, 1873-07-12

1nE LA6I UCEAH.sIEAlIHH1P D1pASTER.
Tho rccont disus.er to tho ocean steamer of
tho 1nman Line, tho City Of Washington, coming
30 closely upon the disaster to tho Atlantic, Of
the White Star Limo, md happening upon tho
samo dangerous coaut, is lable to bo passed over
without serious comment, owing to tho mItigat-
Ing circumstances which attended it. Every Do
tail OF tho disastor eoems to haye boon favora-
bio to tho passengers OH the ill-fntol vessel.
She struck in tho afternoon, whom oil Of the
crew were on duty aud tho passengers wore
awake, and thus the inevitable excitement aud
confusion which must havo onsued, had it
boon at night, wero avoided She struck
to the right or loft, she would hayo run either
upon Groen Island or upon roofs, and fearful
loss Of life nltlBt have enBuod. ASatn, at tho
timo Of tho accilent, the Hcn was perfectly calm
so calm that tho flshermon on st,oro wcro en-
nbied to row out to tho steamer mud lolp take of
tho passengers, and guide thona to aafoty. Had
tho aoa boen rough, lops Of life must lavo been
inevitable. As it happened, however, tho crow
and passengers woro all landed, and
it WAS possible to land also tho ships
storcs and blankets, with which to make
them comfortable. There aro also yomo
oxtenunting circumstances to bo sot down to tho
credit Of tho officers OF the ship. Every man
was ut Lis post and ready for duty, and tho ofli-
GERS showed themselves equal to tho emergency.
Tho discipline Of the crew was perfect, aud many
Of tho disgraceful acones which occurred on tic
Atlantic, under similar circumstances, were not
repeated on tho City Of Washington. Agait, it
ocoan Btoamor will alwaya know tho exact
position of lis yeasol when ho Inns
no opportnuitice for taking obsoryations, and
Inns only tho compass mud log-lino for his guild
anco. At best, ho can only roach m nppro1i-
mate result. This much Of allowance III to bo
mado, aud thore liz certainly good reasou for ro-
]oicing that tho conjunction or circumstances
was 10 favorable, and tho stato Of discipline
OIL board 80 perfect, that no lifo waa loyt.
Making MI possible allowances, however,
there IL still room for comment upon this
disaHtor, md it should not DO nj
lowed to pass without notice and be
forgotten. moroly because. by tho most ro-
markablo good fortune. no one waa lost. It is
tho duty Of eyory Captain of all ocaarl-;oing
steamor to uBo every procant!on which will COIL
duce to tho safoty of those In Ills charge. In
tho present Instance tho City Of Washington
was in fog so dense, from The tlmo allo loft
Queenstown until Bl,o struck, TINT it WAS impos-
sille to takc observations, oxcopt by tho ordinary
method OF dead reckoning. Tho notoriouBly la1l-
gorous character Of tho Novn scotian coast waB
known to tho Captain. llowoyor. It must hayo
boon known to linn aluo from tho apood of hia
yessel, aud the time which Ind olapAol since ho
loft Queenstown, thut ho WAS near tho coast, md
yot tho voasol kept OIL through the fog at tho
ratio Of twelve to thirtoon milos Ill hour, which
is almost ZIP to tho Average ratio of speed of
ocean steamers undor favorable crcumHaucos
Having had no opportnnitios to talse obaarya~
tionH, thoro WAS aso utmost an absolute certainty
TINT thu atoamer was moro or loHH out OF hor
course. On tllis point VIC have tho tostimony of
ono of, tho paaHongars, himself M ocean Captain,
who frequently warned tho Ohiof Ol1icer that l.o
Waa cunning too far northward, aud adyisod Lin