The Hawaiian gazette., 1871-06-14

The Moses TAYLoR.-The due of the boiler Of the
Moses Taylor having been repaired by Mr.. Young,
of the Honolulu Iron Works, that vessel left this
port for San Francisco on Friday last We under
stand that both boilers were thoroughly inspected
by Mr.. Young and Mr.. Lomax, an experienced boiler
maker who pronounced them capable OF carrying
seven pounds of steam with safety. We believe
that from twelve TO fourteen pounds is what would
be required to enable the vessel to make the passage
20 San Francisco in the usual time II is therefore
probable that the time made this trip will be some
what long In our remarks of last week in regard to
the fatal accident which occurred on board OF the
Moses Taylor on her trip down from San Francisco,
we did not intend to give the impression" either
directly or BY implication of the existence of cul
pable carelessness on the part of the owner and
agents OF the ship Neither our statement that
"nothing was done to her boilers, which had been
in use for some time, and which were considered to
be in good condition., ''unfouuded in truth" Ger
tainly we have since been informed upon very good
authority that before the vessel left San Francisco
the boilers tested by hydraulic pressure, being,
as we were told, subjected to a strain many times
greater than would ever be necessary to subject them
by steam This, so far as can learn, all
that was done to the boilers, which, when are
speaking Of repairs, means simply nothing at all.
The boilers being tested by severe pressure and found
capable of withstandug it, of needed no re-
pairs; and that they really were subjected to a Sc
we're test, no one has right to deny, because the
Government Inspector OF Boilers gave his certificate
to that effect However singular it may appear, that
although the Inspector in San Francisco limited the
steam to be carried (as Informed by the same
authority attwenty pounds, experienced mechanics
here consider only seven pounds safe.
We certainly can not believe that the owner or the
agents Of the present line are guilty of ealpable
carelessness" in risng the lives Of the unfortunate
victims of the explosion any more than we believe
that the carelessness of fireman, Cwhose duty it
TO throw Goals into the furnaces in the presence
of the engineer aud the water-tender was the cause
of his own death and that Of five others. 1t does
not look reasonable that person who is inaugurat-
ing new line of steamers would, in the beginning
at least imperil the success OF the enterprise by
using vessels which be had reason TO suppose were
unsafe
We should not have reverted to this subject had
it not been that our neghbor of the Adgertisa,
in its last issue accused of making statements in
regard to it which were unfounded in truth" and
OF saying what did the subject "for the direct
purpose of giving the impression Of the existence
of eulpabe carelessness on the part of the owner
and agents OF the ship" Our statements were true
We did not intend TO give. nor did we give the
impression that anyone was guilty of "culpable
carelessness.n We will now state, however, that
had We been satisfied that anyone no matter who,
had been guilty of such "culpabe carelessness" as
TO have sacrificed the lives of six men, and to have
jeopardized the prosperity of the newly inagurted
steam line TO the Colonies, we should have, as is
our duty as journalists, plainly pointed out the
guilty parties. We should not have considered it
our duty to screen any one who deserved it, from
blame, either on account of fear or favor