Como Gallery

As she was leaving Kobe bound for Yokahama 120 tons of general cargo, 2,500 tons of coal & a total crew of 48, which included 39 Chinese, Benmacdhui came into collision with the Tokyo steamer Hakusan Maru on 6 November 1930.An inquiry into the collision was heard at Kobe on 13 November 1930. ‘The ship's head was NW when it left the buoy. After the necessary manoeuvres inside the east breakwater to bring the ship's head round to the south in order to make for the number one fairway, at 3.34pm the ship went half-speed ahead, blowing one long blast to warn shipping, & at 3.40pm slow ahead, & at 3.42pm half ahead again. She was then almost abreast of No.16 buoy & gave one long blast to draw the attention of a ship, which was the Japanese steamer Hakusan Maru, & which was seen proceeding eastward outside the south breakwater. At 3.45pm the ship went slow ahead & the master gave two short blasts & starboarded his helm to pass out between the east & south breakwaters through the fairway. The signal was answered by the Hakusan Maru with two short blasts. The Benmacdhui then gave two more short blasts & continued on her starboard helm, being then close upon the exit from the harbour. The Hakusan Maru was then about 70 yards away heading in towards the entrance. She replied to the last signal with one blast, which was neither long nor short, & at once turned away to starboard & increased speed. The Benmacdhui immediately, at 3.47pm, went full speed astern, the bridge being then about abreast of the end of the breakwater. At 3.48pm the two ships collided, the bows of the Benmacdhui striking the Hakusan Maru at a point just abaft her bridge. The vessels parted immediately, & as the Hakusan Maru continued to swing round the bows of the Benmacdhui again touched the Hakusan Maru, scraping along her side to about the end of her promenade deck. At 3.48½pm the ships were clear of one another & the Benmacdhui went full ahead as she was in danger of striking the south breakwater. At 3.54pm this danger being passed the ship was stopped for examination of the damage & to see whether the Hakusan Maru required assistance, & then proceeded to anchorage. The Hakusan Maru meanwhile proceeded without stopping towards the north shore inside harbour limits, but outside the breakwaters. The Court having regard to the circumstances above stated finds as follows:-That the master of the Benmacdhui appears to have navigated his vessel in a seamanlike & proper manner, & when the collision appeared inevitable to have done everything in his power to avert it. That the Benmacdhui proceeded inside the breakwaters at a suitably slow speed as the regulations of Kobe Harbour & prudence dictated. That, as the harbour regulations of the Kobe Harbour direct that a steamer entering port, on encountering a steamer leaving port, at the entrance to the breakwaters, shall give way to the latter, the master of the Benmacdhui had a right to expect, as he said he did expect, the Hakusan Maru to keep off till the Benmacdhui was clear of the entrance, & that when in response to his second signal of two blasts the Hakusan Maru replied with one blast & turned away to starboard there was then no time or room for the Benmacdhui to do other than go full speed astern to endeavour to avoid collision. That the vessel appears to have been well found, sufficiently manned & seaworthy at the time & was not overloaded. That the master was acquainted with the harbour regulations regarding navigation in Kobe Harbour limits. That the officers & crew appear to have conducted themselves properly. The Court, in pursuance of the powers vested in it by Section 483 of 57 & 58 Victoria, C. 60, orders that the sum of six pounds & four shillings, being the costs of the proceedings before the said Court, be paid by the master, being one of the parties thereto, & he is hereby ordered to pay the said sum accordingly.’

Christopher Furness was born at New Stranton, West Hartlepool, in 1852, the youngest of seven children. He became a very astute businessman, and by the age of eighteen was playing a major role in his older brother Thomas’ wholesale grocery business, being made partner in 1872.

In 1882 the two brothers decided to go their separate ways, allowing Thomas to concentrate on the grocery business, while Christopher took over the ownership and management of the four steamships their company was then operating.

This was the beginning of what would eventually become the huge Furness Withy & Co. Ltd. empire. As many books have been written detailing the history of this company, its ships and its many subsidiaries, this section will only feature those ships with direct Hartlepool connections.

Some of the ships that were not built at Hartlepool but owned by Furness are listed below as 'a general history'