Volume Eleven - Pre-Victorian to the Present Day - some more aspects - A Dispute at Yokohama -  1889 . . .

The evidence would show that at the port of shipment the weight was ascertained in two ways both of the coal and the coke. In the first place it was weighed in railway trucks or cars which were rolled upon a platform, each of which contained from 8 to 10 tons of coal or coke, and was directly put on board from those trucks which were rolled along to the side of the ship, and the stuff put on board. The weight of the coal and coke was, as so ascertained, 1,608 tons of coal and 549 tons 6 cwt. of coke.

A second method of ascertaining the weight of the cargo on board was also adopted at the port of shipment after the cargo had been shipped. The ship, which was comparatively new, was supplied with what was called a displacement scale, and according to this scale the amount of dead weight on board the vessel could be ascertained pretty accurately, within ten tons.

By deducting the draft of the vessel as she lay in the docks it could be seen by comparison with this scale how many tons of dead weight were on board, the rule being that the weight of the vessel as previously ascertained was deducted and the remainder showed the amount of dead weight on board. According to this scale the draft of the vessel was 19 feet 5½ in., which he should show indicated that there was on board a dead weight of 2,180 tons, which was almost exactly the same as the quantity put on board.

He would farther show that there were on board 1,608 tons of steam coal; 11 tons of coal put on board for ship's use; 549 tons of coke, and besides there were stores on board to the amount of about 20 tons. These figures added together came to 2,188 tons, so that the test as applied by the displacement scale showed that the amount of coal and coke stated in the bill of lading were on board within 8 tons of the amount which the displacement showed ought to be on board, namely 2,180 tons.

Both these tests agreeing, counsel thought his Honour would have no hesitation in coming to the conclusion that when the vessel was lying in the docks there were 1,608 tons of coal on board and 549 of coke. The vessel then proceeded on her voyage.

Evidence would be given as to the way in which this coke and coal were stowed on board the vessel; first of all the coal was put in and stowed fore and aft, rising to a peak in the waist of the vessel; it was then covered up with mats, and the coke was stowed in the ends of the vessel.