The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-05-09

that careful examination BY competent engineer in
putting the work in and without trial trip, would have
discovered whether the fitting of the valve and valve
seat correct and whether there was space for the
valve to drop.
o. BY a Member-would a competent engineer have
the mperfections in valves of the Falcon
in trial trip to Sandy HOOK and bach
O BY another Member-would the careful examina
ton by competent engineer of necessity have discover
ed il without trial trip
A. My opinion is that 1t would.
TESTIMONY OF CAPT. LOWE.
Capt James W. Lowe having been sworn testified as
follows for the defence, on direct examination
Q. What is your profession?
A. Inspector of the Commercial Mutual Marine lnsur
ance Office.
Q. Did You superintend the building OF the steamer
FaconY and If please state all you have known OF her
from the laying Of the keel to this time
A. did commenced with her when she was partly
AFTER e the she
with steamers then, not SO heavily tmbered as
now I requested the builder to give her more
do II without extra pay; she built well
the Northerner; launched her on January o. 1s4S,
and then moved her the North river for her engines
about August following she ready for sea- went
on trial trip under direction Of the government with
view to her purchase by the Navy Department; they did
not take her cannot speak certainly of their
about the end Of the Mexican war, and they had
wanted her for that service; that reason
ed to very good vessel she made two trips to New
Orleans, and those trips performed very we'll after
that she sold and the owners made alterations
in her. they put heavy topgallant forecaste her,
which strained and hogged her. she sold in Novcm
ber S4s and this alteration made not long after this
put her Of shape don't know how II affected
qualities after they made another alteration they shifted
her wheel beams from her lower deck to her upper dock
which think not calculated for that weight this
between 1S4S and 1885, after that they put the cabin
upper saloon her Deck that should think pretty well
ruined hera vessel Of her her down
like taking racehorse and making a camel OF 1t.
Cross examined.Q Have you been in her at sea, and
known her qualities and those changesg
O. BY Major wyse.-what was the reputation of the
Falcon among nautical men, seaworthy vessel pre-
vous 10 her recent return from seaS
A. Very poor generally.
TESTIMONY OF JOHN ENGLISH.
John English witness for the prosecution, having been
sworn, testified follows his direct examination
q What do you know Of the FalconY
A. She was built by VIM. II. Brown Co.; he is in Cali
fcrna / was his partner at the time.
O. Did you build according to your idea or to
der, after PATTERN
A. To order, after pattern.
Q. Was il good model for good seaworhy steamer,
or not in your judgmeatS
A. Yes
O. When finished what was her condition and fitness
for scryiceY
A. As good as any steamer aaoat at that time.
Q. DO you know what changes were afterwards put on
A. Yes: they raised her guards up, by which she had
FIVE feet less than before they that much higher
after trial of IT, and proof of its advantages the
Crescent City; know of no other alterations to the
ship they put state rooms on her upper decks saloon
you may call ittha s light ioners work put there,
and i is not material to the strength and durability of
the ship.
O. DO you know if it affects her sailing qualities and
A. No, think not
O. Are such saloons common
A. believe they all have them Mr. Collins ships
have got them since they started.
O. How about topgaant forecastle put on her after
she was builtr
A. know nothing about the mode it was put on. /
know It was put on.
Q. Could it affect her sailing qualitesG
A. No, should think not 1t only raised il about
three feet above the rail.
Q. What do you know of her condition when she last
went to sea? Did you regard her as seaworthy?
A. | had not been board of her for three OF four
years.
Cross-examned.-Q. How far above the main deck are
A. The bulwarks the rail four feet the sides above
that don't know the height.
e. DO you mean TO swear that all the going steam
have upper decks saloons built on their main decks
in the same manner as the Falcon hasg
A. don't pretend to say ! say that the Collins
line has had saloons put their main decks since they
started to Liverpool don't know how the Falcons is
built on.
O. Do YOU think it as safe to build cabin on the main
deck as 10 build ii in the framework of the hull
A, They answer we'll. l am not seafaring man;
have been outside of Sandy HOOK and moth
irg OF the dangers OF the sea.
TESTIMONY OF JAMES MURPHY.
James Murphy, witness for the prosecution having
been sworn, testified follows his direct cxamina-
ton
O. What is your businesse
a. Steam engine and boiler manufacurer-one OF the
Iroprietors Of the Fulton Iron Works.
q Did you make the boilers of the Falcon?-if what
is the quality Of her machinery generally?
A. Yes put them in in February, 1851. The boilers
were good suppose could he made. Her engines
good.
O. When did you inspect her las. before she went to
sea-
A. went board of her few days before she went
TO sea did not for the purpose of inspecting her;
did not examine her particularly looked at her engines
and boilers they appeared to me about they did when
we replaced them in 1851, to outside appearances.
Q Did you judge them and her seaworthy, and would
you have been willing to go to sea in herr
A. Yes. sir.
Q. How much steam could she carryG
A. Her boilers were capable Of SO pounds to the
square inch they much stronger than her original
boilers
@ Did you know Of anything to make her unseaworthys
Cross examinedQ Suppose sea steamer sent to sea
with the valve stem OF her steam chest long to rest
on the bottom OF the chest when cold would it not be
proof of great carelessness the part of
A. Yes, of those who put it in.
O. DO you know anything of the seaworthiness OF the
hull Of the Falcon BY personal inspection
TESTIMONY or JOHN MCGOWAN
John McGowan, witness for the prosecution being
sworn testified follows on his direct examination
q. What's your profession :
A. Mariner and shipmaster.
Q. What ship do you command?
A. The steamer Empire City, in the service Of the Uni
edStates Mail Steamship Company.
@ Have you commanded other ships of that line
A. have; the CIR scent City. Philadelphia, George
law, Cherokee. and Georgia. on this side and the Co.
lumbus. on the Pacific
Q. Hoyou know the Falcon and her sea qualitiesS
A. do; have sailed in company with her at sea when
commanded the Crescent City and the Georgia. but
have never sailed in her; have been on board Of her
many times.
Q. What are her qualities
A Good, in my opinion as any ship in the line.
q. Has she been in storms
a. Yes through great many, as any vessel necessa
riy must be which has been four five years in the
Gulf Of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea
@ Are these very stormy seasS
A. Yes, in the winter time; have heavy northeast
ers about every ten days.
Q Did see the Falcon before she last went 10 sea7
A. was net on her at that time.
O. What top hamper had shes
A. She bad some staterooms on her main deck and q
hurricane deck extending II roof to the side
raa passage way on both sides; she has no saloon on
her main deck which Is cabin with saterooms on both
sides; her staterooms in the centre OF the ship as
they the Collons line and the Charleston steamers
except that the Collins line the hurricane deck does
net extend 10 the side Of the ship beyond the
ing OF the stateroom the Falcon the pa way on
tie ride OF the saterooms il open abaft the wheels above
the main rail.
hat IA he rTa nj r