The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-12-07
A Card,
STEAMER GOVERNOR DUDLEY,
+" November %, 1853.

November 30, 1858
Tbs undersigned, passengers on board thema steamer
Falcon, from New Orleans the llh. and Havana the
2al November feel it duty they themselves and
the public make fair Of many facts they
occurred board of said steamer, condemnatory of thu
company and agents, 10 the unprecedented imposition
practlsed upon them Qhe pasen9ers,) and danger
peIienced in lae lime which nefyened during the pas
sage OF SAID ship New Orleans. Havana and the
city OF Charleston where we put IN to prevent Total de-
sruclion, after passage of eighteen days from New
Orleans, and six from Havana. against a strong
gale from the northeast, accompanied by heavy head
sea. Previous 10 her leaving New oesns it wa. ad
versed thai '',he magnificent. doubleengne steam
ship Falcon. A. {. Gray commander, will leave the
wharf opposite Jackson Square. with the government
mails and passengers Friday, al o'clocka M pre-
csely" Under The Impression produced by this adver
tisemeni, a number OF US took passage, among whom
were two ladles, win four children. After had lett
New Orleans ioand the publication deusiye and
false Her accommodations filthy. aud The sbi,
entirely different from the representations OF The adver
tl.ement. Her engine, hull, sas. and ngxinx were un
seaworthy. We arrived al Havana on The morning of
the 18th, and left the morning OF the 10 h. in strong
gale frop the northeast. Alter had been out two
days. making about $50 mes abreast OF Carysfon Reef
light, it was found iha, her packiag was her
uun pump deranged her coal insufficient 10 keep up
steam; she also leaking badly. and required The
frequent working OF her Donkey pumps 10 keep her
tree she also destitute Of half less ot prop,
supply of wafer Tor The cabu passengers and that fu
Dshed Tor the sleerase passengers was 'condeus.d
steam" Ia consequence OF all which, she returned 10
Havana She partially repaired in her machinery,
the tanks filled with water, ana she supplied win
coal by the "eoal agenr Havana that had been lying
The wharf for year, exposed the weather and
contained large quantity OF dirt and when he was
told that she required the best coal he replied eft good
enough for her. and the company will pay Sis ton
for better coal, which AT hand. Alter lhls partial
repairing, represented by THE said .'coa sgen''
that she we'll supplied, her repairs complete and she
perfectly sale, and would be IN New York in six days
Tbis representation induced some 10 JOIN her Havana
Others passengers iron, New 0,eans lei her, not being
willing to trust their lives in her, among whom were
Captain Fors,tbe and Mr. Bosworlb, who joined the
Issbe for Charleston She again lett on The evening OF
the 23d, after lying at Havana four days. and when
running oil the harbor it evident TO all she was
but little better condition than when she came in be
ing scarcely able TO make Roadway against the strong
nouhess, wind which still blowing |, was impos.
sble sufficient make at the highest over
eight revolutions per minute, but frequently four TO five
several times she stopped entirely. Her leaking was
found as bad ever and progressed. our perous
situation more and more developed The coal being
bad found impossible to keep sufficient supply
OF steam 10 drive her ahead Than from 10 miles
per hour, independent OF the Golf Stream current. She
rolled heavily. and some oil the passengers told by
some member OF the that she had at times six feet
water in her hold Thus things progressed until
about seveniy-hve miles of Charleston, when il was
found if her failed OF which there was every prof.
ability would be impossible 10 keep sr clear OF water
or prevent her sinking At this lime the coal used for
her furnaces picked by hand from the general mass,
az we were informed by of the officers OF the ship
/, was then determined to Der for Charleston On
the night OF the osth experienced two heavy squalls
previous to which discovered by an officer OF The
boat that her stern post loose thus adding TO orr
danger the probability OF losing the ruddsr We arrived
in Charleston bar Dor the afternoon Of the 22 when
II found necessary to keep up suciency OF steam
both day and night, work her pumps keep her free
OF water. at which time she making eight to nine
inches per hour Under these instances the whole
OF the passengers except two gentlemen and two boys
a the ship and joined the Governor Dudley for
their several destinations the two iormef intending also
to leave immediately. o. application to refund part of
our passage money IL was refused.
The statements above given we're severslly asceraned
by the undersigned, and gvea as a united WHOLE
though il does not contain one bali o. what did occur
nor does represent the fuil danger 10 which we were
exposed II was
Rssofrsd, That IN Captain Rodney Baxter com ms ndina
we isaud able sad efficient seaman aud attribute
our intimate safety his skin IN tbs Of the ship
aud his ndivdu. aenfion and ersroDs under the tyul
circumstances under which placed.
We close this communication with two questions
First. Why was Captain Gray advertised n New Or
saps as the commander OF the magnificent. double