Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1878-11-07
From the Washington Gazette.
Who IL Responsible I?

The EXPRESS AND OTHER STEAM
ERs.-Violent storms. such as the one
which swept along our coast ten days
since. and old, decayed STEAMBOATS,,
never did get along well together. Sail
ors will tell you that in nine cases out
Of ten the old steamboat gets the worst
OF il. and that il Nas due to snerciful
Providence that she did not 20 10 the
bottom with oil on board. Some time
ago we referred in these columns TO the
fact that the placid waters of the Poto-
mac were regarded by shipowners north
OF Us rs good enough graveyard for
their old, worn-out steamboats-craft OF
q kind they could find no employment
for elsewhere; and what is more, these
persons, mean, mercenary and reckless
OF human life, find respectable persons
here ready to lend themselves in keeping
sfoat, at The risk of human life, these
old and dangerous beats.
II is not our intention to ccnsure any
one for the terrible loss Of life on the
Express and ether old and unsafe steam
ers; but to point out where, in our opin-
ion, the evil lies, and to invite the Gov
eminent to apply proper remedies
We cay because every careful observ-
or Of such terrible disasters as the one
10 which We just referred must admit
that there il gross tri1lng with human
life somewhere, and that Il rests with
the Government 10 find out the parties
responsible for il, and administer such
punishment as shall be warning for
The future.
In England, the natural life time, as
Il is called, Of a wooden hull steamship
is eight, ten, and twelve years, accord
ing 70 the condition and character Of
wood, as we'll as the workmanship and
fastening. Here men prolong the nat
uFal life OF steamboat 10 an almost in
definite period. We do not know upon
what scientific reasoning this is done:
but il is done. and done until violent
storm puts an end TO the old crafts life
by sending her to the bottom with all
on board, save, perhaps, one or two, to
tell the terrible tale Of suffering and
death. Can il be that there is some
thing radically wrong about our system
Of Government Inspection p The
number of cases recently brought TO our
notice where Government inspectors
had given certificates directly opposite
TO the facts. as well in regard to hulls
as boilers, leads Us 10 the belief that
many of these inspectors are either
grossly incompetent Cr eriminally cor
rupt. We have heard I'D navy officers
charge them with both.
The circumstances attending the
wreck Of the Express will iorclbly IL
lustrate the truth Of what we have been
saying. That steamer was built in New
York about thirty-eight or thirty-nine
years ago; IL we remember right, 10 run
IA connection with the Long Island
rkilroad. She was not suited for the
purpose, and We believe another boat
was built 10 take her place. She sat
very low in the water, had an old-iash-
ion square engine, with high counter
balance type ofengine obsolete more
than twenty years ego. She was not
last. as has been represented recently;
and We are informed that IL was with
the greatest difficulty twenty pounds Of
steam could be kept on her. In truth,
she had not power enough 10 stem an
ordinary gale, or, as the sailors say.
look a. ordinary SEA in the face; and
the wonder Is. that she had not gone
20 the bottom before. But let Us 60
back 10 this boats history.
We lost sight OF the Express in the
waters OF New York for several years.
On the outbreak of the war, 10 and be-
bold our old acquaintance turned up in
The waters Of the Chesapeake. ready TO
do duty in connection with the Army