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

Wednesday, January 9th, 1889.

This case came up to day, when the arguments of Counsel were heard. The following is the evidence of the plaintiff, taken preparatory to the hearing:—

Richard, Meikle sworn, deponed - I am master of the British ship Brynhilda, plaintiff in this suit. I am also part owner of the ship. Document produced is copy of the charter party dated 4th May, 1888, between my agents and Messrs. Pirie & Co. In pursuance of that charter party certain coal and coke were shipped on board my ship at Cardiff for the voyage to Yokohama. On arrival here I found Messrs. Jardine, Matheson & Co. were consignees of the coal and coke. I had signed bills of lading to order. I signed bill of lading for coal and another for coke. The documents shown me are correct copies of the bills of lading which I signed, exhibits “B” and “C.” They are my own copies.

The ship was lying while loading in Penarth Dock. That is a salt water dock. The specific gravity of the water in that dock is between 1,018 and 1,020. I presume that to be the specific gravity of water in Yokohama harbour, both being sea water. The coal was put out first. The coal was weighed in the railway waggons as it came alongside in trucks of 8 to 10 tons each. The coal was weighed or checked by an employé of the dock company. The tare of each waggon is usually marked outside. The coke was weighed in the same way.

The coal was stowed by a stevedore employed by the shipper of the coals. It was stowed in form of a pyramid from ends up to main hatch. When so stowed it was covered with mats. The coke was stowed in the ends of the ship on top of those mats. I had also coals on board for ship's use, viz.:- 10 tons 16 cwt. That cost put on board 13/- a ton. It was stowed in the main hatch. It was separated from the cargo in the same way as the coke, viz.:-with mats, so that we could get at it without interfering with cargo; on the voyage we used about a ton a month of this, between 4 and 5 tons altogether.

The remainder is now in the coal locker. It was stowed in the coal locker about a month before we arrived here; the coal locker will hold about ten tons altogether. Our own coal was put in the hatch at first to save time because we were in a hurry to get the ship away from the tip. None of the cargo was touched or removed during the voyage. It arrived here exactly in same condition as shipped. The whole of it was delivered to Jardine, Matheson & Co.