New-York tribune., 1873-04-09
THE GOVERNMENT INVESTIGATION.


hULuGAN's TEsTIMoNY-How TO RUN INTO
HALIFAX HARBOR SAFELY.
HALIFAX. April S-The Court resumed the inyes-
tigation at o'clock this morning
FOURTH ENGINEER PATTERsON's STATEMENT.
William Patterson testified: was fourth engineer OF
the Atlantic; duty and had charge Of the engine
from II to O'Clock in the afternoon and from IL
4ccock In the morning; the engines going slower
from u to O'Clock than they had been going durag the
II hours previous but they began to improve frou half
past O'Clock, the engines doing their best
work had about 81 pounds OF steam with the expan-
sion valve fully open; between 70 and o'clock the low
pressure steam during the night was reached and
was &c pounds with the expansion valve partly on;
when went duty at u o'clock the gauge indicated
80 pounds account for that because, when went OH
watch, there Goals on the plates and round
Goals To m in the two fires; after the CRATE had been
cleaned the tires a little low; toot time to
get coal for the free and then further time 10 out
the round Goals put the fire speed increased
between and o'clock; had 80 POUNDS pressure
the gauge at the time she struck the stood at 81
and had increased speed with increased pressure.
was standing the stOkehoe plates opposite No 2
boiler when felt the ship touch the bottom, almost
der my the starboard side of the keel if she
grazing over something's at the time was surfacng
fire No of the sarboard boiler; Immediately shut the
surface-cock and up the engineroOm when got
there | found that the telegraph had been thrown
around beyond the usual mark for gOng asten full speed
had been pulled violently and the signal had
been answered from the engneroOm the fifth engineer
snce dead in the act OF reversing the engines the
greaser James Denncr snce dea. also was there, IN
the Of assisting him. came to his assistance, and
from the time got the platform until the engines
were going astern occupied about 10 seconds; then
watched the telegraph for short time 10 see If any more
telcgraphs given from the deck; at the same time
looked at the engne-room clock and found 1t was $40
the clock reset at noon | went below 10 shut the
surface cock as soon as got the foot Of the engine
room ladder the log lines went away with race very
suddenly called TO the engineer to stop her; then
turued to go into the sokehoe. and Just going
there heard her 20 away with another turned
back what the matter, and saw the engineer
in his ,hrteeves with the valve in his hand
Chief Engineer Foxley then stopped the engine and
ordered the fftn eng to shut the main stop-yaye
suppose that he Ghe chief enginee opened the safety
vaveat least he told me had done soas heard steam
blowing off; when got to the stoke kehOle all the men
had left; the 6remens room above the stOhe-hole
and called TO the to attend to the fires this all
occurred in the space OF two or three mnutes-hat 49,
from the time that struck till shut the sea-cocks
while 7 shutting them saw water coming out OF
the starboard bunker had only about u feet TO rum
and before reached there there was foot OF water on
the floor; then made my way 10 the deck being the
last person 10 leave the engine-rO0m.
Examined by MI McDonad 1t appears to me that
from the time struck until she finally settled
she was ing and jumping over the rocks; il was
ABOUT two or three minutes il the ship had been aoat
and free would estimate that il would taEe from three
five minutes from the time the engines were reversed
tin she would be going astern.
TWO OFFICERS RECALLED.
Cornelius L. Brady. third officer recalled and exam
ined Inv Mr. McDouald: l had a certificate of compe-
tency as MASTER and also passed in steam DO not re-
member the date number OF my certhcate; got
them fiv years since; they were lett at home
have been in command OF a steamship out OF Liverpool
Cross examined by Mr.. Ritche The greatest speed Of
the Atlantic under the most favorable circumstances
was IL knots with the fans she had this with sail
and steam; the dag we ran 800 miles had strong
easterly gale and all sail set; never heard or saw
Ouartermaster Thomas from the time she struck TIL
cot ashore / did not ask HIN fer an AK; went up TO
Canceys to get Of the men to help me, and found
Thomas there the told by Quartermaser Thomas
OF his Ohomass) activity i'll saving life are untrue and
he only thought Of saving his own life.
John W. Firth. first officer recalled: Have been cap
tain Of steamships and my certificate as master dates
from May 1859; the number. near as can remember
Is % 89 1t the Atlantic; the highest rate OF
Deed was 10 knots but the steamer never averaged this
IN any days work during the last passage even with
fair wind and sails set this my second trip across
the Atlantic Ocean; my previous experience in the
Mediterranean and India trades; think 900 tons OF
welsh coal would be equal to 1O5O tons Of Lancashire
coal, and would not take up any more room.
CAPT. MULLIGAN's EXPERIENCE.
Edward d. Mulligan testified: Am captain OF the
steamer CarlOtta which runs between this port and
Portland have been master Of steamships coming and
going between here and Portland for four years. and ain
familiar with the Nova Scotia coast from Cape Sable to
halifax; the Carlotta $40 tons made Sambro Light
on Monday night March 81 at 10 o'clock Portland time
being about 1925 Halifax time judged that sambro
Light bore n E. by E. distant between three and four
miles the night this time was disagreeable dark and
thick; up TO O'Clock ii raining hard and unsetted
wind g. T. after that time the wind set IN W. b W.,
somewhat high and 1t drizzling after that it i'm
proved at y o'clock 1t was clear, and the light could
have been seen and at greater distance than at 10
o'clock but the weather might have been different there
from what had 10 the harbOr got in here about 10
o'clock; saw other lights 1 came up; made Che
bucto Head Devils Island and Meagher's Beach Light ;
steered E. S. Z. coming up when made sambro Light
l was not sounding.
cannot say anything about the currents-they are r-
regular aud uDcerain cannot say how they will set for
"a hours az time the currents greater Winter
than in Summer and much governed by the winds
we appear have stronger westerly current in Winter
than IN Summer; there better chance Of seeing
the LIGHT when coming in from the sea than when run
ming along parallel TO the coast did not make Cross
Island Light it being thick when passng had no more
difficulty in making the light that night than al other
times AT 10 o'clock that nlght INSTRUCTED the engineer
to sacken speed but while in the act OF doing so got
hold OF the light; if had not got hold OF the light
would have slowed the ship and hove her head of shore
would not have sounded for soundings are irregular
use Masseys patent log; my speed at the time saw
sambro Light was 10 knots; always find Massey
log correct; have had every opportunity OF testing 1t
the log at all times, irrespective OF weather, and
tested IL frequently and found 1t correct; We
always tested the log in running from light TO light and
found 1t satisfactory have considered 1t safe 10 run
up the last mile the log would allow, but left mar
gin think the accuracy Of the common LOG might de-
pend on sea- but where there currents the patent