1903 - The Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce

( ~8 )
c
ship arrived off Lyeemun Pas,.. at 6 p.m. on the 2Gth ultimo and took
on board a ('hine~E:' Pilot provided by thP ( ~ompany ·s ;:tewdore, one of
the lPading firm~ of this yE:'llow flag was flying, and on being told
the reason, said the Pilot wa,: a fool and nitlPntly did not know his
business. Ac. the result of this incorrect information supplied by the
Pilot the ~hip lost 12 hour;,; before reaching her anchorage. In coming
down the Southern Fairway to seck anchorage room, with the Master on
the bridge and Chief Officer on forecastle deck, nothing was noticed
indicating that a wreck was submerged. The two salvage junks may
have had a red flag up, but in the calm prevailing this was not noticeable.
Moreover, the two buoy:; were coloured a rusty red and were indistinguishable
from the ordinary fairway buoy. It may here be remarked
that the following day steps were taken to paint t ht> wrecking buoys
green, with "Wreck" in unmistakeable white letters.
Further, on account of the :;lack ,:tate or ti.H~ tide, stcatuen; were
lying at th(•it· buoy.-< in all direction,;, it was nndoubtec:lly difficult to
define the fairway;; 0 1· to finll a ,.;uitablYards proved to be
at fault, a;.: the ;.:teamer had eventually to move her grouud to prevent
fouling neighbouring n,:sel;;. On the 28th ultimo, before the Harbour
.Master, the Captain wa,.; fined h 50 for negligent navigation in the H arbour
and ordereu to make good any damage done by his vessel fouling the
wreck bu oys over thP remains of the Pakshan. Had the buoy:; been
properly markPd the ( 'aptnin and Chief OtEcer \YOuld undoubtedly haw
h •pt clear of the wreck autl taken the ship out of the Pilot's hands in
time to prevent the mi;;ha p, bnt the Pilot directed the ship between the
buoy~, thus proving by his wm1t of local knowledge tl1at he wa:; incapable
of acting a:; such and, in addition, a" ;.:hewn abovP, he was unable to find
a ,;uitable anchorage.
,
( 39 )
c
It will be apparE:'nt to Hi,; Excellency that Ma:;ters of steamer"
coming into this increabingly ero,nled Harbour mu:::t rely to a great
extent on t.he advict> of a loea 1 Pilot, otherwi~