The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-04-15

Captain Williams Makes . Supplementary
Statement at the Afternoon Session
Coal and Discipline.

HALIFAX, N. s., April 10, 1873.
The Atlantic Investigation by the Custom House
Committee was resumed at 2:30 p M. rrhe morn
Ing proceedings appearing elsewhere.l
BENJAMIN Fulker was sworn and testified az fol.
lows:-l am keeper OF Duvil's Island light; have
been Keeper for twelve years; was on duty on the
night OF the 3lst ultimo at nine p. NJ, at eleven
r. NJ and again at three In the morning; the
light Is visible from nine to ten miles;
at nine p. NJ. could see 'sambro and
Chebucto Head lights; at eleven p M. the weather
was thicker and hazy, with a rain shower; could
see Chebucto Head but not Sambro; at three A. M.
the weather was clear; could see both Sambro and
Cheoucto Head; wind Westward; my light was
III perfectly good order; previous to becoming
hghtKeeper | was in the revenue cutters and
also in the coast survey; Cannot say how far
Sambro Light should have been seen that night.
as the weather was thick outside and clear near
me; am acquainted with the current or the coast;
1t Is stronger in the Spring than other times it
might make difference OF half knot or more in a
vessels speed; 1T is generally southwest and west
southwest sixty miles or near Sable
Bank, it Is northwest have found it
. little northerly closer In shore IL varies
much; have known 1t to change with the wind in
three or four directions in five or six hours or
Cable Back; when not affected by wind the cur.
rent is westerly; it Is stronger the banks or
shore than shore Duyils Island Is distant about
nine miles from Sambr0.
Captain Wood, Harbor Master OF Halifax, who
had been subpGnaed, was called as a witness. but
did not answer. Messengers were sent for him but
could not find him.
THE CAPTAINS SUPPLEMENTARY STATEMENT.
Captain Williams then made a supplementary
statement AZ follows The Atlantic and other
White star ships were intended to consume
from ffty-fve to sixty tons Of coal per
day, but when the coal is bad, as it proved
to be in this case. the consumption. went up to
seventy tons to maintain the same rate OF speed;
the company have contracted and paid for tho
best coal in the market, and cannot be held re-
sponsible for the quality OF the coal supplied by
the fault or the contractors; the English portion
Of the COS coal supplied to the Atlantic appeared to
so that It's heating properties were very much i'm
paired; had the coal been the quality expected by
ana n halt days. full consumption, no ship OF the
White Star line having made passage longer
New York; the extra coal was supplied to prevent
the necessity OF taking in any in New York; there
was ean ample supply OF provisions on board,
the Government Inspector at Liverpool having GER
titled to thirty-th days. supply when she left
Liverpool; what we were greatly short OF was salt
gers the supply having been washed overheard in
q gale; In regard TO the efficiency OF the
crew. they were as good as usual though
II we get ten good seamen among forty takeR0n
board this is so with all the lines; since the adolf
ton OF apprenticing seamen have deteriOrated;
the best run OF the Atlantic this voyage was 800
miles In twentyfour hours and thirty minutes; the
second o1lcer wasnot in the chart room when the
ship struck; felt the ship strike; the quarter
master was at the wheel when l passed on; met
the second officer at the fore part OF the wheel
house he was coming from the bridge; said to
him, "Mr. Metcaif, you have been in collision; why
did you not call me :" he said, 1--WE are on the
rocks"
Examined by the Commissioner From twelve
noon TO one O'Clock Z. M. on March 81 we steered
west by north with two degrees westerly devia-
tain; the exact course would be west seven
degrees south, and making seven miles the dis
lance, at noon, to Sambro, and to the point where
she struck would be about the same; account for
hours and quarter while her log showed
maximum rate OF IL knots. solely by the current;
the number OF the ships crew, including officers
and men, was i46; believe there were Sll passen-
gers all told. OF whom IS were cabin about $50 Of
OF these came aboard at Queenstown; OF the 967
persons board l think 422 were saved;
hold certificate OF competency extra
master, No. 22216; ! believe it is on board or
the ship we intended to get provisions at Halifax,
but did not come here for that purpose besides
the two lookout men and the quartermaster there
were abOut fifteen men in the watch when the ship
struck: they must have been ut work washing
the decks, &c. believe the statement OF Quar-
ter-master Thomas, that he cautioned the
allow such a breach of discipline; ] made
allowance for the current, but not enough; | sup
posed that the heavy westerly Winds that prevailed
during the winter would have neutsalzed the
westerly set; expected at daybreak to have had
the land east OF Halifax In sight.
This ended the testimony, and the court was ad-
journed until Friday at three O'Clock p. NJ, when
Judgment will be given.