New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-01-05
MARINE AFFAIRS.
THE CENTRAL AMERICA.

The CENTRAL AMERICA.
vIEDIcATIoN OF THE CHIEF ENGINEER.
We have received the following communication from
Mr. Geo. E. Ashy, late Chief Engineer Of the steam.
ship Central America, and take pleasure il laying it
before our readers:
OFFICE OF LOCAL INSPECTORS,
NEw.YoRK, Dec. 19, 1857.
Sir: In the matter Of the investigation into the
conduct Of the licensed officers of the steamship Cen.
trail America, we have the honor to report that the
vessel was not inspected by US, being by the law
placed under the supervision and inspection OF others
Second That the testimony is clear and conclusive
to the fact that every possible effort was made BY the
licensed engineers to prevent the quenchng OF the
free and that after they were put out they were
again started with pine wood, berth Stats &c.
Third. That the donkey boiler was fred up ct a
sufficiently early date, and that the assistant en-
gineers . charge ofths donkey pumps perssvered in
attempting to keep those pumps at work until COM
PEELED to leave be hosted up on account OF being
immersed in hot water.
With regard to the leaving of the ship by the chief
engineer, he has not been able to prove that he was
ordered away, and this Is not extraordinary when the
small number saved is taken into conside ration,
neither does it furnish ground for an opinion that he
was not ordered away. But he has been able to
prove the language addressed to him by the captain
after he in the boat and the tenor OF that Ian.
guage leaves no doubt in our minds that he had
either been ordered into the boat or had volunteered
to take charge of her, and his offer had been ac-
cepted.
After the main engines had ceased to work and the
donkey psmps had Stopped on account OF being sub
merged, the testimony proves that the engineers were
actively engaged in stopping leaks, suPsnnteaoans
pumping gangs, and constructing pumps.
The resuk Of the whole is to prove that the licensed
cfieers did their duty. 49,
With regard to the causes leading 70 the loss OF the
ship, the Inspectors have their opinion, but the Jaw
under which they act confines their inquiries " tne
conduct Of the licensed officers, although Ia making
such inquiries many Of the circumstances leading 10
the laundering of that vessel came up incidentally
ws~e' sir very respectfully y% Gssf sId W .sry
HENRY B. RENW1cK,
United States Local Inspectors Port Of Ss"'f'h.
Gas W. CopEL AND esq, Supervising Inspector, NC
OyFIcE OF LOCAL INSPECTORS, {
NEw-YoRK, Jan. 2, 1885.
Gin. Above Won have COPY Of tho reports 70 MI.
Coneland in relation 10 the conduct Of the licensed ON
Gers In the Central America You will please e0'ainu'
ncate the same to Messrs Tce and keei srru,,,v
Yours &C. HENRY H. kEh"lCk.
Gre AsaIS $50 Chief Engineer late Of Central America
M t.bly ha, received his certificates rom the
BOARD of Inspectors, and is now qualified to resume
the practice Of his profession.
BOSTON STEAMSHIP BuILDISc.
Bostonian by the name Of Stone, who has moro
or lees experience as civil engineer, while travelling
in the Mediterranean year or two ago, made ac-
oueiptapce, in come way other, with the Pasha Of
Egypt, and obtained from him contract to build q
Yacht On the return Of Mr. Stone to the United
States for the purpose Of fulfilling the order, he pro-
ceeded at once to Boston, knowing other place than
the Athens Of America and other people than the
Bostonans. and went to work to make contract with
paies there to build the steamyacht; but as an iron
vessel even engine designed for sea-going
vessel had ever before been constructed in Boston,
the result Of either experiment may naturally be in
fered The result is, may be supposed, they have
built vesselthe hull of which may may not be ac-
eepted. They also built set Of boilers, called the
Montgomery boilers; which, however, were not put IN,
for the reason that they found detective or inn
prscticahe for The purpose. Another o.. Of boilers