The New York herald., 1878-02-27
THE ROTTEN METROPOLIS.
HER CAPTAIN STILL INSISTS THAT SHE WAS
sEAwoRTHY- THE TESTIMONY OF OTHER
WITNESSES DENIED.


sEAwoRTHY- THE TESTIMONY OF OTHER
wiTNEssEs DENIED.
PHrLADELPHIA, Feb. 26. 1878.
The testimony of Captain Ankers, OF the Metropolis.
to-day before the government steamboat inspectors
directly In opposition TO everything that had been
heretofore given evidence by other parties in
gard 70 the unseaworthness OF that unfortunate ship.
he'distinclly iNerred that there water any
other portion OF the ship out the shalt alley and that
the engines were working endeayaripg to clear 1t.
The first oficer, he says found the veak the
head the rudder post and in tho ruddcr case tho
carpenter set to work TO endeavor TO mitigate IT.
and, ne continues, concluded TO tighten the vessel
by throwing coal overheard, which We did, setting all
the crew and passengers Al work, and bearing away
for Hampton Roads, Cape Henry, then bearing west by
north distance OF seventy miles; quarter TO three
A. N. made a light hearing west by northwest BY
compass but owing to the thickness OF the weather
could not distinguish IL; sounded and got twelve
fathems Of water; upon consultation win my officers
deemed II prudent to haul TO the wind. head OF
shore, and await daylight; at that time all tho water
was out of the ship and had tho leak under
trol we had stopped hcaving out COAL having
thrown overheard 100 tons: at twenty minutes
past four A. NJ very large sea boarded
tho vessel, sweeping everything before II; the
forward match, house, boats, smokcstacK, saloons,
engine room-ln fact, taxiog the whole side OF the
house and letting tons OF water in the ship, putting
the fires out and rendering the ship logey and un-
manageable, throwing her IN the trough OF the sea, SO
that the sea was making complete breach over her.
Finding 1t impossible to tho vessel
set the jbs ana foresails all, TO endeavor to reach
the beach to save the lives OF my crew and pas
songers tho ship was steering wildly, and
heading from south southwest to west by south; at
SIX A. NJ. ths engineer reported the nres oat AZ a
saii on 10 force ner up; when she stopped her bow
less than 100 yards from the shore, ana IN eight
la annta
IN time every soul board tue ship could have been
saved Up 10 tho time OF The sea boarding tho snip
had not the least doubt OF saving the ship and tax
ing her into Hampton Roads.
THE SHIP SOUND.
Al the time OF startng upon thus voyage tho vessel
was perfectly stanch seaw0rthy anu well ntied
Tor tho voyage; did not consider her overoaded as
sho did have on board everythins-cargo, COAL pre-
visions, water, weight oil passengers AMI baggage
up to her registered tonnage; her mean draft was
only thirteen feet; lsupernended The storage Of her
cargo and considered IL well aud properly slowed
and apportoned IN the ship; had charge OF the vcs
sci while fitting out tor the voyage, and everything
was doue TO put her In complete orders she upon
the dock Tor inspection, and was inspected by the
underwriters ana United States inspectors; every
thing was done .hat they requirei or recon;
menuod: ! examined her thoroughly In all
parts, aud considered ner strong vessel in fact,
That the general opinion of every one
with four strappers running from the upper deck TO
the brdgo keesons IN the lower held boted to heavy
Inc entire length OF the shp in this
strcDgthenn she had very neavy timhers or clamps
extending from the waterways 10 between decks up
about hfee and one-ha ieet, run the entire length,
and heavily boted through The ceiling and timber;
the ship had air streaks both In the lower hold and
between decks extending the entire length; also test
ings which had been cut out when the ship was IN
specled 10 show her tnbers; examined the tm6ers
through the air streaks and testngs, ana they we're
sound and good condition; the ship also had four
watertight iron bulKheads; have followed The sea
Tor Lwenty-six years; have had experience In all
classes Of vessels ana have been master Of vessels
PREVIOUS WITNESSES coSTRADIcTED.
After tesiiiylpg that no knew she was an altered
ship be asked in regard to the condition Of the
timber that came on the beach after the shpwreck,
and his reply was, 'lt was perfectly sound what
saw OF It." IL
..Dld you see any rotten timbers"
81 saw no rotten timber"
Captain AnKers testified at length as TO tho distri-
button of the cargo saying That u was well placed.
''When did you bear away i0r Hampton hoadsW
"At eight r. M., when the leak was hrst reported ;"
.Hows did you steer when you Kept oil lor the
West by north until hfecn minutes of three
O'Clock, when made light which knew to be Cape
Henry light"
'why old you not 20 in therea"
''rhe weather being thick and the ship disabled, |
did not think IL prudent to run IN during the night"
"Are you acquainted IN there?"
81 ain, ana have been in."
.Have you ever been In the night?"
"No SIR" .~i.
after you concluded not 10 90 in how did you
head?'
.,F rom east north east to east southeast"
Captain Ankers stalea that his officers agreed with
him IN the opinion that It was prudent TO stay of
until daylight.
The testimony of former witnesses with regard to
DR.. Green's remarks to him (the captain, about tho
OF tho timbcrs. tho instructons OF the
owners that II she wrecked to make good Job OF
II, Captain Ankers denied most emphatlcally. He
all knowledge OF the insurance of the
vessel. -.ffs
Alter some queries about the amount OF iron put
aboard and whether he had not received Instructions
from Captain Moore ,ae unaerwrters, surveyor, not
who he denied ever Receiving, his testimony was