had been called by the Office: and replied that the only all he received was from the Chief Officer. He stated that had been 90 much on the brid since leaving Swatoiv that he felt Justified in going below for what Tittle sleep he could catch, especially as he had told the 2nd' Officer of the course, shown it to him on the chart and. gave instructions to be felled when the ship was abeam of Ping Rock.
The Und Officer, Mr. L, F. Garret, testified he had served a pilotage apprenticeship of five years in the Bristol Channel, that he had little ex-Perience on the China Coast and that this was his first meeting wit. Ping Rock, He said that before going below on the night of the accident the Captain had shown him the chart with the course plotted, but he was emphatic that ho had not been told to call the captain as hnd been claimed the previous witness, About 8.35 he claimed he decided all the captain after he had seen Rock "broad on the bow" and went below personally which was only time he left the bridge in hin watch. He stated that reaching te Master's quarters he had seen him-fully dressed on settee and had spoken to him "but the captain only stirred and returned to the bridge, The Chief Officer came on the bridge at four and on learning that the "Captain had not appeared rushed hurriedly down for him and shortly after the two returned. They entered the chart room and immediately the ship struck before the Captain had been on the bridge full three minutes.
The cross-examination then started by Mr. MeDonald who asked that the witness refresh his memory to whether he had ever passed Ping. Rock before. The witness. emphatic cally claimed he had not, whereupon Mr. McDonald produced the log of the down trip from Shanghai and showed the 2nd Officer that he had obviously passed Ping Rock.
Whereupon the witness stated:—"ves, T did pass before but Tas not on watch at the time and mover knew it was Ping Rock until you just showed me the lo Signed as Matter of Form Mr, MeDonald warmed up to the subject and next brought up th: question of the Captain's cal which the witness again denied having been told to carry out. Counsel then introduced the log} ook and showed an entry by Capt Noon signed by the 2nd Officer in which the call at 3.30 was mention ed and the witness stated that ho signed it "purely as a matter of form" though he remarked at the time it was "damnable against me."
"go, you are in the habit of statements without bei fully cognizant of their contents?" asked the Master's counsel.
"Well, no," replied "ut in this ease T di The matter of the night order Book was brought up and the witness was shown the first page printed list of general onder, one fof which had reference to when the ship was on a questionable course or when any doubt what speyer wae in the watch nitider's about anything. The w yeplied:—"I never saw that
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.