The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-04-03

panies In tho same trade a. the white Star line IL
was found that. from the gentiemaDly agents down
to the youngest empi0ye the sad accident to the
Atlantic was the absorbing topic Of conversation.
Among them all. with but one or two exceptions,
the greatest sympathy was expressed for the I'M
fortunate company and for the loss OF such vessel
and 80 many souls. s
In propounding questions that would draw from
prominent persons belonging TO these companies
their for the appalling disaster 1t was found
that an evident Discrimination existed among the ma
jority to say much. they arguing that would not be
in good taste under the circumstances, and though
the cause might not be the same. accidents oil ike
nature might occur to their own steamships
The first gentleman questioned upon the subject
holds an important position on one oil the largest
European lines, and he said, In substance that the
disaster was the most extraordinary and in
applicable thing he ever heard OF. 1t was
mystery that the steamer assuming the Third
O1icer's story az published In the HERALD yester-
day morning to be correct, should be
SENT TO sEA
on twelve days. voyage with ten days supply OF
coal At this season OF the year and In the Winter
when adverse winds are expected, 1t was the
custom OF the line to which he is connected to
give their ships eighteen and twenty days supply
OF coal, and during the Summer months fifteen
days. Though the majority OF the companies have
contracts TO furnish their ships all the coal neces
sary these In many instances have been disre-
garded by the contracting parties, as the
advanced price OF the fnel, within the
past few months, has made bankrupts OF
them, and difficulty has been experienced, in some
cases, In obtaining the quantity desired just before
sailing. Whether this was 50 or not with the At
lantic the interviewed gentleman could not tell,
and he would await the offlcia investigation sure
to be made in England. Yet he would say that
the whole affair was puzzle, and he could not
possibly assign any reason why the officers reck-
onng should be so faulty, and thought 1t inexpli-
cable that Captain Williams should be asleep Just
at q time when his services were the most re-
quired on deck.
THE NEXT GENTLEMEN CALLED UPON
held position similar to the above, and has vast ex-
perience in the trade, the line with which he
ia connected being one of the first in the business
In the matter Of furnishing their steamers with
coal, he said that their slower vessels always
received in coming this way sixteen days
supply and the faster ones fourteen
days. 1t was the experience OF their
company in Europe that the supply
Of coal was very limited and they had recently
been compelled to send their vessels to Cardiff
in order to obtain the necessary quantity to give
their many steamers This gentleman further said
that late Tuesday evening, when the news Of the
disaster first received. he knew that the White
Star Line gentlemen in this city the0rized that 1t
was not the limited supply Of coal that caused the
Atlantic to be headed for Halifax but rather that
SOMETHING HAD CONE WRONG
with the vessels machinery, and that was the only
available port. 1t was hardly fair to charge the
White Star Company with meanness In supplying
their vessel with fuel the absence of the Allan
tic from this port in addition to the first great loss
sustained, is daily deficit or f25O to f3OO. Yet it
had been his fear and the fear OF many Of
his friends that the way the vessels OF the
White Star Line were pushed for the purpose
OF making fast trips must one day result in some
terrible calamity, and though his regret was Of
the keenest nature he was not surprised to hear
what befell the Atlantic. With the machinery Of o
steamship, as with everything else, there Is limit
to which 1t be worked. and constant, terrible
strain, such as was the case with many of the
sells Of the line in question: must result in break
down, and 1t was not yet certain that this did not
occur, causing Captain williams to seek safety In
Halifax harbor.
Still another gentleman OF different line was
then called upon, and as he has all the control IN
New York Of q neet OF the largest steam clippers
that ply the Atlantic his opinion is OF Importance.
To him the disaster was most appalling and his
sympathy was extended to the company, but
HE CONDEMNED CAPTAIN WILLIAMS,
as when approaching q dangerous coast at night
with thousand souls in his charge, he should not
have been asleep, but at his post on the bridge ;
and should the charge of the saved third officer In
this respect be true the captain should be tried for
mansaughter and transported. The coal now OBJ
tanned in Europe for steamship consumption was
much inferior to what 1t used to be, sixty tons q
few months ago being equal for steaming
purposes to eighty tons now. There was plenty
to be had II the price asked was paid but prudent
onlcers now sent larger supply than ever BEFORE
because Of its inferior quality. With the vessels OF
the line which he controls there was always sup
piled them In Winter twenty days. consumption
and in Summer seventeen days, and during eight
years but one OF their vessels had been compelled
the loss Of many ocean steamers was due to
the negligence Of the commanding Officer and it
was pity that some OF them should not be made
to feel the strong hand OF the law. 1t was time now
to begin in this wise.
other agents were visited, and the gist Of their
stories regarding the cause Of the disaster were
alike to the above. Yet some OF them would not
express an opinion until they could hear further
from the scene Of the disaster.
THE FATAL COAST.
The disaster was yesterday almost the only topic
of discussion among the seafaring men who con.
prerate about the foot OF Bu Ring. slim East River