FOR OFFICIAL USE.
(No. 7843).
"LIEN SHING" (S.S.).
THE MERCHANT SHIPPING ACT, 1894.
FINDING AND ORDER OF A NAVAL COURT.
Finding and Order of a Naval Court held at His Britannic
Majesty's Consulate General, Shanghai, on the 21st and 22nd days of
December, 1920, to investigate the circumstances attending the
wreck of the British steamship "Lien Shing," of the port of Hong
Kong, official number 103545, when on a voyage from Tientsin to
Shanghai, at Amherst Rock, and to enquire into the conduct of the
master, certificated officers and crew of the said vessel.
The "Lien Shing" was a steam vessel of 1,462 tons registered
tonnage, official number 153545, built at Hong Kong in 1924, and
belonging to the port of Hong Kong.
It appears from the evidence given before this Court that she
sailed from Tientsin on or about the 10th day of December, 1926,
bound for Shanghai with a cargo of general merchandise and a crew
of 114 hands all told, as well as 157 passengers. The position of
the ship was fixed at 1.43 by cross bearings of Shawieshan Light
and North Saddle Light and also at 2 o'clock with Shawieshan 14½
miles off, and course was set by the master S. 6§ E. standard
compass-S. 10§ E. true, speed 11½ knots.
The master left the bridge at 2.15, and before leaving
instructed the officer of the watch (2nd mate McCabe) to take
bearings every 15 minutes, call him at 3 a.m., and see that ship
did not pass closer than 3 miles off Amherst Rocks. It was the
intention of the master to maintain this course until 3.30.
He had allowed for a westerly set of 5 miles, and gave his order
to the 2nd mate (officer of the watch) as a precautionary measure
against the possibility of experiencing a stronger set than he had
anticipated.
Cross bearings were taken by the 2nd mate every quarter of an
hour, using Shawieshan and North Saddle Lights.
At 3 o'clock he altered course according to his evidence to S.
36 W. (true)-S. 40 W. (standard compass), but evidence shows that
the course actually steered was S. 46 W. (true)-S. 50 W. (standard
compass).
The master was called at 3 o'clock, but was not informed that
course had been altered before he arrived on the bridge at about
3.15.
Cross bearings were taken by 2nd mate at 3.18, 3.30, 3.40, using
Gutzlaff and North Saddle Lights.
The master ordered the 2nd mate to check the position of the
ship immediately after the 3.40 position had been obtained.
The 2nd mate thereupon took fresh bearings and plotted one of
these bearings and had laid his parallel riders along the direction
of the 2nd bearing in the presence of the master. The Hue of the
second bearing was never drawn on the chart as, according to the
evidence of the 2nd mate, the master remarked that the bearing must
be wrong as the fix showed the ship to be steering directly for the
Amherst Rocks and did not agree with the previous positions
obtained.
The muster then went to take bearings himself to fix the ship.
While thus engaged the 2nd mate sighted and reported rocks on the
port bow.
The master immediately ordered the helm hard-aport, and the ship
struck almost immediately afterwards.
The Court, having regard to the circumstances above stated, find
as follows:-
(1) That too much reliance was placed by the 2nd mate on the 3
o'clock fix on which he altered course.
(2) That the 2nd mate, on his own evidence, altered course to
pass 3 miles off the Amherst Rocks without allowing for
north-westerly set.
(3) That the 2nd mate altered course at 3 o'clock as he thought
to S. 36 W. (true), whereas in actual fact the course steered was
S. 46 W. (true).
(4) That the fixes obtained by the 2nd mate were consistently in
error.
(5) That had the 3.40 position as laid down 011 the chart been
correct-with the ship steering S. 46 W. (true), 11½ knots-the ship
would have cleared the Amherst Rocks.
(6) That the fix taken by the master's orders immediately after
the 3.40 position had been obtained, but which fix was not plotted,
was probably correct.
(7) That the second mate misinterpreted the master's orders
given him at 2.15 and should not have altered course, but, having
done so, should have complied with standing orders and reported
same to the master at 3 o'clock.
(8) That 110 suspicion of danger was aroused in the mind of the
master until the 3.40 fix was plotted and showed an abnormal set to
the westward, when he ordered further cross bearings to be
taken.
That the suspicions aroused in the mind of the master as to the
doubtful position and safety of the ship were not confirmed in
sufficient time for him to act.
(9) That the life-saving apparatus was strictly in accordance
with the Board of Trade requirements, and there was ample
accommodation for abandoning ship.
(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 Captain
Kozeradzky, one of the passengers; everything possible was done to
save life, but unfortunately 12 members of the Chinese crew and 24
Chinese passengers lost their lives owing to the fouling of the
after falls of No. 6 life boat, causing the boat to swamp, and the
failure of the Chinese passengers to obey the orders of the master
and officers to abandon ship. The Court records its sympathy with
the relatives of the deceased.
(11) That every assistance was rendered by the master and
officers of the steamers "Colorado," "Hsin Fung" 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
under, conditions of good visibility the lights by which ships can
fix their position are at great distance, and thereby admit of
small errors in observation, leading to big errors in position.
It would be of immense value to mariners if improved lighting
could be established, and recommend that Chinese Maritime Customs
should be approached on the subject.
(13) The Court sees no ground for blaming the conduct of the
master.
(14) The Court finds the 2nd 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;
(3) That his fixes plotted on the chart were consistently 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 1894, therefore
orders that, a copy of the report or a 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 as 1st Mate Steamship No. 4251, issued by the Governor
of Hong Kong and dated 24th April, 1924, be, for the wrongful act
and defaults aforesaid, suspended for the period of 12 calendar
months from this day. The Court recommends that he be granted a
certificate as 2nd Mate Steamship during the period of suspension
of the certificate as 1st Mate Steamship.
The expenses of the Court, fixed at £11 18s., are approved.
Dated at Shanghai this 22nd day of December, 1926.
D. B. LE MOTTÉE,
Captain, Royal Navy,
President of Naval Court.
F. E. CHEVALLIER,
Lieutenant-Commander, Royal Navy.
E. MONKMAN,
Master s.s. "Foochow."
W. G. LALOR,
It.-Cmdr., R.N.R., Master
s.s. " Wanliu."
ALLAN ARCHER,
H.M. Vice-Consul.
Members.
(Issued by the Board of Trade in London
on Thursday, the 24th day of March, 1927.)
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