Los Angeles daily herald., 1875-05-01
LETTER FROM AGENT MCCLELLAN.

LETTER FROM AGENT MCCLELLAN.
EDITOR HERALD. In view of the
fact that an official Investigation ur-
on the Ventura disaster is soon to be
had by the San Francisco Board of
Underwriters and the U. S. Inspector
of Hulls, do you not think it would be
more nearly just for you to refrain
for the present from prejudicing pub
lie opinion against the officers and
owners of that ship, particularly as
the worst reports as to conduct, etc.,
are clearly incorrect and exceedingly
unjust.
1t is complained that at the time of
the disaster the Captain was not where
it was his duty to be, on the look OUT
that he was in his stateroom, that he
was giving his attention to ladies, and
that he was drunk etc, etc.
In the first place 1t is not the Cap
tains duty to be on the "iook out, !"
that is the duty of others, and all the
evidence that we have on that point
shows that the .'look out' was atten-
tive to his duty, and saw the danger
as soon as it was discernible. The
man on the "look out'' must devote
his entire attention to that business,
consequently the ''look out" and
the the Captain must be two
different individuals, for the
Captains duty is general in its
character. No one of veracity will say
that he had given none of his atten-
tion to that detail Of the service since
the ship left port, or that he had been
in his room all the time, or that he
had given his whole attention to HE
passengers. If a Captain has no right
in his room, why is one built for him?
And as to his giving his attention to
passengers, our most popular Com
mander receives merited and daily
praise for so doing, and as it would be
clearly impossible for him to be atten-
tive to all at the same time, he was
certainly excusable in taking them
in instalments. Will any one say
that it was not perfectly proper, and
not at all inconsistent with his duty,
for the Captain to have been in his
room at Ave minutes past eight clock
on the evening of the Goth inst, (or a
few minutes before the Ventura
struck J, or at any other particular mo-
ment since the ship left the "Heads.p
ATTENTION TO LADIES AND DRUNK.
Ladies do not receive the attention
of drunken men, neither can any half
dozen men outside an insane asylum
be found who, owning a ship which
cost them over $4,000, would place
her under the command Of drunk
ard.
1t is stated that the moon was up
and the fog was thin and open in
riffs. That may all be true, and still
it may have been impossible to see q
ships length ahead. Thinness of
fog overhead and riffs In it may be Of
service to the mariner going that
way, and yet of no particular benefit
to o steamer steering for Southern
coast ports.
From one of the passengers who was
on deck and forward moment before
the steamer struck, learn that, to use
his own words, "there was hardly any,
body on deck" and it would have been
an exceptional case had there been at
that hour, the first evening out of port
and an unpleasant evening, too. Yet,
Zone hundred and thirteen of the one
hundred and sixteen passengers"
(sea-sick ones included) offer their tes-
timony as to the exact state of the
fog, etc., at the moment Of the disaster
and just before it.
That the management after the dis
aster, and as long as the passengers
were aboard was good, is proven by
the fact that all were safely landed,
although, after the departure of the
first two boats, but two were left
available for the remaining passen-
gers. OF the management after the
passengers left the ship, the passen-
gers are not very good judges; and as
to the Captains curt replies to sugges-
tions from passengers at that time,
any Captain who would act upon a
passengers suggestion would prove
himself unworthy command; and
any passenger who would volunteer
suggestions at such time, would be
lacking in good sense, and might nee
essarily expect curt reply from any
body less than saint, and saints are
not in the sea-faring, or any other,
business nowadays. fts.
1t is mistake that two of the boats
were "taken by the crew." They were
filled with passengers, and only crew
enough to man them. So l am told
by passengers who were in these boats,
and that these boat's-crews and pas
sengers would spend an entire night at
sea unless their safety seemed to de-
mand it, is very unreasonable. The
fact is they were not able to find a safe
landing until morning q refer partic-
ularly to one of the boats; do not know
exactly how it was with the other and
that was seven miles from the wreck; (;
and, although the sea was "almost
calm,n as has been said, they had to
bail continually to keep the boat afioat
on account of the seas that broke over
her.
The truth will be known as soon as
the official investigation is had; that
will be as soon as 1t is possible, and
respectfully ask a suspension of judg-
ment till the facts are furnished to
base correct judgment upon.
Very truly, l
H. MCCLELLAN, Agent.
Los Angeles, April 30th.