The New York herald., 1877-11-29
SEARCHING FOR THE DROWNED.
The Bodies Of the Sailors Scattered for
Miles Along the Beach.
CAPTAIN GUTHRIE'S CAREER.
Congressional Economy ParaIyzing the
Life Saving Service.
NORFOLK. w. Nov. %. 1877,

have elapsed, the disaster TO tho Huron is still pain
ful topic OF discussion The theories advanced all
sides are numerous and many OF them plausible; but
mono are regarded satisfactory as the explanation
Of this terrible calamity. who most Of tho naval
authorities converse freely the subject of
them will openly express their opinions us to tho
cuIpabity OF any person for tho Disaster subordi.
nate officials who were intimate with all the officers OF
the Huron, and with many Of whom had conversa-
tions to-day, at loss to account for tho
pursued by tho Huron alter she passed out OF tho
Capss.
OPINIONS OF THE OFFICERS.
Captain Ryan aud Lieutenant Palmer, tho navi igator,
were so woll known ana classcd among the most in
te.hgeDt and skiliul tho service that naval
officials r fuse to believe either OF them would have
been rash enough risk tho ship and crew by
hugging the coast merely to save the 1mc the trip
outside tho Gull Stream would consume
err said an old naval officer. "Captan Ryan or
Navigator Palmer were either OF them addicted to
drinking, or that either OF them by any possible
chance open 10 the suspicion OF carcossness neg
lect, could In some way account for ; but they
wore among the most temperate and most reliable
officers in tho navy am beioggcd on the subject"
WERE THE coMPAssEs FArLryS
The only reasonable theory this class OF officers
ccpt Is that the Hurons compasscs were either not
properly adjusted or that tho Huron. being nm iron
vessel they became subject 10 some local attraction
and hence led tho officers OF the ship astray IN ther
rcckoning Tho Huron ono OF tho eight sloopsof-
war built by contract, and it Is not unlikely that
this latter conjecture as to faulty comp asses
is correct, ''tor," said another navy Official, .'r
the navigation officer Of the Huron had deliberately
set tho Of tho vessel for the point of Nag's
Head, where she ashore, he could not have moro
oHectuaily mado that point than tho WY he did.
There was no mistake; there sho was headed ana
there she went That sho was driven on by tho gale
or that she trying to save tme by running INSIDE
both mistaken ideas. The ship was the victim OF
bad compassca'
Whether this Is tho correct theory am not pro.
pared 10 say, but certainly the that prevails
among very intelligent class OF naval officers.
NEGLECT or rHn SIGNAL SERVICE DEPARTMENT..
There Is a great complaint madc here ana very
justly about the careless and dtatory work OF tho
Signal Service Department At tho time OF tho disaster
The Huron won't ashore IN tho carly morning-say
forty minutes past one-1 few miles from tho signal
telegraph oflco ut Kitty Hawk, and yet tho
ncws was not known oven to few Of
tho outside world until about noon Rear Admiral
Trcnchard did not receive Instructions from Washing
tom where the ncws frat sent, to send assistance
until twoP. N. The run from Hampton Roads to tho
point III which tho Huron went ashore would only
consume about i've hours
THE FIRST RELIEF.
The FIRST relief ship arriving at tho OF tho dis
astcr was-shameful TO rclate-not naval vessel but
the wrecking steamer B. j. Baker, which anchored
OF the ill-iatod vessel somo time early on Sunday
morning Meantime the mercilcss breakers were
brulsing mangling and boating the lives out Of oil
the Hurou's crow that had clung TO the
rigging the hope OF assistance before al over.
VAN nope SO much for IN utterly inefficient not
to say perfectly worthless, government telegraph.
A great deal Of money spent to construct this
limo from this point TO Wilmington, and a greater
amount Is needed annually TO reconstruct II, but IL
is with the greatest difficulty that q message be
got through to Cape Hattcras All the messages TO
and from tho wreck had to be sent wire
that would only work inteliigiDy as lar north
Cape Henry, where thoy had to be repeated
from both north and south. what with bad working
wires indifferent hanipulators and red tapcsm the
Chief Signal Onice at Washington, precious time was
permitted sp away aud along with 1t the last gasp
OF tho last wretch cngng TO the wreck Of tho doomed
Huron.
USELESS TELEGRAPH LINE
The signal wire from NorIok to Wilmington was
built BY tho Signal Service Department about two
years since at cost oil say $50 000 and has
worked entirety more than foriyeaht hours dur
ing tho wnolc time The poles put up top OF the
sandhils overlooking the beach. rho fierce storm OF
September 1876, swept away about twenty miles OF
tho line ana poles besIdcs destroying several cables
across tho rivers and inlels on tho coast Several
months since a lieutenant. with squad OF men, was
sent out TO repair damages but with wnat success has
never yet been realized
FLAG AND BRAVE SEAMAN SAVED.
One OF the flags OF tho Huron was her0ically saved
from the wreck By seaman named AntoIio Williams,
VINO now has It al the Naval Hospital hero When En-.
sign Young started tho bslsa TO Try and get line
ashore he got aioui OF the spars aud called tor hop
Williams jumped over to his aid aud succeeded IN
getting clear oil the spars, but the rope beng
short II had be cut. They succeeded In reaching
the shore first OF all the Survivors Before wIi-
iams the ship lie went uit and got lag, which ho
wrapped around his body, ana with which lie declares
he wil never part. II 10 the only QUO OF the Huron
flags which rescued by survivor OF tho wreck.
Williams afterward distinguished himself In saving
tho survivors o tho stranded boat OF the Baker wreck
ing steamer
ARRIVAL eF THE RELIEF PARTy.s
Commander james Green telcgraphs that his relief
party has arrived at tho scene OF tho good
order and gone TO work actively IN caring Tor the
the bodies recovered from tho wreck. The bodies ap
pcar ashore all along the boach, Tor thirty
miles Or more. Lines nave uccn mado fast to tho
wreck and all the bodies found on board have been
removed 10 tho shore. THIS sad work viii DO FULLY
completed 10 about ten duyA Tho bodies generally
are already advanced In decomposition. ana many viii
have to be buried on the beach. Every effort
Will be made TO bring tho remains OF the
officers 10 Norfolk and inter them IN The Naval Hos.
pual Cemctory until removed by freuda A large
batch Of collins were manufactured at the navy yard
to-day and go down to Nag's Head Tomorrow. The
stcamer 81. W. COBB ch artercd THIS AFTERNOON and
LETT tonight for tho beach with company oi tho
friends OF the officers rowned their mission Leug 10
hunt up the bodies and carry them North
possible
OFFICIAL RgcoGxirioy RELIEF SERVICE.
An official letter from AamiraIe rroncnard was
tue navy yard, to-day, thanking him tor the effective
and timely work accomplished cy the rcef party sent
the yard on Saturday night that party being tho
lrst 10 reach the scene oil disaster by the route
through the sound.
RECOVERY or CAPTAIN orrnRix's DopY.
The body oil captain j. j. Guthrie, who vas In charge
OF the ic.saving stations IRON Cape Henry to Hut
terus aud who was iost Sunday IN the Baker surf
boat, was found to-day near tho OF the wreck
This officer haa vnri ID and oventul career Ho was
q midshpman Ia 1885. and was promuied licutcIagt
during tho Mexican war for gsantry. lie led tho
Uub Rriti uQI ANA
forces IN 1856 on tho brfier forts
the mouth OF the Canton River, In China, and. cap
tured them, IN 1859 He command oil tie
coast surveying steamer Walker, which was wrecked
on Absccom Lighthouse, New Jersey. lie was after
attachcd TO the African Squadron aud captured
the SLAYER Nightingale un tho mouth OF Congo River,
1861, winch vessel no brought into New York har-
Dor, and Then resigned HIS commission. During the
ConIcdcracy he had command OF floating battery In
the Mississippi River, the steamer Ctattnhoochee ana
the Vance Hts disabilities were removed In 1870,
and ho was appointed by President Grant to tho posi-
ton he held when he lost hls life