The New York herald., 1872-09-07
The Mesis Disaster.

An official investigation into the cause Of
the disaster which overlook the steamer Metis
has been commenced. So far as the evidence
Of both officers and crew Is known 10 US II
points out clearly that the collision and subse-
quent loss of life are directly attributable to
negligence II might reasonably be expected
that the officer in command at the time of the
collision would have ordered . strict and
searching examination of the hold as soon as
Ia felt the shock. 1t appears, indeed, that
an examination was made, but in such
careless and bungling manner that, while the
forward compartment was filling with water at
an appalling rate, the sailors and fremen were
reporting that all was safe. The fault here
lies not with the men who made these
reports, for they simply told the truth.
so far as their observation extended; but il is
by no means so easy 10 justify the officers for
not having every part of the ship properly ex-
amined. Had proper sense of responsibility
been felt by the officer in command undoubt-
edly he would not have been satisfied with the
partial examination of the damage his vessel
adsustained. But the incident Of the collision
seems to have had but little impression on the
mind Of any of the officers, as is proved by their
hasty dismissal of the Nercus before they had
learned the exact amount Of the damage they
had sustained When the schooner struck the
Metis another steamer was some little distance
behind in her wake. Having observed the
collision, the Nereus stood by the Mctis until
dismissed by the signal of ''all right from that
ill-fated vessel. Yet ten minutes later the fires
of the Metis were out and the ship rapidly set
ting in water There can be no sufficient
excuse offered for such indifference to the pos
sible consequences of collision that jeopar-
died the lives of some two hundred people
1t is altogether a secondary question, 80 far as
the public ore concerned, whether or not the
right lights were shown. What we have to
insist upon is that when anything in the
nature of an accident occurs on board pas
senger ship every means shall be promptly
used to secure the lives of those on board
Nothing must be left to chance or hazard. II
was clearly the duty of the officers of the
Metis to discover for themselves whether or
not such damage had been done to their ship
as would render her unseaworthy. To have
omitted this shows them to have been reckless
to criminal degree. Had there been no
help at hand their conduct would not appear
so reprehensible; but, though there were hun
dreds Of lives depending in the balance, they
acted with the most perfect indifference until
the danger of their position could no longer
be doubted.
In the first moments of the disaster q
steamer was at hand to render all help needed,
and it only required the exercise of the most
ordinary prudence to have prevented the fear
full loss of life which ensued. II Is 10 the
credit of the officers that as soon as they fully
recognized their position they displayed COM
mendable energy but even then want Of dis
cipline was painfully evident in the way in
which they allowed the boats TO be appro-
priated in part by the deck hands instead of
reserving them for the women and children.
The whole scene is suggestive of painful re-
fectic.21, asS<eNthe manner in which our steam
boats are oficered and manned. We hope the
attention of the inspectors will be drawn 10
this subject, and that some regulation will be
introduced into the steamboat laws that will
compel responsible officers to act with rea-
sonable amount Of prudence or expose them
selves to heavy penalties