The New York herald., 1850-01-27

The Loss of the Caleb Crimshaw.
To THE EDITOR OF THK LONDON TINES -
REsrEcIED FRiENP We wrote thee on the 9th
instant, respecting the destruction by fire OF the
ship Caleb Grimshsw, 10 which thou hast made no
reply, but which we think We were fully entitled
TO as consienees and agents for the ship.
There rs no qnesion but the calamity is one Of
Z most painful nature. and oae which we most
deeply delloTe, yet We feel tnat no blame attaches
to Is IN the matter. We cannot, however, IN Jus
I c. 10 those interested in the emigration business
Of this port, the owners Of American ships, the
emigration officers, and those more Immediately
connected with the ship Caleb Grimshaw, pass
over IN silence thy remarks on this terrible Gala
mIty, contained in editorial article of the 18th
instant, which Is now before us
First, then, We have the broad assertion that the
ships IN which an emigrant's passage must be taken
are badly constructed, badly found, badly COM
nandtd." Now this we deny To be the case, par
iculsrly with those splendid American ships which
have, within The last few ears, oeen auncht from
the yards OF the best builders in the United States
OF this class, the Inflated ship Caleb C'rimshaw
was one and, Ms reply TO the assertion with
terence 10 bad construction, we may say that she
was built in New York, IN the year lST, by one OF
the most noted builders there no pains or cost
spared to have her materials of the very best
description. The parties for whom she was built
have been connected with emigration for the last
thirty years, end have, during that time, had every
opportunity Cf knowing what the requirements OF
emlprant ships are or ought to be. In the building
ana httng and conlrlvlng ot this ship, II was the
owners' chl,f ann 10 make her what passenger
chip should be; sDd so far did they succeed IN these
respects that bhe has been TAX en- Tor a model, In
numerous instances, by Others; and the certificate
at The government inspectors OF this port will give
emple IIoof that sbe was "well calculated for the
Conveyance OF emigranis."
Secondly, as TO being badly found we may
assert that she had, at least llieboat, one long
boat and Two quarter-boats, besides some life
buoys. and an ample supply of spare spars. sails,
and Other marine stores OF the very best descrip-
tion and there was one article ON board which,
though not legally required, wae, perhaps, more
than any Thing else, the means, under Providence,
oi keeping the ship from consuming under the pas
s,DgeIs feet, ard that was tre engine, article
which con paraiivey few vessels carry Her boats
were as good as any boats carried by merchant-
men, and instead of beng unable, as thou asserts,
to contain one.tcnih ct the passengers, we should
say they would have accommodate Il at least one
eth. We would ask thee, # thou supposes the
beet timber boat ever bufw would not be likely TO
be stove in or sunk il improperly lowered into
heavy s,al But they proved themselves good
boats, or they would not have borne towing astera
vessel Tor live days and niehts, heavily loaded
hey were.
We wlll now glance at thy assertion ef "badIy
c. cfninanded." As class OF captains, 10 IL uniyer
saly acknowledged that those employed in the
An.e rican merchant service are superior to our
own and II is under their that the great bulk
81 emigrsnts are conducted IN safety from these to
the Amencan shores. Capt Hoxle has been about
twenty years very iayoraby known as skIllful and
humane. lie was brought up in the Oldest e-tab-
hshed line Of packets from this port TO New. York,
tbu was Itf many years tOc
Of cBe OF their best vessels; and such was the es-
teem aud respect which he Eaiued from his pas
serR,rs, that he seldom returnedto Liverpool with
out having 10 show us some present or testimonial
ifcm his Passengers (steeTaee Incluced) a. to the
Kind and humane manner In which they had been
treated uud al thtse we could, u required, pro-
duce ample proof. lie was himself tectotaller,
snd sailed his ship upon that principle; aud We
think u very unfair n, after such long aud honora
ble service, when the hour OF calamity comes, such
a nsn is 10 be cond' mn'd, without hearng. on
ntnt, whose name s not forthcoming as " mas
who, by his conduct throughout the catastrophe,
thVwco how unit he was TO be trusted with 80
heavy responsibility"
We shail nov Iass on to thy inability TO find that
The most ordinary precauon had been taken fOr
The stCutiy 81 ihr tnigIsnts The, Of cogrse, We
aCn,t thou Csnst rot CLEAN from "A Csbiu Pas.
ftIEers' statement but, before making such un
attack, We THINK u would have been behung such
q powerful engine a. The TINS 20 have made some
inquiry ti those most likely to know, how iar this
tvssJirp charge could be bofBe out. We do not
ssk that ihou should'si have applied TO us but To
tse PoVtTnnitnt Ciiices and LlUy DIS Surveyors Tor
this Ioli, to whom We freely and fearcssly refer
ibse.
Pay. wha, ship con or does Gerry boats sufficient
r. rrtfsiu a o emrfanis We have before spok n
q The quality 81 those on board The Caleb Grim
shsws arc here Thy iriofmant is palgaOly al fault
/ % tlele wes liic.bcat On board.
Thou sayst there we're ne means of constructing
fur How, iher, was il that the tainy Captain
lic1ie says sixy) which a CABIN iisss-nger''
tIttks 81. naoe dne aud N the shipl There is
10 coed Amercen ship leaving this port which has
Rot en- tusId tiiiceBt spare spars nnd timhers TO
construct rgtt large enough o. held considerable
number Of persons Bu, here we would remark