The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-11-13
THE LOST CHAMPION.
OPENING OF THE INQUIRY INTO THE CAUSE OF
THE DISASTER OFF THE DELAWARE cAPEs.

OPENING OF THE INQUIRY INTO THE CAUSE OF
THE DISASTER OFF THE DELAWARE cAPEs.
PHILADELPHIA. Nov. II. 1879.
The first sitting of the Court of inquiry into the
causes of the collision between the British ship
Lady Octavia and the New York and Charleston
steamer Champion on the morning of November
began at the Commercial Exchange in this city. this
afternoon. There will be two preliminary investi-
cations. under the jurisdiction Of Acting British
Consul Crump. who takes official cognizance of the
case beca the Lady Octavia is British ship. and
tho other under the jurisdiction Of the United
States local inspectors. The first. which is the
one in progress to-day. is termed court
of inquiry. and is thus composed
President. Acting Consul Crump. in the absence
of any higher British naval oficer William Brocke.
Captain Urquhart. Of tho steamship Lord Give;
Captain Thomas Roy. of the ship Esther Roy. OF
Maitland. n s.. and Captain Thomas Webster. of the
bark Wilmington. OF Lancaster. Edward R. shar-
wood, secretary of the Maritime Exchange, acts as
secretary for the court.
Upon the assembling Of the naval court Acting
Consul Crump stated the purpose OF the court as
being to ascertain from Captain johnson. OF the
British ship Octava his officers and crew. their
duct on the morning of Friday last. when the ship
in collision with the steamship Champion OF
the Delaware Breakwater.
Inere We're placou In evidence the omclal logs OF
tho ships and the certificates of competency Of the
captain of the ship and his officers. as well as all
papers belonging to the ship.
Mr.. Crump stated that in his return to the British
government. under the head of Remarks to Casu-
alties." Captain Johnson had given tho cause of
the collision Negligence on the part of the steamer
Champion. of New York. in having no lookout"
CHARGES OF NEGLECT.
Captain James Johnson was then called and sworn.
Mr.. Crump-You are commander OF the Lady Oc-
tavia, of Greenock?
eyes sir; our voyage was from Glasgow to Rio
Janeiro. We went to Rio and left there on Septem-
Der /. bound to Delaware Breakwater for orders.
Arrived there on November 3, and at quarter be-
fore eight on Thursday morning. November 6. re-
ceived orders by cable from owners to proceed to
Now York and ut once got ship under sail and went
to sea. On the morning Of the 7th the weather was
" clear. starlight and moonlight. There light
half knots"
Mr.. Crump then read the official log of the ship
those parts having reference to the collison-whch
the Captain ii he reiterated that statement He said
he did, and then went on to relate his experience Of
II left the deck at half past eleven o'clock No
vember 6. and reading some newspapers until
half past twelve, when went on deck. stood
the main deck to judge of the weather and the
dtion Of the ship. saw 1t was fine. clear night.
time longer. I then went to bed, only partly un-
dressing. was awakened from nv sleep by the
chief officer calling out to the steamer could
from my BERTH and before got out of the cabin the
collision had taken place. The blow heavy
| one and partly knocked me Oft my feet. did not
| think it a collision, because the blow
solid. then ran to the forecastle head and saw
| were in contact with steamer. asked him why
he did not back astern and got answer. ordered
boat to be lowered with four to life pro-
yiding my own ship required it. l ordered the fore
and att sails to be hauled down and the yards run
| abaft to stop the ship swaying, and then ordered
four matches of aud the carpenter to go below to
! what damage had been done. All hands were on
deck at that time except the four that manned the
boat consisting of twenty all told There were six
| men III that watch it was the chief mates watch
| which then on duty"
where the steamer all this timer
THE steamer by this time had gone down. She
three to five minutes she sank. ordered boat to
all possible, and succeeded in rescuing twenty
four altogether; two climbed up the head gear and
three came in the steamers boat and nineteen in
the ships boat. found my ship damaged and unfit
| to proceed to sea-"
"What did you do then?"
| "Ordered the ballast to be trimmed out and Sc
cured the bow with sails to keep the sea from wash
Inc in. NV boat was still away looking for more
people. Ifound the collision bulkhead slightly
damaged. sent men aloft with night glasses and
took every other precaution rescue any more If
possible. We then made sail and proceeded to the
Breakwater. That was about eight O'Clock in the
half-past eight o'clock on Friday evening and pro-
| ceeded to Philadelphia"
Captain Urquhart. Of the Lord clve-whsre did
Captain Johnson-we didn't strike the steamer;
| the steamer struck us.
"Are you clear in your mind that the steamer
struck your
81 am, sir, was the Captains reply.
| chart OF the Atlantic coast from Cape May to
| Cape Henry placed the table, and two minia-
ture hulls put upon 1t. and the Captain showed the
position Of the boats when he came on deck by pao-
ing the steamers starbosrd bow against the sailing
| To Captain Webster-My vessel was examined by
the Board OF Trade April IT, at Greenock. At the
time of the collision could a ships light two
miles. and providing the steamer had no lights we
could have seen her half mile.
Mr.. Crump-what did you consider your duty
| on that night?
navigation. that it was my CHIEF oficer's duty to
| keep on his course"
| Captain webster-Do you hold that as your opn-
| ion after you a collision is inevitable?
Il hold certainly that it is my duty to throw
every thing aback but not to alter the ships head"
This was not done in this instance?'
mo, sir. When l came deck the vessel was
sharp-hsuled on the starbosrd braces"
Captain Urquhart-How soon after the chief
officer the steamers lights did the collision take
place?
further aft would have gone to the bottom ut once
My lights burning at the time of the collision
and the frst thing did when came deck to
take look over the port side TO- see my light was
To Mr.. Crump-Ihe man At the steamers wheel told
me that there was no lookout on board the steamer
1t the time of the collision; that he had gone aloft
to loose the foretopsail. The chief engineer and
second mate OF the steamer both told me that it was
customary to take man of the lookout for other
work. They snid they had only three men in
watch: My crew is composed of twenty-four men.
all told The tonnage OF the steamer Champion,
believe is over fourteen hundred tons. Her bottom
iron aud her top-sides wood
THE CAPTAINS OFFICIAL.
The following is the official log Of the Lady Octavia
regarding the collision which was read by Mr..
Crump:-
At five minutes past three A. NJ green light
on tho port bow bearing by which
turned out 70 be steamer our ship the Lady ocss,ia
being bruced sharp port tack heading wind
being north by east wind light and The shining
and clear atmosphere; going at tho of TIRES
half knots an hour On approaching nearcr tho steam
ships mast her headlight appeared DO either burning
badly or partially obscured Suddenly she showed tho
rod or port side light, aud suddenly shut out the
rod light and showed the light when
that the collision unavoidable The chief officer who
In charge OF the DECK cried out TO tho steamship
soon as ihoy showed the green light and he heard
OF Hard - something. but cannot say whether II
port starbos aud almost immediately after the
steamer struck the bow abaft tho stem stavng
bow In above wator and cutting down thrce
feet undcr Tho boat in the davts lowered
to lite and the yards thrown aback tho
ship; put feboat In the water and another ready
to over immediately after the collision the
tiers went below and found the fore compartments
full Of water the wstctght bulkhcads preventing tho
ship from founderlng Part of the hands employed
II bocking the hoes wish sails and Snoring OF ther and
tho bulkhcad. while the rest trimming ballast
rum forward to aft In the meantime the returned