The New York herald., 1872-09-08

HOW MANY PASSENGERS on BOARD ?
His Version of the Collision-The Main Point Of
tho Investigation-Was tho Schooner
North or South Of the Metis!-
Two Opposite Assertions.

N0fLn or oouCn OF tno MeCs r
Two Opposite Assertions
PROVIDENCE, r. l., Sept I, 1872.
The investigation was resumed this morning, and
though only three witnesses were examined the
testimony adduced was Of the most important
character. That OF Mr. Davis, passenger, in
regard to the number OF passengers on board,
though merely the opinion Of intelligent man, is
fully corroborated by the rumors current here,
which, at first only whispered, now the general
topic of conversation. There can be little doubt
that the number on the Metis has been understased
and that instead Of ten or dozen missing, as the
stories Of the officers now show, II the truth were
known double or treble that number perished but
the truth may never be known till the gives up
its dead The evidence given by Captain Burton
makes still more obscure the most essential
point Of the disaster-viz the relative positions Of
the vessels at the time of the collision-on which
the whole theory OF the blame hinges. The
schooners crew all swear that the steamer In
shore north of them. which the evidence Of the
officers of the steamer entirely contradicts. This
Is, in reality,
THE ONLY POINT NOW WORTH sErrLING;
for II the schooner was south of the propeller her
the schOoner's) crew did what 1t their duty to
do, and the entire responsibility OF the terrible
calamity must rest upon the Metis. But Captain
Burton, while every excuse should be made for
him, as he had but Just taken command Of the
Metis shows In his testimony his ignorance of the
vessels capacity and the extent of the damage she
received. He thinks she may have sustained q
rupture Of her injection pipe or have been
crushed in below her water line. If everything else
fails there is one way left of ascertaining
how and where the Metis received the fatal blow.
Mr.. George w. Fuller, of New London, manager of
the American Submarine Company, of this city, and
an experienced diver, says that he can find the
sunken wreck of the Metis and II requested to do
so by the proper authorities Will make examina-
tion Of her hull without charge. This is something
worth considering and 1t Is to be hoped that the
Investigators will not pass 1t by without considera-
tion.
THE BODY OF AN UNKNOWN CHILD.
The following telegraphic inquiry was received
here few days ago, Dut nothing more has since
been heard from the inquirer
New YORK, Sept. s-Had the child reported found a
ng Mas w @ 'a on w bs
bottom, white flannel petcoat, white flannel stomach
band over yellow one' RSt Ense publish nhppApn
This inquiry has, probably reference to the body
OF an infant, apparently six months old, which was
found on the west shore Of Block Island on Satur-
Immediately carried to a house by. The body
was placed in coffin, and buried on the following
been preserved res for identcation and the vi deren
articles It comprises apparently agree s with the
hev ars m HssT ssr vs ae
sleeves trimmed with edgng; flannel stomach
| band, crOssstitched with colored wOrsted; PIN
| ming blanket of nannel, with cotton band
hemmed and cross-stitched; a flannel petticoat.
with cotton band; q cotton hightgown, with high
| neck short sleeves trimmed with edgIng, peated
| In front, with bands to tie behind.
The following was ELECTED by the investigation
TESTIMONY OF MIR. RICHARD DAVIS.
Richard Davis, merchant, of Providence, and
passenger on board the Mets on the night OF the
disaster, testifed:-I could not have been more
than thirty minutes from the time he heard the
crash till he heard the captains voice calling to
flaoo
OF distress; saw the captain untying the lashings
OF the lifeboat, and heard him express the hope
that the hurricane deck would part from the boat
saw Captains Hull and Burton exceedingly active
on the hurricane deck, trying to save life;
question was raised whether i would not be
ize means for taking us from the wreck; the cap
tain refused saying 'if the vessel broke up while
preston, from what Was said in the saloon, Is that
there were 200 passengers on board; did not go
into the steerage; saw five Germans pass through
the narrow passage to the forward deck four OF
them were saved; In the hurry to get life preserv
ers some OF the passengers could @ not get any, saw
broken-they were not strong enough for use.
Edwin Turner, an insurance man, of Providence,
and passenger, was called but his testimony was
TESTIMONY OF CAPTAIN BURTON.
Captain Burton OF the steamer Metls, was ex-
amined and, after testifyng to his license as pilot
| and term of service and In relation to the equip
ment and build of the Metls, id:Iune Metis had
wood; thinks two of them were twenty-five feet
long, and the other two twenty feet long or there
abouts; these boats were all suspended on cranes
| or davits We had on these boats what is known
Misunderstanding apparatus; all Of them had It; in
addition to these four boats we had a life raft, a
metallic cylinder raft, the cylinder made in Sec
| tiOns; understood 1t was capable OF sustaining
te WAS e @ ts anS
| locks; all these boats were fitted with oars
each boat had its complement; the pilot house
left New York with light cargo, consisting
Of considerable fruit and eleven horses wind at
breezy and raining at the time; weather continued
the same during the fore part Of the night; could
see all the various lights distinctly, as passed
them; was up about the ship attending to my duty
until about hafpast twelve O'Clock; at that time
retired to my room, forward room on the star
board side OF the saloon, back near the pilot house,
out on the forward deck, on the starbOard side
OF the pilot house, just before retirng: saw light
| on the starboard side, which was Horizons Point
| ut this time II was blowing fresh breeze from
south-southeast, with light rain; did not
%as awakened by the Which Suu
| posed was made by a collision with some vessel;
repaired to the pilot house and asked the second
| pilot on watch, Mr.. Palmer, what had struck him
| his reply was that schooner ran into him, strk-
ing him the port side, nearly abreast Of the pilot
took charge OF the boat: he had then started her
ahead ON one bell; asked him II he rung the bell
to go ahead again and ne said yes; mmediately.
ON THE sTARBoARD BOW,
| showing green light and probably.a quarter OF
mile on; then sent Captain Torrey the first pilot,
on deck to see II he could the schooner we had
been in collision with; he reported he could not;
then sent him below with instructions to send the
| mates below to ascertain II we were making any
water; also to the engine room, to ascertain from
| the engineer II We were making water, and to re.
| port Immediately to me; he did, and reported all
right; that the second mate had been
down the forecastle, and that the
| engineer had said we were not making
any water, and the damage, SO far as could
| be seen, was very slight; then turned around,
heading to the westward, In order to find the
schooner II possible, and render assistance If
needed; In turning around with the boat saw
| A STEAMER APPROACHING
from the westward; gave three blasts OF steam
| whistle signal that my boat was stopped; did not
| hear any response; again blew three whistles;
| think she answered 1t that time; am positive at
any rate, we had passed SO far ahead OF her did
not fear she would strike us, nor did she pass to
our stern or to the northward of u.s. could
not see anything OF the schooner, and