New-York tribune., 1870-04-11
THE STEAMSHIP VENEZUELAN.

CRAVE DOUBTS AS TO HER SAFETY-THE PROB
IBLE CAUSE THE loss OF HER RUDDER AND
STERN PosT-A LETTER FROM HER CAPTAIN.
II is about time to hear from the steamer
o,equean, whose passengers were transferred To the
aor Camilla and brought to this port And yet, from
s recently learned it is doubtful if she ever reaches
mort II will he remembered that she lost her stern post
nd rudder and had holes stove in her stern on the
18Th Of March, when about COO miles t. the southward and
eyard OF the Azores and about LOCO miles from New
York She belongs to the West India and Pachc steam
ship Company of Liverpool, company formed In No
yember 1863 by the consolidation Of the interests and
.eamers Of MeSsrs Leech Harrison Forwood, Alexan
der Duranty & Co., Imrie, Tomilson Co., and Alfred
Holt Of Liverpool. The company started with capital
Of slOO0OOO aud sixteen steamers. Subsequently SIX
others were built Among the vessels Of the line are the
Australian, 1880 tuns Californian, 1900; American
LSoo; West Indian, 1iOO; Venezuelan, l347; Cuban,
1900; Mexican sOO Bolivar 2OO Crusader, 900; Tails
man. 900; Chan, 100; ST. Thomas, 1000; Christobal
Colon 7io ts and others. Last year the company suf
tered the Of the Pantagenet went down III the
Al tGe present time this line sends ont from Liverpool
ore the 9Th OF each month, when calls az
RarhadOes Laguayra, Porto CaheUO santa Marta, and
Aspinwall Another leaves ON the loth gaining at fort
au-PTince, Kingston, Vera Cruz, and lanWcO; !; ana
another the 10Th leaves for ST. Thomas santa Marta,
and Aspnwa. All these steamers carry the royal mails
under heavy subsidy from the British PostOhice De-
patronage. some idea Of how this Company manage
their affairs may he Cleaned from the statements made
mails nut on board this vessel slowed in the fore
part ship, where the water came in and wet them,
stoyeplpe in the cabin to dry them; and, what was
equally bad il found that the rats had eaten holes
in them OF course IL is impossible to tell how much the
contents were injured the holes sewed up. This
occurred several days before the accident II is said
that the rats agan ate holes in the bags after they were
transferred 10 the Camilla.
Capt Cowc of the Venezuelan stated to his passengers
after the accident the 18th Of March that her pre-
voyage she left Liverpool several hours after the
fan Of the tide She was deeply laden ana crossed the
firtpa
tempt IT, and she struck very heavily ON the bar three
times She made little or no water, the ship went on
her voyage and returning she not taken into dry
S SS h n bHt She was loaded and sent to sea
on the 9Th March, and just 10 days aterward without
sDy warning her ruddcr dropped of and her sernpOt
was wrenched of This occurred during the prevalence
Of only moderate gleS-at least the captain reports
in his last letter b. Mr. A. b. ForwoOd Managing Direc-
nautical men to Judge of the condition Of affairs on
board: -.
PoRvOoD esq. Managing Director ". T. ant r 5. Co.:
e os aenPSss an ruaeT %o,e1s o. s ~ a In te & ss
boz th, ae toroom which immesiei fied The Go:
l so.9g slow hip beading W. employed shifting coal S!en Sas Of
o. A % main. i .% So at III & Gl so S G q he Gat
h % perfectly tight and we shsD lghn her . and the fs line line
Sssp toe snd has been from s. w. ship heading N " and
inos hour We the French steamer coming up to leewar We
rot certain whether she vii take the passengers or not This
sni'ea ID sIpeetston Of gong BY her, Yours &c, -, ,
This letter was dictated by Capt Cowe TO his purser
Evan Hunter and signed BY the captain himself, and it
has forwarded to Mr. Forward The analysis of this
letter follows: First Al the time OF the accident
only moderate gale prevailed With cross sea- Second:
The captain did feel uneasy about the ship Probably
would who would consent TO proceed 10 sea in
vessel had hit three times heavily Liverpool bar
and who had made after such an accident with
out having the vessel taken out OF water TO see any
thing serious had occurred Third: This letter was
written before the Camilla signaled She mis-
taken for a French mail packet which explains his re-
errng twice TO French steamer Upon the whole this
s regarded by going one OF the most remark
able instances Of in connection with aROya
Mail steam packet There will doubtless he searching
inquiry by the British Post-Oce Department, Loyds
and the Board of Trade
The surgeon of the Venezuelan, DR.. Rice remained on
board and his name omitted in report Of the
cident when first published. There is barely chance
for the reach port the action Of the water
on the stOrerOOn bukhead, combined with the great
the after part Of the vessel, would tend to
weaken her and open her joints When the Camilla
parted company with the Venezuelan the weather
rapidly worse On the night OF the l6th or twelve
hours after the passengers taken out strong gale
set in and those who experienced believe il mpos
sble for the crippled steamer To live through It, II she
is lost the cause can traced to injuries she received
On the bar at Liverpool on the previous voyage.