The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-11-21
THE STEAMSHIP DARIEN.
THE NAVAL COURT OF INQUIRY.

Yesterday, at 1870 o'clock, on board the |
British steamship Darien, there was held q
court of inquiry for the purpose of investiga- |
ing the cause of the late fire on board that
steamer. The following gentlemen composed
The tribunal:
A. De Fonblanque. Her British Majesty's Con- |
sui, President; Capt. Lloyd, Fl. NJ S Bulifnch; |
Lieut.. Dyke, H. n. s. Bullfnch; Capt. Hamilton, |
British steamship Caledonia; Capt. Gray. British |
steamship Life Brigade; Mr.. Wood, OF H. NJ. ).
Secretary.
After the court had been organized and
made for the taking of testiz
mony, Edward Leighton, master Of the ma
rien, was examined fist, and depos 'eo SUD-
stantially as follows:
1 cleared out of port heYe SATURDAY NOV
l1th 1874, at $50 P. NJ. ouho 1ol aa a
via Norfolk va lade win a2na oaaeS OF
cotton and 24oo staves httnin d dam TIC NC
ship was in CHARGE of river pilot, Mr.. john
'0a a:tsp.MMe anchored in nine fathoms off
MAGNOLIA Plantation, with fresh breeze
from the E. S. E. had anchored
the moon had gone down, and the
nilo.T did not wish to take her farther. The
a,.G hor watch was then set.
Before retiring, the chief engineer and my
self inspected the matches at the next
morning was called by the chief officer to
call all hands, and to particularly inspect the
bunker hatch to see that it had not been tam
pered with.
After some fighting with the fire, closed
the hatch in order to stit1e it.
The fire most prevailed on the starboard
side of the bunker where the cotton was stored;
it appeared to have gone fore, upwards and
aft and to have commenced near the starboard
slide.
Some 30 minutes afterwards sent the Chief
Officer, Robert E. Simpson, and the Second
Officer, John Wilson, below TO make a report.
l found the fore end Of the ship to be full
OF smoke, and the forecastle had to be aban-
doned, as it was then blowing stiff gale.
AS the upper deck was on fire, deemed it
necessary to take precautions for the safety of
the crew, bit this was happily soon rendered
unnecessary.
returned to New Orleans and on the 10Th
inst. discharged all the damaged and undam-
aged cotton on the levee.
am unable to form any opinion as to the
origin Of the fire.
E. LEIGHTON, Master.
The court will, no doubt, remain in session
tomorrow and next day, as the sworn deposit
tons of various witnesses among the crew and
officers are yet to be taken.
The investigation seems to be impartial and
thorough, and an early solution of the origin
of the fire will doubtless be had.
CINCINNATI ITEMS.
CINCINNATI, Nov. 20.-The City Council to-
day. in pursuance OF q communication from
the Mayor. and the action of the Stone Cutters
Association last night, appointed committee
to visit Washington to consult with the De-
partment officers, in order to secure for the
Cincinnati workmen, the labor of cutting
stone for the new Cincinnati Custom House.
s. B. w. Mclean, an old citizep who served
as collector of the port of this city, under
Pierce and Buchanan, and who for eleven
years preceding 1870 was business manager
and leading stakeholder in the Cincinnati En-
quirer, fell dead of heart disease at his resi-
dence this morning.
P. Ehrgott, of the firm of Ehrgott & Krebs
photographers in this city, dropped dead this
afternoon withdrawing letter from part
ner in former firm, protesting against Ehr-
gott d Krebs printing on their business cards
the words "Successors to Ehrgott, Forbriger
& Co." The letter contained a threat of
not omitted. Apoplexy is assigned as the
cause of his death.
Edward Black, brother of one of the amer
lean Express robbers, to-day sued H. S.
Julien, of Cleveland; Charles Fargo, of Chi
cago; Col. Kiersted, of the metropolitan police,
and two Cincinnati detectives to recover $50
900 damages for false Imprisonment yesterday.
Black was imprisoned four hours yesterday on
suspicion, Was taken out on writ of habeas
corpus and released. The officers said his ar
rest was made through mistake.
According to the report of the United States
Commissioner of Customs, just issued, the
number of American tourists returning from
Europe in the year closing June 3d. 1873, was
sc, $50, and it is estimated that they brought
in on an average seven trunks apiece, all filed
with articles claimed to be not dutiable. As
Stunning $500 as the value of each trunk, the
reaches the sum of SIPS, sos, 600
as the total value of these importations, much
of which, he says, ought to have paid duty.
He proposes, in order to correct this abuse, to
limit the amount brought in by each person
duty free to certain sum, and to require him
to swear to his importation.
John Henry's father-in-law, aged IS, took
it into his head to get his life insured. But
SIR" said the agent, "you are too old for us
to take the risk" "Why SOP" queried the
old man. because speedy death is too sure
a thing" "Well, I've been looking at your
tables" said the father-in-law, land fin
that there amt one man dies at my years to a
hundred that dies younger" The insurance
agent couldn't see it, but John Henry says it's
good logic, and he'll back the old man for
fifty years yet, dod rot him."
Among the Americans now here are Col.
Forney and Joaquin Miller. had the pleas
ure of dining with them at the Savage Club
on Saturday. Col. Forney seems very, active
in matters connected with the Centennial at
Philadelphia Joaquin Miller has had his
hair cropped. and in various
looks SO Anglicised that l fear he
may lose some Of his admirers. 1t is the sup.
posed Mohawk element in Joaquin that the
English admire passionately, and if he ever