New-York tribune., 1873-04-15
THE ATLANTIC DISASTER.

| HALIFAX April 14.-The official investigation into
the cause of the loss of the steamship Atlantic
resumed Saturday morning at II o'clock.
| QUARrRRmAsTER owESss TESTIMONY
| Edward owens testified Quartermzster on
board the steamer Atlantic when she lost was in
my bed when she struck relieved and went be
low at u heard the third officer Mr. Brady, on being
relieved give orders keep sharp lookout for Sambro
light my place between aud II the lee side
Of the wheehouse standing by TO heave the lead II or
dered do the lead lines all ready TO use dur
ing my watch there deep sea ne and two spare
lines TO use II one did Purdy the
log and TO- but do not know what speed she
| was GOING hove the log at 1850, and she
| was then going IL knots; she was steering at
| u o'clock when l went below, NJ L. by ~.
| NJ; had been steering that course from 10 o'clock;
did not know anything Of the position Of the ship. only
that had beeen ordered to keep sharp lookout for the
light; the fastest ever knew the ship 90 i3I
knots then had strong easterly gale and all sail
set first to attempt TO from the ship TO the
rock with hne Capt. Williams ordered me 70 20 and
then to try TO others saw Thomas come ashore;
stopped the shore and assisted until the last person
got ashore; Thomas went away as soon as he got 10
land and did not see him again; have been "A long
time employed quar;ermater in different steamship
lines; made II voyages in the Nestoria all the com
mon log; had three OF the patent logs, but never
used them; they sometimes used in Inmans employ,
and especially when near land; do not know why they
are not used her speed during the night
should Judge was about l0l IL knots without wind
or sails she could not make thau or knots; did
not know what land we were making when we struck
it was not my business to know this aud did not ask
| To Mr. McDonald-We were IL days from the time we
left Queenstown till bore for Halifax coast; can
not tell what speed she would need TO attain TO go that
| distance in that time cannot account for how she
| made the land as as she did
The Commissioner remarked that ii was H. hours from
the time she up to the time she struck and to make
that distance she must have averaeedta speed OF u
knots and asked witness how 90 account for the dis
erepancy between that fact and the statements that
have been made that she only up IL knots witness
! said that be could the question; II
the vessel only going II knots she would not nave
been within miles Of the shore az the time that
she struck. The witness was handed pencil aud paper
and directed 0 divide 40 miles by u hours but he said
d" do not understand cipherng to-day; understand
navigation aud have worked navigation as far as see
oud mates work, but do not understand cphering" He
was told that he putting himself In very danger
Gus place a. no was OATH but he persisted IN the
above answer and added that he was the only quarter
master who kept the log of the ships daily vors
CAPT COTFE's TEsT1NoSY
Cant Peter C0fiu testified: Have been shpmaster
for the past 80 years pilot Tor the Cunad
steamers for 25 years always went on board the Cunard
ers when they arrived here went IN them to Boston
and back relieved that service in the beginning o
1865 or rather ended with 1867; became very familiar
with the Scotia coast aud It's lights, as much as
auy man could be probably; sambro light the same
now as il was when used 10 sail pilot; we used to
make sanhro light distance OF G TO Is miles wien
from the westward when nearing the light
AT times Il IS far paiuer miles distance than AZ six
at other times; never had any difficulty III seeing
sambro light when could make out the horfoni II the
light was visible at any time we did not continue
our course | think the light should have been seosh
the horizon clear; think that mistake must have
beeu made in the clearness OF the horizon the horizon
| sometimes deceptive; on one occasion ran
| for sambro light intending TO pass three miles
south of il; the horizon appeared well dehued, but 1t
proved to re obscured by dense fog that had settled
upon H saw nothing the light until the island
on which lighthouse stands square on the BEAM and
then when saw land could not see tue light ewing
TO the fog settling down until il had obscurcd the light;
would not have attempted to run in on that occasion;
never would venture 20 run up TO Halifax harbor during
the night until saw sambrO Egt, unless ease OF an
emergency; another occasion In juno found very
stiff current setting me IN toward Mlrgarct's Bays
never met these outside OF three miles from
the shore sometimes, with southery wind setting on
shore have found strong nOriherly current setting
of shore oboard the Cunard steamers We always paid
the greatest attention to soundings; always sounded
| except when was that 1t was clear and made
out the light distinctly; one occasion saw the flash
of the guns at sambro when IL too thick TO see the
light; from to easerly direction would be enough to
allow for the set Of the eurrent used TO allow this IN
steering vessel after shaping her course about miles
| TO the southwark Of Halifax
| To Mr Shannon-Tho "rote on the shore is very
certain; 1t may etmes be heard mile away, and at
other times not fourth OF that distances the land
| be seen five or six miles away fine nights the cur
rents do not vary much with the seasons OF the year
as they do with the winds; they are sometimes very
strong In May and June the occasion referred to
above the horizon thick, the fog low and tho stars
| LIGHTKEEPER GmKEr's TESTIMONY.
| VIM Gilkey testified. I am the keeper Of sambro
Light have been such for q years. Tecocct the night
OF the March and the morning OF the lst OF April
attended the light at o'clock at night, and again at
o'clock; IL was very bright at 10 o'clock the weather
was very hazy wind g. w, raining heavy, and sea
running; fired guns them at o'clock the weather
remained hazy and the st very high; the wind
not so high could just distinguish Chebucto Head
Iaght "A miles distant; fired two guns about
O'Clock the wind had shifted to W. S. W. stars
appearing and the weather was clearing; the
very heavy; afterward the wind hauled to the north
ward. and blew heavily
| GUNNER HEADS TESTIMONY
| Geo Head testified / gunner In the Royal Ar
tmery; am stationed at sambro Island to fre,signal
guns iu response signals sea- and foggy nights
fired two guns 10 o'clock the night OF the 3lst OF
March owing TO the fog, aud two more at o'clock the
Light was burning brightly all the time; was on duty
from midnight a. M; at O'Clock the weather
| little brighter than at o'clock.
LIGHT IKEEPER JoHNsToN's TESTIMONY.
Edward Johnston testified am keeper of Chebucto
Head light, at II o'clock the night OF the 3Ist could
not sambro light, but at o'clock could and also
Meagher's Beach light; my light was burning brightly
| all night.
| The Court then adjourned until 2:3O o'clock on
Monday.
The evidence Of the Magistrate Longard in re-
laton to his action at Prospect was of a most un-