The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-11-30
CAPTAIN C00PER'S DEATH.
THE LAST AMERICAN COMMANDER or
AN ATLANTIC STEAMSHIP.
a Man who would HIVE Saved the Steam,
ship FomernnIa's PnsscnRers-IIis Novel
Device for steering the state of Georgia.

A Man who would HIVE Saved the steam.
ship romcrnnIa's Pns.cnRers-UIs Novel
Device for Steering the state of Georgia.
Tho flags on the state line steamships and
on the companv's Office in Broadway flew at
half mast yesterday. in memory Of the late
Captain Lcwcllyn Cooper. Of the steamship
State OF Georgia. The Captain. who died in
Glasgow on the eleventh Of last month was the
only American commander OF the many Trans
atlantic steamship lines running out Of New
York. Although only in his iSth year. he had
voyagcd TO all parts Of the world and COM
mandcd all kinds Of vessels. from the larg-
est ocean steamship to the smallest sailing
smack. Quiet amabc. aud daring to an OK
tent rarely surpassed. his whole life was a rec
ord OF stalwart. self-rclant courage and obed-
once to duty.
Capt. Cooper was native Of HollowcIl. Maine.
where he was born in 1880 lie took to tho
water from child At the ago Of 81 he sailed
out Of the port OF New York master Of the
finest barks In the foreign trade. He made fire.
! quent voyages around the Cape Of Good Hope,
| TO Calcutta, Madras. and the East and West In
| Ilrs ne was also engaged IN the, China trade.
In the ten years from 1868 to 1873. he was in tho
! employ of Charles Gum 4 Go. Of London. and
| OF tcorgc Cru-haw. shipping merchants. Of tho
samc port. lOr years he commanded some Oi
| the finest packet ships between London and
| Calcutta. When the steamship Pacific was fitted
| up as a sailing vessel he was placed in com.
| nand Of hcr In 1873 the now iron steamship
| State Of Georgia Of the State Line was launched
! and the company employed Capt. Cooper a.
| command her. His record in the past cigl
| years has not been brttrred by that Of any
steamship Captain on the North Atlantic.
In January Of 1877, the State ~ Georgia
started from Glasgow. When 500 miles out. She
| encountered n gale and heavy pillows. which
| carried away a part ~ her rail and somewhat
| damaged her upper works. Her steering Hu-
| paratus got out Of gcnr. and In a second and
| more severe storm which followed the ruddcr
| became utterly helpless. Capt. Cooper used
! TO say aftsrward that the plan nv which he ex-
| treated the ship from her dangerous position
| was suggested by his coasting experience when
| a schoolboy in Maine. | remembered" he
| said, that used 10 steer the sled with my feet.
| That gavo me- the hint that wanted"
| He ordered thetw ships Tenders To- be brought
| M. These We're heavy logs Of wood. eight feet
| long, and ~ thick around rs mans body H.
| then had them tied together stouty with heavy
! wrnch chains, the whole making n mHss SUM-
ci"ntly weighty TO sink several feet below the
! surface. additional chains were attached Ia
| each end OF the tenders. and then the whole
mass paid out 10 u distance Of thirty fathoms.
! The chains terminated around the wench on
| board OF the ship. by which they hauled or
loosed as occasion required. The following
| diagram explains the working OF this novel
| steering apparatus: