The New York herald., 1867-01-23
TIE LOSS OF THE STEAMBOAT COMMODORE
SPECIAL IsLEsRaN 10 Ins AsasLD.

SPECIAL TELEGRAM TO the HERALD.
| Omcini Invesiisation-The Comm sdore Sailed
without License-She Old. Rotten,
md Never was Fit for Navigating the
wAsuISGroS, D. c., jan %, 1867.
The following the repor, OF the Supervising Inspector
OF Steamboats, OF the Treasury Department, which
to-day submitted to the secretary Of the Treasury In
gard 10 the loss Of the steamer Commodore:
TREASURY DkrARrsEsr, Jan 81, 1887.
Hon HuGH MctuLLocH, Secretary Of the Treasury
SIR have the honor 10 state that in accordance with
the instructions contained in your letter OF the Sd ns
an examination into the or the loss OF the steamer
Commodore in Long Island Sound, the 9th ut has
been made and the evidence being before me am
enabled to give what believe TO be an accurate state
men, of all the facts a the They were collected by
Captain VIM Bradford supervising Inspector In New
York city, accomplished seaman and officer.
The steamer Commodore was built In ls4s and was
therefore than eighteen years old ut the she
lost she built principally for navigating the
waters OF the Sound but for some has been
two hundred and seventynve feet in length thrtytwo
feet width moulded eleven feet deep and III tons
register and drew six feet Of water when light In Oco.
Der last by OF her ascertaned worhiness
the vessel condemned by the Supervising Inspector
above mentioned Much OF her timber work plank
ing found TO be rotton which. added to her age
rendered her at once unsound and unsafe whereupon
she was docked and subjected to an overhauing
was believed rendered her sufficiently strong for sum-
mer navigation; but even then she regarded By
Captain Bradford as i'll adapted 10 stand the
thor OF the winter season that the extent
above indicated she deemed Ut for service upon the
SOUND and upon certain conditions local inspectors
at New London seem to have determined 20 grant
tacate she properly equipped according
TO law This duty, however tho owners iaed to per-
perry Withheld. and at the Tins of her last sailing was
taken to sea in violation both Of law and regulation and
IN an unseaworthy condition Had she received certid
cate OF seaworthness from the local inspectors they
would have committed very grave error, unless the
vessel was in cvcy respect sound and t At time for
Sound navigation; for the law does conte mplae the
II appears that she left the wharf at four p b.
the 2lsh Of December and proceeded on her voyage;
but previous to that had been blowing heavily from
west to west northwest during the entire day, attended
with snow squalls The weather appeared clearer at the
time OF her departure and the captain without consult
ing his barometer induced by the apparent favor
O'Clock that eveung however, tue breeze freshened
from west-norhwest aud soon ncr BASED 70 violent
gale. with heavy sea. and with food tide ma iing
anst the wind II became still rougher At half past
ten the vessel, heading east threeqaartcrs NORTH the
wind nearly aft and steering wildly broached 10 and
thrown upon her beam ends. and in this condition
she driven by the wind the Sound
and was brought to an anchor with two anchors
down near Horizons Point, Long Island, when sue
ing badly that necessary to slip her cables and
beach her in order TO tho lives Of the passengers
This fortunately accomplished without th loss OF
single ife The cause OF the leak to have been
The strainng which her timbers and plaDklng
experienced whea she broached TO and while b,ing
driven acro the Sound beam ends. and not, as
has been statcd by her taking the ground for
When Bhe had rigDteQ AZ n0r anchOrS her butts and
seams, which had been sprung, being then brought
under water. that the leak discovered. II is very
clear from the testimony that the Commodore totally
unfit for the service in which she engaged well
by Of her age her light draught Of water for
this, added To the effect Of her top hamper may in
great measure be attributed 10 the fact Of her broachng
TO- with the wind west by north to north northwest and
her east three equarters north She must have
been yawing considerably 70 bring the wind upon her
starb0ard quarter sufficiently 10 broach her TO- Her
light draught was In great degree the cause OF her
steering wildly for the rudder not being thereby
(lrtc tSnxno o.Ah H.
water could not perform Its Office. and the vessel
therefore In measure Ut times uncontrolabe.
gency for some OF them were totally unacquanted with
tho management OF boats II is wonder, therefore,
that no lives we're lost in landng Not little blame
pertains TO tho captain OF the steamer for taking her to
sea- knowing the character Of his vcssel he must
have done. on suoh day; and had he consulted and
relied on HE barometer he certainly would not have ven
have been at some pains to ascertain the state OF the
barometer at different localities al the ne and from all
the information that can gather they indicated severe
weather. they being carrier IN tbs day. at an average OF
about - TO- and a. nicht as low a. 2S an infaibie
captain unfortunately placed no reliance baromcters
the Sound II u the belief Of many eminent seamen,
among whom may be mentioned Admiral Ffsroy. that
tao p-emonitions OF this useful instrument.
From tho facts above recod gathered from the tesii
mony Of reliable witnesses there can be no doub that the
Commodore was lost By reason Of her manifest ntnes
70 withstand a gale Of any severity in the
waters which she employed in navigating arising
partly from her age and consequent weakness, and
partly from her light draupht or water and partly from
the Ddscretion Of her captain rst In taking her 70
sea; and then, when ut 10 not making for harbor
She was also lacking in equipments, and therefore
uuseaworthy and being navi2ated without certificate,
her owners are liable TO penalties for violation OF
Law.
The loss Of this vessel affords another comment
the necessity for additional and effective Legislation. The
law. II now stands, ia totally Inadequate to an en-
orcemcnt OF the moral obligations OF owners aud others
towards those who place their lives in their hands
Happily there exceptions 10 this necessity for there
many honorable and highminded owners OF vessels
whose constant desire Is to obey the law in
alt its and provide their passengers and crews
with adequate protection the best OF their ability and
regardless OF expense But the other hand there Is
class Of owners far too numerous for the public vel.
enacimens and made to fear the consequence OF DEFY
ing the laws and regulations by the certainty OF swift
and Appropriate penalty and such enactmcnts must be
made as soon az practicable and such rigorous enforce
ment thereof prevail, embracing In their scope every
he serves including tho equipment Of vessels and the
official certificate Of perfect seaworthness with pun
shment for reckless offenders inaccessible TO higher
motives which shall be enough TO deter hem
from perilng human hic and property Very respect
fully, yours, H. N. NEW.
cArrNS pnaproRps REPORT
UFFicE SUPERVISING INSPECTOR,
NEW YoaK. Jan g. 1907. !
To THE SECRETARY TEEAsrRy:-
SrT have the honor OF transmitting herewith TO the
department the record Of the evidence taken upon tho
investigation OF the circumstances attending the wreck
OF the steamer Commodore. the stoninson line which
lost the night OF December q last on the shore of
Long Island In Hermitage Bay Horizons Point This
evidence whcn taken before consists OF the tes
tmouy Of Captain T. H. Curtis, master OF the Commodore;
w. B. Batchelder mate; g. w Brown, pilot; a. II. Mon
roe pilot; Braddock Chester. watchman; u. Durfcy,
engineer; John A. Seward. assistant engineer, John
Bonron, quarlcrmaster; j. J. Day, President OF the
stonngton and Prov dence Railroad Company, and Cap
tain j. NJ Buddngon, the last two having been pas
sengers on the Commodore on the night ID question In
transmitting evidence bog leave respectfully 70 call
the attention or the department particularly 10 the tat
mony OF Captain Curtis Pilot Monroe, Mr. Day and Cap
tam The evidence is entirely concurrcn, to
the essential facts connected with the loss Of the steamer
II shows that she started from New York about four
o'clock day which had been very gusty, with occa
siona furres Of snow but that Captain Curtis. without
consulting tho barometer concluded that the weather
would DO fair and acted accordingly. The wind how
ten r. NJ, the steamer refusing TO mind her helm,
broachcd 10 and lhrown on hcr beam ends.
In this condition she driven by the wind across
the Sosnd. and TO anchor near Horizons Point
where she found 10 be leaking 80 badly that
necessary clip her cables and beach her 70 save
the lives Of the pass ngcr have to the conclu
aion that the leak caused the steamer thump