The New York herald., 1875-09-01
THE PACIFIC MAIL STEAMSHIPS.

THEIR coNDTIoN-How THEY WERE IN
sPEcrED AND BUMT-vIEws OF Mr.. JOHN
ROACH THE MARINE ARCHITECT.
Yesterday HERALD representative, learning that
Mr. John Roach, the builder Of the Pacific Mail Steam
ship Companys great iron ships, was in town, and
could probably throw light the condition OF
the City Of Pekng lying disabled in the harbor OF
San Francisco, called at Mr. Roach's residence Fifth
avenue and learned that the gentleman had gone down
town. The reporters search was rewarded later by
finding the well known Chester shpbuider in Wall
street. in company with Mr. Thomas Murphy and
another prominent gentleman. He went aside how
ever with the HERALD's correspondent and politely
answered all question:
81 am desrous, he said, Ito correct many
GRAVE ERRORS LYING RUxoRs
never felt before how hard it TO be silent while
reports are manufactured for stockobbng purposes
reports which have attacked my reputation as a ship.
buIlder''-
Have you not been to California to see the Peking
Mr. Roach ?" interrupted the reporter
Mr.. RoAcH-No, sir. have been attending to my
business in New York. Philadelphia and Chester
REPoRrER-It was currently reported you had gone
TO San Francisco 70 give estimate to the Pacific
Mail Company Of the damage to the big ship
Mr. RoAoH-Not word Of truth in it, any more than
she ID uihaSeu 10 tne extent OF $500, OOO Now, SIR
will give you the history OF
THE BUILDING THE PEKING AND TOXIC
and you can judge whether it was possible for me 10
send bad steamship out of my yard The Pacific Mail
Steamship Company made a contract with me to build
the ships and had the appointment Of two inspectors
OF their own, who officers in their company and
one resided in Chester constantly. These gentlemen
constantly supervised and reported
AN INSPECTOR or THE BUREAU vERrTAs
vvoqa n an YO muc knO oil
ships of great tonnage expecting to be registered
Lloyds must build according to Lloyd specifications
Thus. ship of 2 900 tons must bebut and So and
one Of tons after particular specification SO these
ships were built.
REPoRrER-were any of your plans submitted to
the Bureau Vertas, French Lloyds, where the
Pacific Mail ships expected TO regsterH
Mr.. RoAcH-Certainy. Specimens OF the iron
also sent to them, and returned to me- marked
approved" Further, when the City of Peking was
put in the dock in New York
INSPECTOR OF THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT,
representing the Secretary of the Treasury passed
upon the vessel and found her stanch and complete in
every part Had she not been accepted such by the
government the one-thrd Of the money-withhed by
the Mail Company, according to agreement until such
inspection should be made-would not have been paid
When the Pekng went to sea, loaded badly with over
5000 of dead freight experienced heavy weather
and finally reached San Francisco there exami
nation made, and what do you think was the resul0
REPoRTBR-I should like to know.
Mr. RoAcH-Although she had 396 girders
SIXTEEN RIvETs THE sTARBoARD SIDE
were found lQosened and nine the arboard side
There was report different from this, which was al
ready prepared before the examiners expert engineers
could meet together TO report, and which they were
requested to sign They declined and the report was
not made If | had sent shoddy ship 10 sea the
Peking would have been lost
REPoRrER-What ships are you bulding'
Mr. RoAoH-0ne will be here in this harbor next
week, another in four weeks from this time and one
more, think In four weeks after Our American ships
have stood better than the English iron steamers
and Mr. Pmsolps protests in Parliament, ! think
have proved this since lately number of their ships
rated high at Loyds, have been declared unseaworhy
REPoRrER-What is your estimate Of tho repairs TO
the Peking2
Mr. RoACH-I would not like to say without better in
formation than have at present; but when the Wall
street people have less control Of the affairs of the
steamship company than they have at present you will
find no more random statements put forth in the public
written history of these matters which give you
at another time