10—Subsequent to the stranding of the ship adequate and seamanlike steps and precautions were taken by the Master, ably assisted by the officers and crew of the ship, and by Capt, Kozeradsky, one of the passengers. Everything possible was done to save life, but unfortunately 12 members' of the Chinese crew and 24 Chinese pose sengers lost their lives owing to the fouling of the after falls of No. G lifeboat causing the boat to swamp, and the failure of the Chinese passengers to obey the aniers of the Master and officers to abandon ship. The Court. re cords its sympathy with the relax tives of the deceased.
11—That every assistance was rendered by the Master and officers of the steamers Colorado, Hsinfung and the pilot boat, who materially assisted in the saving of life, 12—In the opinion of the Court the "Amherst Rock constitutes a serious danger to ships approaching the Yangtze, more especially in low visibility when the existing lights become obscured, but even in conditions of good visibility tha lights by which ships can fix their position are ut great distances and thereby admit of small error in observation, leading to big errors position.' It would be of immense value to mariners if improved light= ing could be established and. the Court recommends that the Chines Maritime Customs should be approached on the subject, The Master Absolved 13.—That the Court sees no ground for blaming the conduct of the Master.
1d—That the Court finds the Second Mate to blame in that he (1) altered the course of the ship contrary to the standing orders of the Master: (2) did negligently allow the ship to be steered on an unsafe course: (8) that his, plotted on the chart wore consistent ly in error, thereby leading the Master into a false sense of security. which directly caused the stranding and loss of the ship.
15—The Court, in pursuance of the powers vested in it by Section 470 (1) (a) of the Merchant. Shipping Act of 1804, therefore orders that, a copy of the report and statement of the case upon which the investigation was ordered having been furnished to John William McCabe before the commencement of the investigation, his certificate a rst Mate steamship, No 4251, issued by the Governor of Hong-Kong and dated April 24, 1924, be, for the wrongful act and defaults aforesaid, suspended for the period of twelve calendar months from this date. The Court will become mend that he be granted a certificate as Second Mate Steamship during the period of suspension of the certificate as First Mate Steamship.
The expenses of the Court fixed jat £11/18/0 are appro Chinese Congratulated After the rending of the decision, Mr. Archer addressed several of the Chinese members of the. crew who were in Court, telling them that they behaved' splendidly in very trying circumstances and did every+ Hhing that was expected of them, The Court very much appreciated their fine behaviour and were extremely sory that some of their jeomrades should have lost. - their lives whilst doing their duty,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.