New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-04-07
WHO VAS RESPONSIBILITY

Tho question asked by every one when the
Atlantic was dashed on the shore Of Nova
Scotia is practically answered The agents of
the White Star line, who sent the ship to sea
without sufficient coal and provisions,
are primarily responsible for the great ca
lamity. The captain and other officers
of the vessel, who neglected the plainest
duty, are to be directly charged with casting
ashore the vessel, and thereby sending to
sudden death multitude of men, women,
and children From the established testimony
now before us, it appears that, although tho
passage had not been an unusually long
one, the ship had not enough Goals nor
provisions to last to this port Criminal
parsimony, or q neglect equally criminal, had
fitted out the fated ship without adequate
supply for the voyage; and 80 it became
necessary, says the captain, to put into
Halifax. How far the agents or owners OF
the line were responsible for what came next
we need not now inquire. The officers IN
charge were incompetent and unfit for their
post.
The captain had made but one voyage to
America OH the ship. He had never been into
the harbor as shipmaster; neither had the
second and fourth officers who were on duty
on that fatal night. The captain had not taken
any sOundings; and he was not certain of
the speed at which the ship was running,
though he knew it was increasing hourly.
The night was not thick but up to midnight
it had been brilliant with stars; later it was
partially obscured by drifting clouds. Sambro
Light, which throws its rays twenty miles out
TO sea- must have been in sight more than
an hour before the ship struck. That light
is only nine miles distant from the
rock where the wreck was made. Put these
facts together, and then look ut the amazing
statement of Capt. Williams, that he went
to his room and went to sleep! The ship ap-
preaching an unknown and danger-hned
coast officers ignorant of the navigation be-
fore them are on duty the ship is making at
least twelve miles an hour conspicuously vivid
beacon lights must be in sight; the coast-line
is white with snow, and the breakers show
their glistening teeth in the broken starlight
the reefy beach is dead ahead. Yet the cap
tain of the vessel calmly goes TO sleep, and his
subOrdinates stolidly keep the vessel crashing
on to certain destruction. This is not only the
great calamity-it is the great crime of the
century
Looking at this awful waste OF human life,
every generous impulse must flame out with
indignation. SO little ordinary care might
have stayed the stroke of death. Such q fair
use of common watchfulness might have
brought the ship safely to port with
all her precious freight of human life.
But, for want of common precautions, the
costly ship lies wreck and almost six humid
red people are stranged in the wild sea- We
cannot say what new color may be given to
facts already known, when other testimony
shall be heard before tho Court of In
quiry But the evidence of the cap
tain, taken with the existing knowledge
concerning the coast. conclusively establishes
who is responsible for the great disaster.
The parsimony, recklessness, and incompe-
tence Of owners, agents, and officers of the
Atlantic wrought all this woe. The captain,
deserving his post at the critical moment,
should be punished as the Immediately re-
sponsible figure in this great sum of crime.