The New York herald., 1879-11-15
THE CHAMPION -OCTAyIA DISASTER.

THE CHAMPION 0CTAyIA DISASTER.
CONDUCT OF THE OFFICERS AND CREW OF THE
oCTAvIA-coNTINUATIoN OF THE TEsTI-
MoNY.
PHILADELPHIA, Nov. IA, 1879.
The British Court OF Inquiry met again to-day al
the Commercial Exchange to continue the taking Of
testimony regarding the conduct of the officers and
crew of the ship Lady Octava at the time OF the
cent collision with the Champion tho mouth Of
! Delaware Bay.
| David Hunter the boatswain Of the ship. was
| called and examined:- Our watch went deck.
November G. at midnight; my duty was to see that
tho men obeyed the chief mates orders; the chief
mate dock all the time from midnight until
after the collision. far could about three
O'Clock went aft on the poop to keep his company;
| we talked about the passage. and he said We would
have a long passage account Of the way the wind
was; man by the OF Peter on the lookout;I
don't know his surname think he Is an Austrian;
think first saw the light ut because passed
the remark with the mate: thought perhaps 1t
was tuaboat. and he sent me forward to seq If
| lights were burning bright went and reported
that they were all right. returning to the mate;
saw one light at first, bright masthead light;
| stood there watching the light. and about five
| minutes afterward the green light;
| then we the red light about five minutes
| afterward and still kept course be-
cause thought the steamer going clear Of us;
as he was coming down and standing across our
bows. he suddenly sheered to port and showed his
green light and then we knew a collision was in
evitable; we saw the red light about six minutes;
| when the green light was shown the mate
| sung out to the steamer as she was approaching;
the mate got some response but don't know what
| it was Immediately after that went on the main
deck in the act of running forward to the forecase
head; when about half way the steamer came into
us; / don't Think ship struck the
steamer; when / went the forecastle head
could the steamers deck, but that after
the collision; the steamer struck us about six feet
forward Of the compartment at the bulkhead the
port side two climbed from the steamer to our
ship the starboard bow; didn't any men
| but these two, and asked the first what the
steamer was and he told me the Champion, OF New
| York. bound to Charleston; did not see anybody
aloft on the steamer. nor did see her sink; was
getting the resdy the gig was the first boat
minutes after the collision; went in tho gig on the
second trip; the boat which had been lowered from
rescue the survivors Of the steamer. taking
some from an open boat and some from raft; when
I had taken all Of the raft let it go adrift.
QUESTION OF LIGHTS.
"What light did you hrst?
"The starboard light knew it because 1t was
"wss that the first Light you saw after coming on
NssN "No. sir; saw the masthead light first"
"What did you doY
Nothing; made the remark thought it was .
tug; had seen the light before me; reported
it to the mate; the man on lookout did not report
1t until afterward: two or three minutes; did not
| make any inquiry WHY IL Wos uot repOESeO IrOm
forward; saw man was on lookous at the time ,
saw tho light
81 think so; did not inquire the why the
light not reported because was not asked;
from the time the bright light that saw the
green light; did not look ut them through the
glasses"
..Trom the time you first saw the green Light till
you saw the red light how long was it9,'
"About Ave or six minutes; whom saw the red
light did not know what the steamer going to
do. but thought perhaps she was coming under our
stern to speak us.
"About ten minutes; then saw the green light;
did not know exactly what the steamer was going
"were these colorod lights reported from the fore
castle head?'
II cannot remember"
"Did you say anything to the mate when you saw
the green light the second timer
"No sir; from the time of seeing the green Light
the second time I stayed the poop about TIVE
minutes perhaps not so much left the poop when
the mate hailed the steamer; could not say where
the watch unless in after deck house; that
is where they stay when not wanted for work."
'f you had ordered by the mate to let go the
ec fore and main braces and weather the crossjack
braces how long would it take your
all very handy; there was plenty Of ti%e to do this
when LETT the poop; dare say there was after
tavia was going about three and half knots an
hour; do not know IL the helm Of the vessel
shifted but she was close to the wind all this time
"Where was the gig when the ltfeboat was put
out?"
"Away saving life"
'.Afer the lifeboat in tho water it was hoisted
up the port divide; the lifeboat was not
manned; am quite sure the Arst light saw was the
"who was in charge of the gig when sho went away
frst?'
the first trip; could not say what officer had
charge of tho lowering of the boat. as was down
below, forward. At the time no one ordered me to
take charge OF the gig OH the second trip; there
were sufficient hands to man the lifeboats; the
Johnson; the lifeboat will hold thirty people;
! was satisfied there were no moro people on the
floating wreckaee before the gig was hoisted up"
STRICT DISCIPLINE.
care the rules on the Lady Octavia strict?'
"They are in regard to lights aud lookout"
"Do you know whether the officer before taking
charge of the deck satisfies himself that the lights
1.-The chief mate does. cant say for the second
mate.
deck seeing light before tho on tho lookout to
say nothing in regard to not reporting itY
IL can't say anything about that sir; do not
know that ever happened before for an officer to
See the light before tho on the lookout ro-
ported it; the lights of our ship after the col
lision and they were burning brightly they had nos
our lamps; generally that the watch are on
deck; 1 do not know anything about the second
officers watch"
"Do you have watch and watchT
"Then il You have watch and watch why do You
20 into tho main deck house ut nightw
pethcr IL not thorc they would be sirewn ali around
the ship; they in tho main deck house hour
.iIow long would IL have taken you to get your
men together If the order had been given to bring
the ship top
.'wcli. could have got them at once; before got
off the poop they would have been at their posts of
duty; everybody ON board the ship was quick and
rapid in the performance in tho execution Of their
duty, including the officers"
''Do you know where tho second mate was at the
time of tho collisionY
''lfc had turned in; the watch below was not
called when the green light seen; have
any OF the officers intoxicated board the
ship"
''You we're satisfied q collision would take place
when you saw tho green light-then why was not
the watch callcd?
"I cannot say; 1 did notloso my presence of mind;
the chief officer looked though he knew what hs
was about, US II ho mad his presence OF mind"
THE MAN ON TIE LOOKOUT.
Tho next Witness called Potter vocasvorich