Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-08-21
The Accident TO the U. 8. Steamer
Guerriere.

lCOTtlgn correspondence OF Inc star.
SPEzzIA, August 8, 1871.
Editor Star: 1t has doubtless already been
flashed across the Atlantic that the o. s. steam
or Guerrero run on shore on the 26th July, and
had a narrow escape from total loss. 1t NAV be
interesting to your readers and the friends of
those ON board the ship to know little more In
detail. This accident did not occur from foul
weather and difficulties Of navigation, but like
the first one, when the ship was run on Nan
tucket Shoals, there was nothing to be desired
in either of these respects. The weather was
lovely, and everything for miles around dis
tinctly visible. There stood right on the star
board bow the lighthouse upon Vado Rock sur
rounded by discolored water, which, by the way
was discussed several minutes before the shin
struck. Directly ahead the tall lighthouse of
Leghorn doomed up in the distance-the Vado
light within half mile distant, and Leghorn
light fourteen. The bearings could have been
ascertained at any moment, and the dangerous
course avoided, had any attention been paid TO
the matter; but they say that the chart gave u
fafhons right III the line we were sailing, and
at the spot we struck How this NAV be- re-
mains to be seen, yet there seems to be sus-
picion that mistake has been committed in
taking the - ON the chart for fathoms when II
meant feet, which was exactly what the sound
ings gave around the ship after she struck On
reference to the sailing directions we find that
ships are warned TO give Vado light a wide
berth, and the question arises, does half a mile
constitute wide berth? In our long experience
at sea We should decidedly say no; and more
US, notwithstanding the soundings the chart
gave, to steer clear OF so dangerous a point when
the discolored water was reported.
Well, " was under the foregoing circumstances
that the ship struck, and she struck with a ven
geance, for she was running with fulr steam
power, and all sail set, with a tOp-gallant breeze
ON the port beam. The masts trembled like
reeds shaken by the wind, and we expected
every moment 10 see the upper ones come down,
upon the deck. In a few hours floating frag-
ments of wood covered with copper showed Us
plainly that the false keel was going fast: the
bolts fastening 10 TO the true keel were forced
into tile boilers, which were soon disabled
with one exception. The ship was maniiestly
''hogged," as shown by the alteration in the
curve OF her lines, the broken knees, and star
board " alter way.
Two Italian steamers came to our assistance
and after hard work dscharging guns, spars
provisions, &c, were dragged OFF and towed up
to Spezzia, where ample facilities for docking
ships exist. The water has not vet been COM
pletely removed from the dock, but from the
report OF the government divers it would appear
that the keel is more than half cut through in
one OF two places. SO thai after the ship shall
have been patched up here, she will never be
until rebuilt.
Up TO the present time the expenses have been
rather heavy, for the bills alone for lighterape
presented amount to SO, 900, and adding TO this
the cost OF repairs, say e5O,D 900 more and We
have the neat little sum of s95, Co., which Is the
cost or an erroneous chart? Who win say now
that little things are not worthy Of attention, or
indeed, that there Is, even within the great
world of science and fact, anything that can be
called little or triiingY The little figure Is
placed ON the chart the width of the thumb nail
say, out of the right position, is going TO cost
$50 1000 at the lowest estimate, and If the dietum
OF the Italian engineer amounts 20 anything,
that the engines WIN have to be removed, then
and consider the Gurriere locked for three or
four months in this delightful little village Of
Spezzia. u ,sT =