The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-05-11

TRIAL or MAJOR WYSE by COURT MARTIAL
SEVENTH DAY


the members being in attendance proceeded TO the ex
animation Of witnesses
TESTIMONY OF CHAs. II. HAswELL.
Charles H. Haswe witness for the prosecution HAVING
been sworn, testified follows on his direct examine
ton
Qustion-What is your businessS
Answer am surveyor of sea steamers for the Board
lloyds, London, and a consulting engineer.
g. DO you know the Falcon-what is her class and
A. Yes; she is class g. AlX security and provision,
against fire indifferent; she is seagoing steamer her
rig that Of three masted foretopsail schooner
AIN how many steamers of that class the United
States rate higher
Sixteen Of her class rank higher there are twenty
9 How many Of all classes are rated Al,
A. Fourteen out of one hundred and ninety
q What is the difference Of insurance between A No.
| / and AlAl
A. That is matter have accurate knowledge of
have no Official connection with that matter.
Are vessels rated Ala esteemed perfectly seawor-
A. Not perfectly seaworthy otherwise they would not
receive that rate perfection only applying to the highest
grade vessels Of that rate commonly employed at
passenger vessels and many that rate much
Q. Was Or was not the Falcon, in your professional
judgment before she last sent to sea- At and safe
transport for government troops from this port to the
IsihmusS
A. She was.
Cross examinedIfh her engines in any Of their parts
were in such state that they could make but four and
hye Of her wheels minute In fair weather.
was she in fit state to take troops to AspinwalR
A. No, sir assuming the engines to be radically bad
or her general condition such to reduce her speed
that she unseaworthy; do not any acciden-
tai defect that might be remedied in short time.
Q Yos the Falcon dt and safe transport for
troops do you mean that transport for troops may
with proprety be employed which would not be EN-.
| ployed for carrying freight
A. No; by no means.
O. Do you know what the defect in the engines of
the Falcon on her last trip
A. The valves indicated that they did not seat pro.
perly.
g. What in opinion, is tho why the valves
A. Either the too long they were arrest
ed in the descent by the screwing up of the lower
nets did not them when they were first taken out
il had seen them then could have judged better;
when saw them they were grinding some of them those
that were not in process Of grinding did not indicate that
the leaking proceeded from the valves.
The remainder Of the WITNESSES testimony was sub
stantially repetition Of that already ELECTED from
others
TESTIMONY OF c. M'DoNALD.
Charles Mcdonald witness for the prosecution having
been sworn, testified follows on his direct-examna
ton
@ Were yos chief engineer Of the Falcon her late
"trip TO sea?
A. Twas
@. What made her engines work badlys
A. found her valves to leak badly.
O. What made them leakY
A found on examination that four valve stems out
of the eight came in contact with the bottom of the
sediment.
O. What the condition of her machinery in other
respectss
O. How long would 1t take to remedy this defect after
you discovered it?
A. To the best of my Judgment by observation since
came in port the most part of week.
@ Why, how was the defect to be remedied2
A. found it necessary to- cut off the stems, and to
make joints India rubber packing for the bonnets
O. How long would 1t take TO cut off the four stemsS
A. To do it in the most careful manner after having
all four out, would take two or three hours.
@ Would it take near week to put in new India rub
A. No. not that alone but I found it necessary to
grind the valves-tha slow process. As to the
placing the packing il knew precisely what to be
done could do that in the neighborhood of two hours
The steam would have to be blown off,
@ If you had known exactly how it was about the en-
CINE, would not cutting the stems and new packing
have made the engine work.
A. think it would have made her work much better;
cannot say if that would have been sufficient think
not; think the valves needed grinding.
Cross exsmnation.-Q If you had known the condi-
ton of the valves before she went to sea- would you
have gone in her in that stateY
A. If, before going to sea- the valves in the
dition afterwards found them should have objected
10 going in her till after had had them repaired
9 Would trial trip have developed these defects
=, A. In al probability !; would discovered soon after
which time had the opportunity to watch the working
Of the engine that she was not forming such
after that before ascertained that tho valves leaked
Q. Did you find that there much improvement In
her speed after you had made all the repairs you could at
A. made no important repairs at sea; there was very
Q. How many revolutions did the wheels make per
minute the day before you turned back 10 70 to Norfolk
Var
A. The smallest average made was SO 60 Der minute
four hours that was the day we headed the shin
for Norfolk il was then party head wind and pretty
heavy ground swell
O. this defect have existed before the ship left
port9
A. II il did IL was not perceptibe on the working Of
the engines at the dock they seemed TO work we'll for
engines working SLOWLY we don't expect the sama vac
UNI OF engines working slowly
O. Would YOU have thought il prudent 70 continue tho
VOYAGE after You discovered these defectsS
a. / never approved OF the shin Turning hack
o. How much too long were the valve stems?
lcant say; there Is no exact length necessary to
na;asharbooJ 81 ~ ;meh mo- G nAa In 's
The prosecution having closed here the defence pre
rrsr1Nosv or 4 n r,,pv
- . -, = -.
NaPt' oark having oeen recalled TOT defenee, tes
| tilted as follows on his direct examination
O. Mr. NJ o. Roberts has stated before this court tina,