The Sun.
London, England, 1864-05-10 00:00:00

ever, in force, the cavalry fell back after brief skirmishing.
The retrograde movement to Grand Ecore was necessary
because of the exhausted condition in which our troops were
left after the engagement. The advance had made a forced
march, in retreat, from Sabine's Cross-roads, and Generals
Smith's and Emory's divisions had been on the march for
two days previous to going into battle, so that at the close
of the fight at Pleasant-hill, a pursuit of the advantage
gained would have been impracticable, and a prolonged re-
tention of the battle-field impolitic, when the comparative
losses are considered and a calm view is taken of the whole
field. From Sabine's Cross-roads to Grand Ecore there is
not much of comfort to be gleaned until the battle of Plea-
sant-hill ; there was a series of defeats with heavy losses.
The last day's engagement must be considered in the light
of a drawn battle, for the sole advantage we acquired, pos-
session of the field, was speedily relinquished, and our forces
continued a retreat, commenced two days previously, which
was interrupted only by a successful check of the pursuit by
the enemy. There is a probability that the operations of
General Banks's column will be seriously delayed by the re-
sult of this movement. The army must wait at Grand
Ecore in order to organise and refit. The river is under-
stood to be falling, and until it rises again the gunboats
cannot successfully co-operate. Besides, the low stage of
the water renders the passage of transports above Alexan-
dria exceedingly difficult, and therefore the supply for the
army will be very slow. The river above Grand Ecore is
infested with guerillas, who omit no opportunity to molest
transports and even gunboats passing by the river. About
a week ago the guerillas attacked two transports, when a
gunboat coming up poured a volley of shot and shell into the
enemy and drove him off, with the loss of the rebel General
Green and a large number of killed and wounded.

THE LOSS OF TEE CITY OF NEW YORK,

OFFICIAL REPORT.
COUNTY COURT-HOUSE, CORK, May 2.
To the Lords of the Committee of Privy Council for Trade.
My lords,— In obedience to your commands, I have held
an official inquiry into the circumstances attending the loss
of the steamship City of New York, which occurred at 2 40
on the morning of 29th March last, on Daunt's Rock, in
the vicinity of Robert's Head, on the coast of County of
Cork, a few miles south-west of this port. In this investi-

gation I have been ably assisted by Captains Harris and
Cow, as nautical assessors, and I have now the honour to
forward my report. The City of New York was an iron
ship, built at Glasgow in 1860, and classed at Lloyd's A 1
for 20 years. She was of the burthen of 2,360 tons gross, a
screw vessel) propelled by two engines of the combined
horse power of 550, and had five water-tight bulkheads.
Her length was 335 5-loft; breadth, 40 3-loft; and depth,
18 7- latc ; her extreme depth to the upper deck being 44
7-10 ft, The City of New York was owned by Mr William
Inman, who represents the New York and Philadelphia
Omar. Steamship Company, and appears to have been in all

respects properly and abundantly equipped with boats and
every requisite for the service upon which she was employed.
Thus found and equipped, she sailed from New York on the
19th of March last, bound to Liverpool, touching, as usual,

at the port of Cork, manned by a crew of 105, all told,
a general cargo, and 164 passengers. The City of New York
was commanded by Mr James Kennedy, who holds a certi.•
ficate of competency as master, dated July 3, 1656, and pos-
sesses the very highest testimonials of his owner and others
to his ability and skill as an able, experienced, and careful
commander. After a rapid and prosperous voyage across
the Atlantic, averaging 300 miles a day, the Fastnet Rock
Light, on the coast of Ireland, was made on the 28th March,
and at 1 35 a.m. of the 29th the ship was abreast of the
Old Head of Kinsale, at about two miles distance from
the light. From this position a coUrso was steered to pass
tl.rough the inner channel, between Dauut's Rock and
Roberta Head. 'Upon approaching the latter, Captain
Kennedy had some misgiving as to the distance from the
land, and being misled by its near appearance and the noise
of the surf, Unfortunately ordered the ship to be kept off
half a point. In four or five minutes his vessel (then going
at the rate of 10 or 191 knots) struck upon Daunt's Rock.
The buoy which denotes its vicinity was not discovered till

a quarter of an hour after the ship struck. It is almost
needless to say that everything was subsequently done to
save life and property. All efforts failed, however, to save
the ship, and at the expiration of days the vessel broke
up and disappeattd. Such is the brief narration of the loss
of this hetle ship, the details and circumstances attending
"`:).,ich will be found more fully set forth in the evidence. It
remains for me therefore to comment upon the facts, to see
in what respect Captain Kennedy is to be held responsible
for this disaster In reviewing the evidence, the first ques-
tion that suggests itself to my mind is this—was Captain
Kennedy justified in taking this narrow channel at night,
and at such great speed, when a perfectly safe channel was
open for his adoption to the eastward of the buoy on Daunt's
Rock? For this purpose I must here introduce a descrip-
tion of the channel as set forth in the Admiralty survey of
the coast of Ireland. It states that the channel between
Daunt's Rock and Robert's Head is three quarters of a mile
in width, with deep water in it, and that Robert's Head is
bold to approach. Daunt's Rock, which lies S.S.E, E.,
three quarters of a mile from Robert's Head, is marked Ly

a black buoy placed S.S.E. E. from the pinnacles, or
shoalest part of the rock, at a distance of one cable's length.
As Daunt's Rock is thus between the buoy and Robert's
Head, it would seem to indicate that, in the opinion of the
surveyors, the ordinary track for vessels was outside, and
to the eastward of the buoy, and that, however safe the inner
channel may be by day, when certain marks which are
mentioned may be available, their silence upon any leading
marks by night leads me to the conclusion that it is a too
hazardous passage to be then adopter'. In coming to this
conclusion, I may mention that there are many circum-
stances that render this channel undesirable. First and
foremost, in these days of competition by sea, there is no
saving of distance; secondly, as in this case, there is the
difficulty. however experienced a commander may be, in
estimating the distance from the land from the deck of a
large ship, and the contingency of atmospheric influences
which also occurred in this case, preventing the buoy from
being seen. Did I require any confirmation of this opinion,
it would be found in the recent correspondence between
Mr. Inman, the owner of the City of New York, and the
Board of Trade. Capt. Kennedy, in that correspondence,
expresses his belief that the facility of estimating the dis-
tance from Robert's Head renders this channel both easy
and safe. It is a curious coincidence that this able and ex-
prienced commander should be the first victim of his over
confidence, and a convincing proof that this channel ought
not to be navigated at niAlat. It is no justification, to my
mind, that Captain Kennedy or other commanders may
have passed through this contracted channel before with
impunity, and, apparently, for no advantage, as unques-
tionably at night the risk incurred does not compensate
for any mere gain iu time. The public safety demands
that no unnecessary risks be run, and that the passage
through this narrow channel should be discouraged for
the present by night. Captain Kennedy, having, there-
fore, accepted the responsibility of navigating this narrow
channel when he had an open and perfectly safe one, with
the advantage of the bearings of three lighthouses for his
guidance, must be judged by the result of his own im-
prudence. Captain Kennedy under-estimated his distance
from the land' an opinion concurred in by his
chief officer, although he did not communicate that opinion
to his commander—another convincing proof if any sere
required, that when such experienced Weil ate deceived as
to distance, this channel should not be attempted at night
without a pilot or a greater amount of local experience. It
is, therefore, my opinion, in which am confirmed by my
assessors, that the City of New York was lost by the de-
fault of her theater, inasmuch sta, haying the choice of two
channels, the one clear and open, with three lighthouses to
direct him, the other narrow and contracted, without suffi-
cient marks, and with ohly the eye tb snide him at night,
he preferred the latter, and thereby accepted the responsi-
bility and risk to his ship. Nor was he, in my opinion,
justified in running at such a high rate of speed, without
haying seen the buoy, he having at the time a dangerous
sunken rock between him and the buoy. A misconception,
therefore, of his distance from the land, and his proximity
to the rock, resulted in the loss of his ship and imminent
danger to human life. I have taken into consideration the
good antecedents and high character of Captain Kennedy,
and have not been disposed to pass so severe a sentence in
his case as otherwise I might have been inclined to pro-
nounce. I have, therefore, allowed Captain Kennedy's
hitherto successful career to have itti weight in apportion-
ing the sentence. But my duty to the public makes it in-
cumbent on me to mark my sense of Captain Kennedy's
conduct in running an unnecessary risk, where human life
and great property were at stake. I have, therefore, with
the full concurrence of my assessors, sentenced Captain
Kennedy to have his certificate as master suspended for
eight montns, or to the 31st of December, 1864, Captain
Kennedy's certificate is forwarded herewith.—l have, &a.,
aOttat LoUts CrtoratX, M.P.
We concur in the above report,
Hr. HARRIS,
Nautical A.8E3438801'8.
JOHN Cow,

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