Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1873-04-11

put into the port OF Halifax. During
tho last of March it is manifest that
the average length of voyages is not
q fair test It is difficult, however, to
believe that the owners ran so great a
risk solely for the purpose of saving
the cost of few tons of coal. The
object, doubtless, was to economist
space in order to ship larger number
Of that unfortunate class OF people
known us "s:eerage passengers. 1t
matters little which was the prevailing
inducen1ent. In either case it was
pure greed, and though in the eye OF
tie law 1t may not DO murder, yet, In
point Of fact and conscience, it demon
stratcs such wanton disregard OF
human Life entrusted to their care and
keeping, as to make up a case that
demands punishment but little, if any
thing, short Of that inflicted for the
mott II llfJ1l homicide.
But blame worthy rs the owners are,
tie commander, Captain Williams, Is
10 lass 50. When he discovered that
lie fras short OF coal he headed his
ship for Halifax, and after making a
fatal lniscalcgllation as 70 her position,
knowing that he WAS running OF to al
exceedingly dangerous coast, without
being aware at what rete he Was run
ming, he left his ship il charge of the
second officer aud went TO bed.
Bat Eot Only was Captain Williams
>.Einoinaliv negligent before the acct
dent, or rather before the disaster,
for i is scarcely accurate to describe
such IN occurrence as an accident ;
his conduct after his vessel had struck
urc:: the rock WIS such that, SO far as
his reputation at least is concerned, it
wcuid have been far better for him to
have been carried away by the waves
ti..tt washed over his decks and to
have been no more seen Of men. The
weight Of testimony is that he went
Ashore among tho fret that were car
rcd off in The boats, if, indeed, he was
1tot one Of the very first boats load.
There Is q law, unwritten, it is
true, save IN the hearts Of seamen of
honor, that the Captain of a vessel
must look to the safety and preserve
the lives of his passengers III prefer
ence to his own. Every sailor with a
spark Of honor in his bosom when he
accepts the command of ship accepts
il with this condition and does it
knowingly.
The testimony of Quartermaster
Thomas throws much light upon the
matter, and shows that one person at
least properly appreciated dangers
that his superiors i'll rank ignorantly
and willfully despised. This good
seaman and gallant man whose state
nent is corroborated by another
QUarter,naster, says
At 2 o'clock, 1 went upon the bridge
with the second officer, Mr. Metcalf
told him not to stand into the land
SO, as the ship had run her distance to
make the Sombro light from calcula-
tons. He told mo that was neither
captain nor mate. then went to the
fourth officer, Mr.. Brown, and asked
him if / should go on the main yard,
as he could not see the land until he
struck on il. He told me that it was
40 use to go up. ] then relieved the
I..al at the wheel, and at q the second
officer told the captain, who was repo-
sing in the chart-room, that weather
Was getting thick. The second officer
went outside of the chart-room, when
the man on the lookout called ont
Ice ahead" and the second officer
ran and told the captain that they were
among the Toe. and shortly after the
ship struck. The tinas was BIG.
It will be very difficult for Captain
Williams TO break the force Of this
testimony, save by showing it to be
;lntruthful. 1t will be difficult for a
who justiGes himself for
f'reposing in the chart-room while
approaching, in the night time, coast
that lie knows to be exception
ally dangerous, and without requir-
ing lis subordinates to observe
otlor than The most ordinary preca1-
ions on the ground that the night WAS
l c4car 4ire, to explain satisfactorily
he iact OF ms 'rctosing in tho chart
,ooEi' for three=quartcrs of an hour
afteE re was officially notified by the
proper officer that the weather was
getting thick. That was a fearful
price that his unfortunate passengers
laid TO afford to Captain Williams the
privilege OF Proposing in the chart
'oom' for three-quarters of an hour.
[. wa4e short lepose, but short asst was,
/ -7.:-as long enough to dash his ship upon |
he rocks and to drown his passengers.
L vas, indeed, fatal sleep.
Another proof Of the incompetency
=: ttie Captain - to be found in the |
nrt;nous and insnbordinate conduct |
# h,- crew OF. the voyage, rs. well Gs
Vt tie time Of the disaster. With the |
Utmost absolute power that the COM
handler Of vessel at sea possesses,
he Captain who cannot control his
rev is unfit for his position.
These are the main points upon
which wo think public opinion is
greed. We regret to think that the
sidence justifies the conclusion that
,rings home to the owners and to the
of the Inflated atlantic
degree of criminality little short of
hat of wilful murder. !