New Orleans Republican., 1873-07-15

| weather cleared up, and there she lay Gui-
escent, aE if she was at anchor.
| She lies about half mile to the leewacd
| of Green island, which is about three acres
| in extent, and half a mile N dlrecS Hne
from the shore. A line Of reefs extends out
| from the shore, with heavy breakers On
| them.
Had we gone to the righ. or the lett only
| 200 yards we must have struck either the
| island or the reefs, and a iealful loss OF lite
! must have ensued. About tour mics IN
the rear Of the ship is the Little Hope rock,
by which we must have passed WITHIN
| few yards. The steamer lies IL about H.
teen feet Of water, and appears as soma as
| the rock she lies on. Her stern 1s n deep
water. and if we had backed of We must
have sunk IN five minutes. Ten minutes
after she struck she began to I'LL, and IS
now filed up, with fifteen feet OF water IN
| her hold.
All Sunday and Monday stores, blankets,
beef. biscuits. etc. were landed, ana every
| one appeared as cOntented as possible under
| the circumstances. The kindness OF the
| people, what few there are. is excessive.
| Every one is engaged IL alleviaring suffer
| ing.
| On Monday evening a meeting of cabin
passengers was called, and about TWO hun.
| dred dollars were subscribe on tie spot in
| coin for the two heroes. Swanburg and
| Ferguson.
One ought to be started IN New York for
| the same purpose, in behalf OF those noble
| fellows who risked their lives for Us. No
tidings have been heard vet OF any relief
being sent, owing 70 hard-pressirg business
| in New York.
! started Yesterday for Annapolis and
hope to bo in New York .o-morrow. When
left there were plenty Of provisions for
all hands for some days 70 come. This is
| how the Washington was lost.
Why she was lost is quite different
I affair. Many readers Of the Herald are not
nautical men. ! will simply say that they
can only compare the navigation of the
| Washington to the conduct Of a man who
gets on horse and gallops il dark night
full speed down a turnpike road, totally
| regardless whether there are several gates
on the road and whether they are open or
shut.
Fortunately for us, we got through one
gate-the Little Hope Rock; but Gull
Rock Shoal gate was unfortunately closed.
| As ! said before, no sight was taken for
seven dave. The lead was never hove
once. No one had the slightest idea where
we were, and yet this Inflated ship was run
at twelve and thirteen knots an hour for
days together. 1t is perfectly monstrous
that the lives of GOO persons should be q.
the mercy of set of men either grossly in
|
Had this accident occurred at night at leas,
100 lives would have been lost. What is
the good OF a captain in time of peril who
is laid up with the gout. What possible
good is an officer who can't tell the position
Of his ship within $50 miles! We had or
board captain as passenger who has
crossed the ocean scores Of times. He e
quently warned the chief officer that he wal
running 700 far north ward and advised hin
to run 100 miles or SO to the southwark te
get the sun and see where they were. Hi!
advice was rudely declined. The second
officer, / believe. coincided in this view. We
should have gone on running twelve knots
an hour until we struck something, even i
that something should be the Seal rock a
San Francisco.
A most searching and minute inquir,
should be held into the matter, and the re
sponsible persons punished.
AS the matter at present stands, any on'
sailing from England to America can JUS
toss up a five cent piece to know whethe
ne will come out all right or not. Grea
credit is due the second officer, the docto
and the purser for their activity and atten
ton to the ladies.