The New York herald., 1870-10-07
THE GROUNDING OF THE GUERRERO.

Reply of Piiat Robert w. johnson 10 the
statement Of MIR. Dnnhnm.
To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD:--
have noticed in several New York papers an
article which purpor;s to be the statement Of Mr..
Durham, who came on board the Guerriere after she
had grounded at Nantucket, and which liz SO apt to
misead any one "a to the service rendered the ship
by Dunham that beg the liberty of placing 1t IN
more correct light.
was employed to pilot the ship out OF New York
harbor, aud al the time OF grounding on beard
as a passenger, Captain Stevens having kindly
given me PERMISSION TO go to ana return from
Portsmouth. was on deck, and knew personally
OF everything done nc the time. The weather. IN
stead Of being bright and clear, rs was mentioned
by Mr.. Durham, was extremely hazy, and, in Dun
hams own words, the ship when he FIRST saw herr
broke on him as II she had Just come ont OF fog.
He says the ship was steering west northwest when
she struck. She was and had been heading north
west Tor nearly half an hour before. Immediately
after the ship struck boats were lowered aud sound
ings were taken in every direction from the ship.
Dunhams boat came alongside at two o'clock. He
came on board, and, on beng questioned as to the
direction OF the deepest water said 1t laid in the
direction Of the buoy. Instead OF this there were
but sixteen feet Of water at and near the buoy,
every foot OF ground III that vicinity having been
thoroughly sounded by the sblps boats. Dunham
StllI Q0uDtlnK the told him he could
accompany the navigator and see Tor himself II
the anchor mad been lad IN the erection he showed
as the deepest water the sip would have gone hard
and fast, on the shoalest part of The shoa. The
as Seler u9 Sy a
nos not sSs was psssH sssSqHg ssd s1 s h5%
tlq. -Ealp bad not trusted too Much to hls
been laid the tide before by the ships boats every
preparation having been made for the purpose and
the ship would have oated the same night The pre-.
sence OF these men on board the ship was as far as
know. q qetrmeDt at the trle, as Abe ship could
have done the duty better and quicker herself the
only real service rendered. being the plotting of tho
ship TO Nantucket Roads. Mr. Baker the pilot
OF the ship from Nantucket through Vineyard Sotnd,
Mr.. DunIam being only passenger at his own re-
quest
In addition would state that Mr.. Dunham showed
entire ignorance to the time OF high water max
ing a statement that the water rose for Two hours
after sett ng IN OF westerly tide, which was not
the fact at alt; and If the captain had waited
for his time OF high water the ship would have been
on Point Rip shoals now He says the ships officers
and men did their share Of the work well. did not
see that any one else had any share IN 1t. ] would
OF the ships grounding she was under the direction
OF TWO piios-one Sandy Hook pilot and the other
coast pilot. was the pilot who took the ship ont
Of New York harbor, and after that was only pas
senger, through the kindness Of Captain Stevens,
and had nothing 10 do till she reached the pilot
ground Off Sandy Hook on her return Sunday,
October 2 Respectfully,
ROBERT W. JOHNSON,
Branch Pilot, sandy Hook