New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-04-28
THE LOSS OF THE INDEPENDENCE.
Who is 10 Blame Z

SIR: An accident so terribly fatal in its con-
sequences as that which befell the steamer Indepen-
dence naturally provokes inquiry as TO whose charge
the blame is TO be laid In nine out of ten of
similar nature the captain alone is nsdered culpable:
and even if legal tribunal has acquitted him. he stands
convicted in the eyes of the world.
The loss of the Independence will probably pass with
out the shadow Of investigation in San Francisco,
and if anything is done about the matter it must be
done here.
In this instance as indeed ia most of the kind it is
clearly proved that the Captain behaved with great
GOODNESS and bravery after the commencement if may
say So Of the Disaster His bearing and prompt meas
ures had the effect of allayng the fears of his passen-
gers ard the which he instantly determined 60
pursue confidently relied upon by all on board as
being the best under the circumstances It easyenough
at this time and distance to talk OF what ones skill
ard Judgment would have suggested but this is not my
purpose wish Cny to draw public attention to certain
things which attracted my in the statements which
have to and TO dspassonatcy prove that in this
instance there gTedt and criminal blame SOmectcre
As for the Captain, my sympathes are all with him.
feel for him man, and brother sailor Person
ally am unknown 10 him, but firmly believe that if
there any IN the statement which he makes if
there anything different from the actual circumstances
Of the case il arises solely from generous desire to
screen others.
NOW let us see NNdt ne says.
Passed Cape St Lucas ON the morning of the 18th of
February AT o'clock VI of the 18Th ere in lat %
OF ~. lon 40 AZ W, teering y W. bv W w per com
pass intending to to the westward Of Margarta Island"
This course would have taken him clear of Marcarita
Island but would have cleared Cape LazarO by -
miles at least Why should he give the land wide
berth 40 miles in broad daylight and hug so close at
night He goes on 10 say:
On the morning of the 10TH at O'Clock. A. NJ, nude
the main land to the eastward of the Island having been
set in shore by the current Altered the course to $ w
w SW
g" intended to give the point berth Of three miles but
owing to haze over the land deceived in the dis.
lance. AT fifteen minutes past five JUST day begin
ming TO break she struck sunken reef extending off the
south point of the island about mile from the shore III,
rcy smooth at the time breaking on the reef NJ
all. Backed the engine and she came off examined the
hold and found tina: she filing rapidly; knew tha.
would have 10 beach her TO keep her from sinking got
sail the bow under herr to try To stop the leak and
gang of men to work at each hatchway blng and ran
along the Uef SIDE Of tie island close in find GOOD
place to put her ashore"
By an accurate calculation find that if the Captains
position correct at noon of the 18th, and if he run
the which he states, he must have had two knot
current setting him dead shore And yet in the re-
port given 10y some OF the passengers it is stated that
" many of those lost swept off by the current"
The Captain himself maintains that a strong current
set him TO the eastward. | do not wish TO comment
upon this; neither would draw attention to the fact
that the was calm where the steamer first struck
(proGay because she under the lee Of the Island and
that after backing off she round on the western
side, and 10 ,ciRdicdrd of the Island.
1t is quite evident that Captain Sampson had motive
in keeping the shore close aboard he would not have
given course which would take him inside Of Cape
Lazaro II may be vain conjecture what that motive
was but l soemnly believe if he should be put upon
his oath, he would say il because he had no conf
dence in his vessel and thought it safer to be shore
in event of a disaster
have heard former commander of this fated craft
say that he dreaded to the Gulf of California in
her, as he had TO go far from land" | know that
when her for the first time coming into the harbor
of San Juan de- Sur with her living freight of four hun
bred souls, thought il miracle that she had ever
reached there. made voyage in her year ago
but nOmd hare trusted any dearfo IN her.
She a slender fragile, egg-shel patchwork thing
built TO run upon the Sacramento Rlrer have heard it
said BY others that she made up of new and old ma
terial, part Of which was stripped from Of the
demned North Rtrcr boats Her engine a part of it,
belonged TO the steamer Atlantic which met with so ter
ribe fate on Long Island Sound They called her
vessel in eighteen hundred and fifty II was notori
on the Pacific that she was unfit in every way the
route and have heard the term Of ROaiHg coDt. ap-
piled To her many time. The popularity of her first
commander, Captain Wakeman. had tendency to blind
people TO the character ohe boat and the Tuck which
attended her at first tumpecd about evidence
of her stability. She answered as well better 20
make money and, as loSg as she rent safe who the
WISER
Iwoud stake my life that eight out of ten conscien.
tOus and competent shpmasers who have seen the In
dependence, if asked, would say that they nerer con-
sidered hera safe boat for sea serriee.
As general thing, the majority of passengers in these
landsmen and persons not capable of iudg
ing fitness safety in the crafts board of which
they take PASSAGE and if the propretors these steam
ers, the director of these lines do not entertain
proper regard for the safety of the immense amount OF
human life entrusted TO their care, assuredy Gov
eminent should look at once to the matter and pass srn
gent laws to meet the case.
think have said enough to make good my assertion
that there was great and criminal blame somewhere"
ana leave you, Mr.. Editor il you choose to inform the
public ~heie dat biaino attaches.
might If chose, pick to pieces all the statements