The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-01-13
The Mail Steamship Ohio.
U. $. S1xAMsHIP ONO,
NEW YoRK, january 3, 1851.


| U. $. SIzAMsHIP ONO,
| NEW YORK, january 3, 1851.
To BRANTz MAYKn, esq.
| DEAR Sin: Numerous engagements must be my
| excuse for not earlier noticing your communica-
ton to the Baltimore SUM- protesting to give an ac-
count of the late voyage of the Ohio hope what
| ever | may feel bound to say to you win be re-
cevcd with proper feeling, as l act strictly from
| a Of duty in contradicting OF your
| statements, calculated to injure my reputation.
and that of my ship.
| You say: "'rhe Ohio despatched on this voy-
age, carrying between three and four hundred souls
with but four boats, all of which not capable
| OF bearing more than seventy five or one hundred
individuals"
am prepared to prove that the Ohio is as we'll
provided with boats as most packetships. The idea
OF ship carrying from three to eight hundred
| passengers, and crew of one hundred or MORE
being provided with sufficient number of boats
to carry all of, in case of wreck is absurd. The
boats OF the Ohio are large strong, pink sterned
| boats, and, according to your own calculation,
should have at least sixteen or twenty of these boats
| to accommodate the passengers and crew, and
with double the number of passengers, as 10 fire.
quently the case would require double the num-
Der of boats. Now, please tell me, sir, where, on
board the Ohio, can conveniently stow thirty or
forty boats? Better send tender with me at once
Again, you say
| "Her pumps altogether inefficient, as they
proved in the hour Of danger"
The Ohio is amply and we'll provided with
pumps, which were in perfect order when she left
Havana, and which, under ordinary crcum-
stances, would have been quite sufficient for any
emergency; but human foresight cannot provide
against all dangers incident TO sea Efe other wise
we would be as safe at sea in bedrooms on
shore. Then
+" Being a vessel of several thousand tons burden
she left Havana with but single engine, whose
capacity was evidently unequal to the propulsion
| and preservation of SO large mass of metal and
timber in stormy weather."
This Is bare assertion, made without any know
ledge of your own. My impression was, when l
left Havana, that my single engine was quite sutfi
cient; and must have some stronger proof to the
contrary than your assertion before shall be con-
WINGED that behaved imprudently in attempting
the voyage However, we will leave that to ship
masters ship builders and engineers and if thew
BILE engines single falls to the ground, and
eamship owners may save themselves this enor-
nous additional expense in future
"She was inadequately supplied with spars and
&c.
If the frigate Congress should unfortunately be
dismasted during her present cruise, will any one
blame the Government because it did not provide
her with steam apparatus before she left? The Ohio
Is steamship, and her rig Ia precisely what il
CURED for coasting vessel never more than five
six days at sea, and in danger Of getting short
OF fuel. II were going to make long voyage in
her, where economy of fuel was an object, should
rig her differently.
THE leak and the water, that proved nearly
fatal, were not detected, understood, until the
fires were almost extinguished by the rising flood
under the furnaces
Is the captain bound to inform his passengers
whenever he detects any thing wrong on board his
ship? knew of the leak hours before communi-
Gated 1t to any one. was reluctant to alarm the
passengers; and, if had not required their SER
vices, two thirds OF them never would have known
the ship had leaked at all.
"a vessel like the Ohio was kept ahoat, and
brought into port after she had been 30 strained as
to break two three of her hog braces by the ef-
hcient use of four ash buckets, or, in other words
bailed OUT sc.
With regard to the "hog braces, /" we were all de-
celved-none were broken-and, if all had been, il
was a matter of little Importance. These 'hog
braces are extra fastenings with which few ships
arc provided Relating to the "ash buckets, I" they
did US good service, certainly; and, in the hand
ling OF them, no man worked harder than YOURSELF
but you appear to have forgotten that large num-
Der of passengers faithfully and constantly
working at the pumps, to which we were quite as
much indebted as to the lash buckets.' These
pumps were never out OF order except when choked
with coal dust; then few minutes suthced to draw
the boxes and clear them, when they were again at
work. Well do recollcct the music of their clat-
ter throughout the long nights and days of our
who were doing your best to free the chip from
water with the rude implements put into your
hands, alone prevented my informing you that /
had far more confidence in the services of the
pumps than in your sash buckets
NO one appreciates more highly than do the
services OF our gallant friend, General Howard;
but the general must do me the credit to admit
that the suggestion for the organization which he
carried out so efficiently, came from me; and if
the general ever issued general order on board
my ship, disbanding his forces, l can only say he
forgot for the first and only time, what was due to
me as captain of the ship. pledge you my honor
never heard of this general order until read it in
your published account.
Mr. Reverdy Johnson's kind and considerable de-
pertinent owards me can never forget; and do
not believe he ever said told him the ship would
go down in two hours. / declare most einphati-
caly that never said SO, and that never thought
so.
After the gale was over one of the engineers
not the chief engneer-did say, in reply to play
fu question proposed to him, that at one time he
would not give twenty five cents for the ship. Az
to his fear with regard to the machinery sdashing
out the ribs and sides Of the ship" every engineer
denies having expressed any such apprehension:
and do not think there ia of them silly enough
to entertain for moment any notion 30 supremely
ridiculous.
again repeat, MIR. Mayer, that make this re.
loinder with no unkindly feeling towards you ; and
now that you have had time to allay in some mea-
sure, the very natural excitement under which you
were laboring at the time you published that &C
count, ii you will take the trouble to examine il
carefully,I think you will admit that there is a
good deal OF exaggeration in all the details grow
ing out of scanty and incorrect information furnish
ed you by others The Ohio is expected to be ready
Tor sea by the Goth inst After all she has gone
through, have greater confidence and take greater
pride In her than ever. hope some time to hayo
you with me- when you will feel compelled to admit
that you have done injustice as fine ship as ever
tloated.
am, very truly, your friend,
JAS. FINDLAY SCHENCK,
Lieut.. U. s. ~, commanding steamship Ohio.
BRANTz MAYER, esq, Baltimore.
TOBACCO FOR FRAscE.-In an article in the Paris
ID