The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-04-15
TIE ATLANTIC INVESTIGATION.
Testimony Of the Atlantic's Quartermaster, Of
an Old saipmaster, Of the Keeper Of
sambro Light Of the Signal Man
at Sambro Light and Of tho
Keeper Of Chebuoto Light

Keeper Of Chebuoto Light. "a
HALIFAX, April 10, 1879
The official investigation into the cause OF the
loss of the steamship Atlantic was resumed Satur-
day morning at eleven O'Clock.
EDWARD OWENS
was sworn, and tesrlfed as tolOws:-
l was quartermaster on board the steamer
Atlantic when she was lost; was in my bed when
she struck; was relieved and went below at
twelve; heard the third officer, Mr.. Brady, on be-
ing relieved, give orders TO keep sharp lookout
for SambrO Light; my place between ten and
twelve was near the lee-side OF the wheelhouse
standing by to heave the lead II ordered to do So
the lead lines were all ready to use during my
watch; there was deep sea line and tive spare
lines to use II one did not roach bottom; Purdy
hove the log between halfpast nine and ten, but
do not know what speed she was going; then
l hove the log at halfpast eleven, and
she was then going eleven knots; she was steering
At twelve O'Clock, when went below N. E. by N.
u N; had been steering that course from ten
O'Clock; did not know anything of the position OF
the ship, only that had been ordered to keep q
sharp lookout for the light; The fastest ever knew
the ship to so was thirteen and q half knots; we
then had strong easterly gale, and all sail set
was the first to attempt to go from the ship to the
rock with, line; Captain Williams ordered me to
go, and then to try and save others; saw Thomas
come ashore; stopped on the shore and assisted
until the last person got ashore; Thomas went
away as soon as he got to land, and did not
him again; have been long time employed
as quartermaster in different steamship lines;
made seventeen voyages in the Nestoria; all
use the common log; we had three Of the patent
logs, but never used them; they are sometimes
used in Inman's employ, and especially when near
her average speed during the night should Judge,
was about ten and half or eleven knots; without
ind oatlS sha ma "a mi hon ninhf
nine knots; did not know what land we were
making when we struck; 1t was not my business 10
know this, and aid not ask.
BY Mr.. McDonald-We were eleven days from the
time left Queenstown till we bore up for Halifax
ca e neea se nea to
account tor how she made the land as soon as she
did.
The Commissioner remarked that it was four
teen and hall hours from the time she bore up to
the time she struck, and to make that distance she
must nave averaged speed OF twelve knots, and
asked witness how he accounted for the discrep-
ancy between that fact and the statements that
had been made that she only ran up eleven knots
Witness said that could not answer the ques.
ton; If the vessel was only going eleven knots she
would not have been within seven miles OF the shore
at the time that she struck. The witness was
handed pencil and paper, and directed to divide
40 miles by fourteen hours, but ne d. do not
understand ciphering to-day; understand navi-
CATION and have worked navigation as far as
second mates work, bat do not understand cipher
ing (ae was told that he was putting himself in
very dangerous place, as he was on oath, but ne
persisted in the above answer.
was the only quarterInaster who kept the log
OF the ships daily work.
TESTIMONY OF CAPTAIN COFFIN.
Captain Peter Coffin was swOrn-Have been
shipmaster for the past thirty-dye years or more;
years; always went on board of the Cunarders
when they arrived here; went in them to Boston
ana back; was relieved from that service In the be-
ginning of 1868, or rather ended with
1857; | became very familiar with the Nova
man could SES' be probaoy sambro Light is the
same now as 1t was when used to sail as pilot we
used to make Sambro Light at distance of sixteen
to eighteen miles when approaching rom the
westward; when nearing the light at times 1t Is
far palmer at twelve miles distance than at six at
other times; never had any difficulty In seeing
Sambro Light when could make out the horizon;
If the light was not visible at any time we did not
been seen, If the horizon was clear; think that
mistake must have been made In the cearness
of the horizon; the horizon Is sometimes decep-
Light, intending TO pass three miles south
of 1t; the horizon appeared well defined, but
that had settled upon 1t: saw nothing OF the light.
until saw the island on which the lighthouse
the land could not see the hight owing to the fog
settling down until 1t had Obscured the light; |
would not nave attempted TO run IN on tnat DC.
harbor during the night until saw Sambro Light
unless in case OF an emergency: on another occa-
sion, in June, found very stin current setting
me in towards Margaret's Bay: never met these
currents outside OF three miles from the shore;
sometimes, with a ssutherly wind setting on shore,
setting off shore; on board the Cunard steam
PAID s eNa ten
when / that 1t was clear and l
made out the light distinctly; on one occasion
too thick to see the light; from seven to eight
easterly direction would be enough to allow for the
a vessel after shaping her course about one hun
dred and sixty miles to the southwark OF Halifax
BY Mr.. Shannon-The rote on the shore is very
uncertain IL may sometimes be heard a mile away,
and at other times not fourth of that distance;
the land can be seen five or six miles away on
fine night; the currents do not vary so much with
the seasons of the year as they do with winds;
they are sometimes very strong in May and June;
on the occasion referred to above the horizon was
thick, the leg low and the stars visible.
TESTIMONY OF WILLIAM GILKEY.
william Gilkey testitied-I am the keeper of Sam
bro Light; have been such for twenty years;
recollect the night OF the 3lst OF March and the
morning Of the LIST OF April; attended the light at
was very bright; at ten O'Clock the weather
very haZy, wind south-southwest, raining heavy
and sea running; red two guns the en-, at two
very high; the wind was not so high; l could just
distinguish Chebucto Head Light, iour and half
miles distant fired two more guns about three
O'Clock the wind had shifted to westsouthwest;
some stars were appearing and the weather was
wind hauled to the northward and blew heavily.
GEO. HEAD
testified am gunner in the Royal artillery; am
response TO signals at sea and on foggy nights
fired two guns at ten O'Clock on the night of the
olSI OF MATCH OWluR W tHt lOR, anu tWo more III
two O'Clock the light burning brightly all the
time; was on duty from midnight to six A. NJ at
three O'Clock the weather was little brighter
than at two O'Clock.
EDWARD JOHNSTON
testified am keeper Of Cnebucto Head Light; at
eleven O'Clock on the night OF the 3lst could not
Sambro Light, but at three O'Clock could, and
also Meagher's Beach Light; my light was burning
brightly all night.
The Court then adjourned until halrpast two
O'Clock on Monday
The Passengers Property.
HALIFAX, April Is, 1873.
The evidence of one the magistrates, in relation
to his action at Prospect was OF most unsatsfac-
tory character and left the impression that he had
not dealt fairly with the property he recovered.
He tried to hold to it until he got a guarantee