The first witness, Detective Sub-Inspector Cedric Arthur Mason gave evidence of having taken photographs on board the Salvus and of having made photographic copies of plans of the ship. William Rowlands, an able-seaman on the vessel who had given evidence in the lower court, again gave evidence yesterday in which he stated that there had been very heavy drinking by himself Ford and other members of the crew after the Salvus had arrived in Shanghai. He stated that he and the others had received an advance of wages from the captain and, answering a question put by Mr. Priestwood, witness added that he had wanted the money to buy gear. "You wanted to buy some clothes?" the Crown Advocate again asked, to which Rowlands replied "Thats what I told him. I wanted it for some more drink."
He then added that he also owed money for his false teeth, and that it took him over an hour to pay his debts.
Answering Mr. Priestwood he stated that there had been no quarrelling but he added that after having imbibed quantities of liquor he did not remember anything else. "In modern parlance you passed out," remarked the Judge. Witness agreed, in answer to a question by the Judge, that Asa Khan had also got to the "merry stage," although he had use of his limbs.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.