SS ''Hsin Wah'', now

also known as A pseudonym (; ) or alias () is a fictitious name that a person or group assumes for a particular purpose, which differs from their original or true name (orthonym). This also differs from a new name that entirely or legally replaces an individua ...

the was a

steamship A steamship, often referred to as a steamer, is a type of steam-powered vessel, typically ocean-faring and seaworthy, that is propelled by one or more steam engines that typically move (turn) propellers or paddlewheels. The first steamships ...

owned by

China Merchants Steam Navigation Company China Merchants Group Limited () is an international state-owned corporation (SOE) of the People's Republic of China. The company is operating under the auspices of the Chinese Ministry of Transport. Founded in 1872 China Merchants Steam Navig ...

, navigating between Canton City,

Hong Kong Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China ( abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delt ...

, and

Shanghai Shanghai (; , , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ) is one of the four direct-administered municipalities of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The city is located on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the Huangpu River flow ...

. She was built in 1921 by Napier & Miller in

Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...

. The ship was seized by

pirate Piracy is an act of robbery or criminal violence by ship or boat-borne attackers upon another ship or a coastal area, typically with the goal of stealing cargo and other valuable goods. Those who conduct acts of piracy are called pirates, v ...

s of

Bias Bay Daya Bay (), formerly known as Bias Bay, is a bay of the South China Sea on the south coast of Guangdong Province in China. It is bordered by Shenzhen's Dapeng Peninsula to the west and Huizhou to the north and east. History The bay was a hideou ...

in 1928 and saved by the SS ''Zhongshan'' (then written ''Chung Shan''). She sunk in 1929 when grounded on northern rocks of

Waglan Island Waglan Island is a member of the Po Toi group of islands in Hong Kong. It hosts a ground of meteorological observation and recording. Waglan lighthouse The Waglan Lighthouse on Waglan Island has been listed as a declared monument of Hong Ko ...

south-east of

Hong Kong Island Hong Kong Island is an Islands and peninsulas of Hong Kong, island in the southern part of Hong Kong. Known colloquially and on road signs simply as Hong Kong, the island has a population of 1,289,500 and its population density is 16,390/km ...

, with a loss of between 300 and 400 lives.300 die on Chinese ship
''

New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...

'' (17 January 1929)

Construction and commissioning

''Hsin Wah'' was built in 1921 by Napier & Miller of

under commission by the

. She had a triple expansion engine capable of a top speed of around 10 knots.

Sinking

''Hsin Wah'' was on approach to Hong Kong after journeying from Shanghai under the command of Captain N. R. Jensen, a

Dane Dane or Danes may refer to: People Pertaining to Denmark * Dane, somebody from Denmark * Danes, an ethnic group native to Denmark * Danes (Germanic tribe) Other people * Dane (name), a surname and a given name (and a list of people with the nam ...

, when she struck rocks in the early morning of 16 January 1929 off

. Jensen thereafter managed to free the vessel by moving the ship astern, however ''Hsin Wah'' began to take on water and list developed. In the chaos, only one lifeboat was able to successfully launch from the ship but the lifeboat capsized in due to the weather almost immediately. The ship sank as a result around an hour after the initial crash. Of the ship's complement, only around 20 people were able to be saved by Chinese fishermen in the area with the survivors recounting the horrific scramble to escape the foundering vessel. ''Hsin Wah'' lies at a depth of 23 meters below the waters off northern Waglan Island at 22.19 Latitude, 114.3 Longitude where the wreckage remains visible as of the

Hong Kong Marine Department The Marine Department of the Hong Kong Government is responsible for maintaining safety and environmental protection of the harbour (Port of Hong Kong), ships registered/foreign ships in Hong Kong and monitor shipping traffic in Hong Kong Waters, ...

survey of 15 October 2008.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hsin Wah China Merchants Ships of Hong Kong Steamships 1921 ships Maritime incidents in 1929 Shipwrecks of Hong Kong