New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-04-19
THE ATLANTIC DISASTER.
DECISION OF THE HALIFAX COURT OF
INQUIRY.


AND OFFICER BROWNS FOR THREE MONTHS
HAL1FAx April 1s-The Commissioner convened
his Court of Inquiry into the loss of the Atlantic at
o'clock this afternoon when the following decision
was rendered:
The wreck Of the steamship Atlantic and the loss OF
life unhappy attending IT, into the causes Of which TINS
Court has been inquring, has been one Of the most
frightful marine dsasters OF this century. magnih
cent ship one OF the finest ever built, with nearly
thousand souls and valuable on board was run
ut full speed upon the rocks OF coast ana III ie"
minutes became a total wreck and moro than 900 SOUS
were hurried into eternity The object OF thus lsquS
has been 90 ascertain II possible whether TINS ass'e
40 appalling In ts consequences was one Oi tho0e '
terious dspeDsations OF Providence the resu "
beyond the power OF human prudence SKIN auo ioie
sight TO have prevented, or Whetner Oss
from the want Of that prudence skill uNe
foresight on the part OF those ci"soe
with the care and fekeepng OF 20 mueh properly "
20 many valuable lives During the progress Oh 'u'S W
ouiry In which have been assisted by capt r A oco''
and Capt George A. Mckenzie every enOi' nas Uoon
made 70 obtain full statement OF the facts iroD euon
NJ the arvyors as we're in position TO know any Of
rauses of the disaster, and the circumstances ineo
atay attending it, but throughout the investigation tne
difficulty has been felt that in consequence OF the ota'
loss of al the ships records the witnesses nave had 70
depepd upon their memory only IN stating the clrcum-
stances and data upon which the Judgment to De gwen
An the ease must largely depend; and II may be that
uuder the excitement naturally arising from the circu
stances Of the case the evidence given In some poinU
may not have been ample aud accurate "a matters OF
detail as it might have been had the memory been as
sisted by the logbOOk and other records OF the SNIP
From the evidence taken II appears that the steamship
Atlantic Of the White star line, OF 2S6 tons sahed iOi
Liverpool on the 10Th and Queenstown on the 2si OF
March. for New.York, commanded by Capt James A.
Williams, who held certificate as extra master; f1rst
Ofieer James W. FIRTH holding certificate as MASTER
Second Oneer Mr.. Metea who was lost; Third Oihcer'
c l. Brady. certificate master; Fourth Ofcer John
Brown certificate masteri with total OF Sll pseh-
Vers including IS saloon and crew Of lA men, inakns
and total on board Of persons Of whom 6S5 were be-
eyeo TO have been drowned The ship seems to have had
lair weather and TO have experienced no dihcuitY until
about the 2ith day Of March when she encountered
gale which continued for three days during which she
made comparatively slow progress her speed beng re-
ported az eight knots per hour At noon
On Monday. the 9lst day of March, her position was
found by observation to be about miles distant FROM
Sandy Hook The ehief-engineer reported only l27
Of coal remaining in the bankers, and the WIND
continued ahead, and the glass gave indications OF I'M
favorable weather Capt. Williams, after oonsults
ton with his first officer and ehiefengDeer, prudenty
decided not 10 attempt 10 reach HevYoTk with so short
supply COAL but to change biz course ana bear up
Tor Halifax.
AN INSUFFICIENT SUPPLY or COAL
During the three preceding days the ship had been in
the reduced consumption OF coal and the fart that,
after this reduced consumption she was found, on the
eleventh day OF the passage with less than As hours
supply remaining, the inference seems inevitable that
abe had not sufficient coal board when sailing for
ship OF her class From the engineers have the in
formation that, when using Welsh Goals, her cOnsump
ton was from 60 tons per day. She had on board
before leaving Liverpool total Of 967 tons OF which 80
IONS were used before her voyage was commenced,
Having only days supply had the coal been Of the
Hest quality; but the COAL instead of being OF the best
Eas a mixture Of Welsh and English, of which
abe consumed 70 tons per day. and this
rave her less than Is days supply when leaving
port. Had the circumstances OF the pas
saee favorable and difficulties from head winds
N foul weather been experienced this quantity Of coal
might undoubtedly have carried the ship and her pas
ngers safely 70 their port of destination, but the
passage across the Atlantic IN the Winter without
more or less Of unfavorable weather Is the exception.
and not the rule Favorable weather during the whole
western passage IN the month OF March could not rea-
tonaby be expected and the contingencies Of low rate
Of speed resulting from head winds and foul weather
ought to have been provided for. Under the cireum
stances. Capt waams 10 have been justified in
changing bis course and bearing up for Halifax
TIE ERROR IN NAVIGATION.
During the hour from the time the ships position by
observation was obtained the 3lst ut. until p.
distance Of about miles westerly was run, which
made her position by Capt Williams's statement TO be
1.-THE time her changed latitude A.S9 north,
longitude e3si west Assuming this position 20 be cor
rect her steered north east, north 80 east
magnetic, should have carried her well the eastward
0sambrO had there been current 10 appears in the
evidence that azmuths obtained during the after
nOon. ard the bearing Of the pole star
taken during the night TO correct the
error OF the compass II the evidence
On these pOnth n correct and il must be remembered
that these facts are given from memory only, then it is
very apparent that the ship must have been set to the
westward by current Of something over one knot per
hour At midnight she was estimated by the common
log hove at intervals Of two hours TO have run l2z miles,
OF an average OF 81 miles per hour from the time
Der course changed which would place her within
about s miles OF RambrO. At that hour the watch
below. the ship being left in charge OF the second and
fourth officers. Soon after midnight the captain left
tbe deck and retired his eharroon, giving orders to
La servant 70 call him At $40 and 10 the officers Of the
NS'ehto call him at O'Clock, sooner If they made
tb light or, If there was any change in the weather;
esnng be three hours light The cap
uhs servant came 20 call him OF 240 as ordered, but
vas prevented from doing by the fourth Officer. Il
also appears that the officers left IN charge did not obey
.teoDmand given by Capt Williams to awake hsm at
seeoek sOr nnd that he slept until awakened by the
NAOek ei tne ship striking the shore.
now STRUCK.
hfoD II 10 II minutes after o'clock the ship struck
epoh rock which. upon visit to the locality found
~@ 70 oE feet in width and distant about yards
0M heaghers Island She seems TO have struck nearly
aAre on IT, with her head TO the nOrthward her bow
"1aning fast, but her stern Immediately afterward
l1Ag 70 tae eastward In few inmates after strik-
% seSers hundreds OF the passengers and rushed
wv deck bit at that time she listed to seward, her
w becoming nearly perpendicular when all access
~ sAArWays leading from the saloon and steerage
s en- on and those remaining between decks were
sAee BY the ship filing with water. The conduct Of
williams and his officers during the time Of trial,
-St Tie chip struck, seems 10 have been ell that