Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-04-07

OFFICIAL INVESTIGATION AT HALlFAN-SFAT
NESTs OF CAPTAIN WILLIAMS
The inquiry ordered by the Dominion govern
n ent into the Atlantic disaster commenced on
Saturday, in the custom house building, a.
Halifax, before Collector +. VI. Mcdonald.
The statement made by Captain Williams.
commander of the Atlantic, TO the commission,
is by far the best account that we have yet hal
OF the melancholy disaster. He had never before
sailed along the Nova Scotia coast or ats mpted
t. make Halifax harbor. The wreck OF the
vessel was occasiOned by a wrong estimate as t.
rate OF running and the westerly set OF the cur
rent. At 1920 a. m. he went TO his room, leaving
orders with the second officer TO call him al a.
m, when he intended to stop the engines ant
wait for daylight. He thought ii he had been
called at O'Clock, he might have seen the land
and avoided the calamity. Had the officers on
duty been energetic, they might have discoy-
cred that there was something ahead, and II
orders had been given to reverse the engines
the ship might not have struck. It seems tha5
greater portion OF the passengers lost Except
the women, who were drowned in their berths.)
die from fright and cold, and dropped into the
water. After the communication was established
with the shore all who were on deck and i'm the
rigging could have been saved il they had pos
sessed courage and strength, and had not been
benumbed with the cold.
Several witnesses testified that the officers and
crew were well disciplined; but Chas. w. Allen.
more lives might have been saved had the crew
been an efficient one. Chief Officer Firth then
gave his statement, (already publshed.) and
the investigation was adjourned until to-day.
Atlantic arrived at New York on Saturday on
the steamer Newport They were kindly cared
for AT Castle Garden. majority of the sur
viyors speak disparagingly of the captain and
crew, and complain that after being two or
three days ont their food was cut short
AT the scene OF the wreck, near Halifax,
fourteen bodies were recovered on Saturday by
graphing. The divers recovered 2 bodies.
NEW YORK IN THE DARK.-The gas men OF
New York are on a strike, and the city last
night was but poorly illuminated. The news
papers were set up by candlelight. and dark
ness prevailed i'm many sections unrelieved 10y
a single pickering ray from the street lamjS
The companies have employed Italian emf
grants and other greentOrns TO take the pla &c
OF the strikers, but they are not yet trained "a
the work, and the prospect for full supply OF
gas for some days to come is not fiattering The
pOiIce authorities are making special effort to
prevent the men who are AT work from being
assaulted or inundated by the strikers. The
receiving tanks are level with tie ground, AMI
the appearances are that unless other wOrkm-u
are substituted for the Italians the strikers will
gam the victory. Ia the Stadt theater. where
performance had commenced. the gas went
out leaving the audience in total darkness.
The LATEST CUBAN VTCToRY-NewS from
Havana, through Spanish sources, confirms the
reported capture of the fortified city and sea
port of ManZanilO, and SAYS an immense
amount OF booty IN money and munitions OF war
Tell INTO the hands OF the GubanS who sacked
the town. The attack Was made At night in
the absence OF the Spanish tro Bp, IN the field
Captain General CebailOs has ts;e,raphed 10
Madrid that large body OF troops is impega-
lively wanted in Havana, a. I revolution may
break out among the Spau.a.a. AZ anv nom mt
revolt.
The schooner Village Bride, Captain Adams
carrying goods contrabsnd OF for the in
surgents in Cuba, has been seized as a legal
prize at Port Antonio, by Spanish manor
war.