The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-05-24
NEW YORK HERALD SATURDAY MAY a. l87a-TRIPLE SHEET

lost In the space OF half an hour and with vessel
worth Of property were sacriiced SUCH. in priet
are the facts which lew weeks ago startled and
snddsned IA. the whole world No such calamity
1t is almost safe TO assume that none was ever
more directly the consequence OF negligence or in
efficiency. whether 1t was this man that the
surviving Captain, Williams, or the dead second
ocer, Metcal, who is responsible for the calamity
world IS matter OF little consequence now to the
unfortunate victims or their afflicted friends The
tried before legal Commission Io and the mid
punishment OF twO-years' suspension from SER
vice has been inflicted, and this is all the satislac
suspended of1cer was innocent OF negligence or
incompetency every one will agree that his tempo
Responsible for the disaster, there are
few who win not claim that the SEN
tence is disgraceiul TO an enlightened com
and the infection OF such q trinng sentence for
sacrificing the lives OF over five hundred passen-
nsignifcance with which the British laws and tri-
6unals regard the safety Of humanity is most lam
v we a sse The e
eral that both the commander and the company
should have been held responsible for this great
calamity, and that no suspension OF certificate can
ever atone for the careessness which eliminated
In the loss OF the Atlantic and over five hundred
souls.
CAPTAIN WILLIAMS SINCE THE CALAMITY,
has remained in Halifax and the vicinity OF the
which was wrecked While in ms com com,
he appreciates his own position and sympathizes
deeply as man can with those who were plunged
set down as wholly or partly responsible.
If he was negligent or incompetent 1ir can
not De d sald Of MN nas ne r,un not ana
only able to h0bble around slowly, with the aid OF
cane, he did much more to save life on the night
OF the wreck than he has ever been credited for
and he was among the very last to leave the sink
ing vessel. Since the disaster, too he has mani
tested o sorrow, contriton and manliness which
OereaVed friends
their dear ones have frequently admired ana re.
marked 1pon the story Of ;ne terrible night ne
the grief which bears down upon him at times
seems to almost drive him out OF reason. He has
tions OF the divers around the wreck, and more
than once has been noticed passing the haltsunken
vessel with his eyes filed with tears.
''H0w this ever could have happened Is more
than can tell" he remarked to the HERALD re-
porter the other day, when the almost nude body
OF q poor German woman was hooked up.
'Why," said he, II have carried over a million
passengers across the Atlantic, and never lost a
soul nor had an accident until now"
WHEN THE VESSEL STRUCK.
1t will be remembered that when the vessel struck
the rock the Captain was In the chart room, and
Second Oficer Metcalf was on deck. Extra
watches were also on duty, and vet nothing was
seen to denote danger or an approach to the
officer was lost. and it is well to let the mantle OF
charity fall even II it was through his derelicton
came S' about. CAPTAIN Williams is retcens upon the
matter Of the dead officers responsibility and
says that no prefers rather TO have the whole
blame rest upon his own shoulders than to reflect
in the slightest degree upon enc who cannot
speak for himself. Another officer who was among
the saved, In talking about the suspension OF the
Captain, remarked to me that II MIR.
Metcalf was living 1t would have been
him instead Of Captain Williams who
would have been the victim Of the late investiga-
tiOn The real explanation Of the disaster so far
rs can learn from frequent conversations with
the SUI viving officers, never came cut at the in
vestigation. They nearly all admit that there were
no "lookouts''-no watchers fer dangers.that all
negligent and that the first they knew OF approach
ing danger was when it was almost, II not quite,
upon them. Even Captain Williams himself says that
as he was leaving the chart room he thought some
thing was wrong, and when he got out upon deck
he was Of the opinion that he had run int another
vessel All stories, however, well as all opinions
and all theories, fail to remove certain RESPONSE
bility nom the Commander, and 1t is possible that
the worst feature Of his negligence may consist in
having placed too much confidence in the vigilance
OF his officers. The suspended Captain will leave
for New York in few days, and sail thence to
Liverpool where he has wife and three children.