The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-02-03
THE PERILS OF THE SE4.
Arrival Of the Bark Templnr at Nor
foIk-Capiain Wilson's statement.

The Norfolk Journal, Of Wednesday, gives
the following account of the condition Of the
bark Templar upon her arrival In Norfolk after
her collision with the steamer Kensfngton >"
We boarded the bark Tempar yesterday af.
ternoon at Graves's ship-yafd, where sne was Wa
towed by the tug Vulcan Tor repairs. We
found that she had lost her bowsprH with all
of,Lboard; her cutwater antt stem are carried
away from starbOard to port, showing that she
must have been struck with considerable force
on her starboard bow 10 cant the wreck N the
manner It appears to port, twisting as ithas
clear around, until the bolts from tne stem
piece. bring up against the p!anKins OF tne port
side.
Captain Wilson. Of the remplar. gives the fol-
lowing account OF the affair:
"yNe sailed from Hampon Roads ON Friday
morning, 9th of January, at 10 A. N. That
evening, about 1850, while heading +. ). Ely
on the port tack with the wind light from N.
By E. TO y. N. E., made steamer on our star
board beam, heading about n. N E.; sawher
mast head and red light plain; supposlnS that
the steamer would pass under our stern, we
held our coast to the eastward; hnding then
that the steamer did not alter her course, sew
eral of the crew hailed her as loud as lney
could. No attention was patd to the hail, the
steamer still holding her course. Finding that
she was about TO cut MS down and strike us
diately put TO port, to keep from being sunk
by her. She passed under our starboard bow,
carving away our bOwsprit, 1lbbbooms, fore
and maint op gailantnasts, foretopmastand all
attached, also cutwatef and stems. Sounded the
pumps, and found the vessel all tight; We then
proceeded to clear away the wreck, when
was under ourbows. rendering the vessel un-
manageable. Heard no order on board the
steamer until alter she had struck us, and, as
we parted, we heard an order Oh board the
steamer to s.stop her. The steamer went on,
and The bark being aback, was going astern.
Saw the steamers lights Tor at least three
fourths of an hour after she struck us. Heard
no sound or indication, from the steamer, OF
distress, and, naturally supposing she was not
materially Injured, we proceeded 10 clear away
the wreck aud get the vessel in a manageable
condition to ret her back to the Chesapeake.
After the collision we hadlight variable winds.
which drove us to leeward ofwhere the tWo
vessels struck each other. On Sunday the
2glh. at 4 P NJ, the steamer faZoo. from Ha-
vaua bound 10 Philadelphia, came up WIN u.s.
and we agreed to be towed to Hampton foads,
/ deemlns it imprudent 10 refuse assistance at
this season to get into port with vessel IN
the condition OF the Templar. We arrived ID
Hampton Roads on Monday, the 3Oth, at II A.
NJ, and the Yazoo sailed at once Tor her port
of destination
Captain Wlsop made no alluson as to VINO
| was 10 blame, 0ut gave piaiu sIaleu!eHC VI
facts, declining to even give an opinion in
regard TO any management on board the
steamer one way or the other.
The most charitable construction we can
put upon the. affair is that ofa sailor: sThe
bark was heading E. s. E., while the steamer
was coming directly towards her, heading N,
N. E., and instead Of putting her helm to the
s,arboard, as she ought 10 have done, and
passed under the stern of the bark, Which was
holding her wind, it is apparent to expert
| enced eyes that she put her helm aport, and
tried to run across the bark's bows. Thisis g
plain, praclical conclusion Of the affair. Had
Captain Wilson put his helm starboard and lui
Ted, instead of Keeping away when the steamer
was SO close on him, the bark would have
! been struck amidshlps, cut In two, and sunk
imm edialely. The fact OF the order not being
given to stop the steamer until after the COLI
sion, looks, from another standpoint, as II tht
steamer did not see the bark a. all. So, take
either horn of the dilemma, appearances art
against tile management OF the steamer, as We
view the circumstances from the information
before us.
The Templar will be repaired at once b,
william A. Graves, and as soon as possible sht
will proceed on her voyage.