The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1873-07-15
The Wreck of the City OF Washing.


HALIFAX, July 1.-THE steamer W. A
STAR arrived from Port LIE Bar yesterds
afternoon, with the Captain, officers an
crew oil the steamer City OF Washington
and 14O steerage passengers, who had bee
llolt behind on Thursday. The latter wer
Immediately transferred 10 the steame
Somerset, and sailed for Boston. One o
the passengers, an Irish woman, was takel
in labor on the steamer and gave birth 10
child shortly after being csrried OF
board the Somerset. Captain Phillip
and the officers and some Of the crew 70
maiHed to give testimony at the oftlcls
Investigation. The remainder will go Il
England in the Westonian tomorrow
Official inquiry was commenced thil
morning. There is nothing new 10 re-
port from the wreck. A cabin passenger
Capt. Hammond, says there was thorough
discipline, and that good watch wal
kept during the entire voyage. Thert
we're always two officers on the bridge
and two men on the look out. he Is oI
the opinion that the disaster was due al
together 10 the deviation oI the compasses
One statement Of Col. Parnell, that there
wEs lack Of discipline, curslng, swearing
and confusion at the time the ship struck
and alter the passengers landed, Captain
Hammond pronounces untrue.
OFFICIAL INVESTIGATION.
HALIFAX, July 14.-Au official investi.
CATION into the cause Of the wreck Of the
City of Washington has been opened by
Capt. Scott, OF the Royal Navy.
Capt. Phillips was the first witness,
and testified:-Aiter the first two days
from Queenstown was unable 10 take as.
Economical observations. The winds
were westerly had wind the entire pas.
sage, No soundiDgs were taken. Didn't
notice any change In the color OF the
water. We're eight days In the
log. The ship struck at 1:l5 r. 81.
Of the 9th; was going at full speed as 1t
was time 10 clear the fires; don't know
what the speed was, but suppose 8 knots;
was on deck when the vessel struck; i'm
medlately ordered the signal guns fired;
the boats wero lowered promptly, with.
out confusion and sent 10 the shore in per-
feet order. The ship was In first class or.
der, with full compliment Ol men, pro.
visions and coal. On leaving Liverpool
1t will be found In all respects that the
general instructions Of tho company are
that the meredian Of Cape Race Is 10 be
passed at about latitude AZ. I sdheared
TO these instructions.
Capt. W. j. Hammond, passenger, teS-
tilted that he never saw better discipline
on steamship; there was no confusion
in lowering the boats; never saw an
officer touch o glass OF liquor
John Shear, first otlcer-Never saw
the shin steer better; had no reason TO
suppose that she was making more than
she should have done; the log was hove
every hour the fog was 80 dense weCould
not tell the color Of the wateS when the
ship grounded the engines were stopped.
John Flsherty, third officer, testified
thRt'the lead was not hove during the
voyage. We did not heave the lead be-
cause we thought Il useless. Never
crossed the Atlantic when the weather
was so continually tlick. Our reckonings
were made with more thau usual care on
account Of thickness OF the weather. My
reckonings agreed with the Captain with
In few minutes. According 10 my reck.
oning the ship should have been very
much farther south than she was. / at
tribute this to northerly winds or an error
OF the COmpasses. Have been crossing in
these steamers for four years, and we
have always steered them in the same
course, which has taken US clear Of every
thing. There was three quarters OF q
point difference between the compass on
the bridge and the standard compass.
A. N. Anderson, Sd mate, testified that
he had not the slightest idea that the
ship was making more northing than she
would by the course steered. He noticed
no discolorsd water which would lead to
the belief that the ship was not going
right. Ny reckoning OF the voyage was
over one hundred miles out of the way;
l do not remember exactly what 1t was.
attributed this large deviation to an
error In tho compass and this error
to q large amount Of iron and steele form.
ing a part OF the cargo. We steered 80
as 10 go 10 the southwark In passing
Cape Race, as the instructions Of the com.
pany require we took the temperature OF
the water every two hours,
Thomas Bruce, engineer, testified: The
engines were not slowed down or stopped
during this thick weather, but l was
always ready TO do 30. When the ship
struck l was ordered 70 stop the engines.
The average steam gauge was 81 pounds.
Adjourned.