New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-12-01

81, srf6ci.rt and Continuous besd Of s.esm asd
wten il was found 70 have fallen so dsngeronsy Nv
in there net being greater ard more tmsy euoIee 81
ertee 10 repiebisn it by supplying the idrnsoes .'n
fuel Of " hich there vss abandslce al nana. Up
tie stopping OF the ergiuea do no. nau zoo. sny
water Of eorfeqUenoe bad reached tne tug'ao ."'I
ror vss there soy reason 20 spp'ehepd slch Ie.th
no icrg az TIE free v.-e g,opsIly kept np aad tne
6ues If The Cficers GIC IGeL In ire es6ineei eeP"
mebt faithfully perie:med y does Dol bopeA 70. IN
the testimony, the: mere vas soy seneas ie.. " -,
bottom Of the vessel. fracture or break OF Ely pr
Of the machinery; but ibst the engines d Sreey re
arked were prevented from vO'klng on'J by ssnt o.
stesn, ard that The wafer insidiOu-y ana s3NI
entered the vessel as she vas iyics upon per se q
very much keele6l by some Of the ar ports va 90
were either Inadvertently left open or impsHrcH.
closed ss sso by the opening s,the paddle vheei 500
snd through ire probable oper scans soout be
az d other psrts Of the upper worfa, ton-
immersed. The water gradually increasing W
washed by the motion OF he ye-sei sgAnft seq L'o
the ash psns and furnaces, e1tiog 6ibg entirely "a.
Ores and rendering it impossible hn ,y 10 Isse 81 '
il the main boilers. Al hopes berg e1hau-tso oi
further usirg the main engines, ard the pumps con
nected with them becoming Of TO avail fe-or "s- 100
to the donkey pumps, and sfer raising s'es N que
bciler by using the cabin doors, &c, ior ia7, nes
slso proved TO be defective, and notwithstanding "a
efors made by the under engineers aod other 10 re
move the dficuty they could not ge' ne pu ~
work 10 any advantage ard subsequently the iar'oef
ufe Of them was altogether abandoned.
TIE regular deck pumps also prove 70 oe o.. ~ ~
4
mp. to construct temporary box pumps oy sons VI
the pssseI gers neither the requisite msenae no' Ca
per ters tooIs could be found.
While the ship vas lying in this he'pess oohouyu
st mps were made brig Der more TO tne VINO oY
setting the mizzep but this fsifg by the oioSee 20
places of the SAIL fruitless efforts were next maas 70
get her before the wind by setting the reeed fesa
ard of the head ssis but these $50 were
DESTROYED by the wind AMI as lsst resort fhs fore
ast cut away ard drag prepared snd put over
board in II hope o. bringing the snips neah nearer
to the wind and thus relieving her.
Meanwhile, parties we're organized LOT oanne anu
passing buckets, and other means OF removing the
water resorted to- blankets we're used for cheek
ing he leaks whenever Observable, especially about
tie shaft and air por 60 that noEithsts ndpg the de
iectve working OF the pumps, the water gained gu.
slowly as was proved by the length OF time the vessel
foateo after the commencement Of the leaks period
tf about 30 bCus. There being Tow but little chsnes
Of saving the vessel, means were adopted for the
aety Of many Of the pas sergers as the boats would
cor struc'iop Of 1aff. The Committee have thus
stated ell the essential facts and circumstances which
have been brought to their notice; The invests alton
hss been conducted with the sole desire TO elicit truth
Al not to eliminate any one but rather that their in.
auiiiss should lead 70 the adoption OF such measures
as NAV tend to the Improvement OF the existing nsvl
cation laws ard the establishment OF more efficient
ystem in he general management OF ocean stea ners
ard especially with reference TO The greater safety OF
passengers.
1t cannot and shOnd not be concealed that the tes-
tmoLy before the Committee goes 10 show that the
Central America was not found and equi pped che
ought 10 have been that her crew was not sufficiently
numerous; that she was without carpenter suit
able carpenters tools and, and whs. seems to the
Commitee most serious defect, being common, 1t s
fesed in mary Of our passenger steamers there was
want of proper organization in regard TO the relative
authority and duties of the officers and crew Of the
vessel each department appearing to De independent
of the ofher instead Of being strictly subordinate and
responsible to the captain, the legitimate superior
ara chief; and this Independence OF action wss the
msre Observable in the department Of the engineer.
But the Committee have desire to dwell upoo the
melancholy Incidents of the past and in tarnng from
the foregoing recital of facts, as explained to them
they enter with greater freedom upon the discussion OF
more copgenisl branch OF their nvestig stion-the
necessity and means of improvement Of ocean steam.
es the cor sderaon Of which will form the subject Of
another report. -
NJ c. PERRY, CHARLES II. MARSHALL
E ME-, j. Jones
FS LATHROP, ALFRED SETON
A. A. low ALEXANDER V. FRASER
N,lo York Nov. %. 1857.