New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-07-24
THE NARRAGANSE1T INQUIRY.
MORE LIGHT ON THE DISASTER.

MORE LIGHT ON THE DISASTER.
NO GASOLINE UsED-THE CONDEMNED LHE-PRE-
sERyERs-THE WOMEN MORE sELFPossEsSED
THAN The MEN,
NEw-LoNDON, Conn.,, July 23.-At the open
ing OF the Narragansett investigation, this morning,
First Officer Morey, of the Narraganset was recalled
He stated that be not familiar with the gas arrange
ments the steamers but knew that gas taken IN
at both ends of the route during the he had been
employed the NarragaDsett he had never known the
gas to go out once and then 10 heavy gae he had
visited gas works in Stonngtou and knew that the
gas made Of coal, and not OF gasoline the gas In
New-York Was taken from the City Gas Works.
he was on the steamer when she was last
inspected, and remembered that lot OF the life-
preservers then condemned. They were put away
IN different parts Of the vessel some In the forecaste
aft. He had never heard any order given 10
put them ashore. Ii intended to recover them at
tee earliest opportunity. The condemned preservers
were not put where they would be accessible to
passengers
John II. Johnson, the private detective on the Nara
the 18th OF June testified that he had served
in that capacity the stonington Line for about two
years IL his duty to be All night 10 see that
there was no gambling drunkenness dsorderly
sons in hall just before the collision he
the promenade deck smoking when he heard
the Earragansett blow two whistles which were
answered by another steamer with faint whistle
he said steward That Is the stoningo Soon
after he heard another whistle from her, two points
the sarboard bow, and the steward said, She going
to strike u.s." He then went TO the ladies' cabin and
told the occupants to get out as soon az possible
He volunteered to remain the wreck with Captain
Young and did remain their until IL o'clock nOon the
next day. In his opinion II the male passengers the
Narragansett had acted one-haf we'll the women
there would not have been FIVE passengers lost. He
that he had followed the sea for thirteen years.
and had been coxswain in the United States Navy and
fhoro uOl IN
He mattresses the the night of
the collision He bad however, mattresses In use
when onehalf the berths were unoccuped He did not
see the fire unt fifteen after the collision,
and at that time IT had not made much headway.
Horace c. Lamphere, master OF the steam
or City of New-York testified that Cap
tain Nye asked him TO pick up all BIO could
IN tne wafer re anu " 20 on nun s
side and two the port commanded 10y officers of tho
ME- one Of the boats came back with raft. on which
there probably nifty. There were three boats Oh
the New-YOrk that were not launched. He did
slider IL necessary to them were plenty
OF for the rescue OF passengers including those Of
the stonington aud Narrsgansett. file could tell
bo many rescued by the boats OF the New York
bad heard the number estimated at 200
food and onors and given blankets to take ine place
of clothing so far as he knows nothing was done by
while they renamed on the Ncw-York In answer t.
question OF the inspectors Captain Lamphere SAID that
bow he should have stopped and blown three
whistles, but II IL had been liz points he should
have kept on, answering with one whistle
He thought the running west that night could hear
signals quicker by onelf .han those cunning east The
said mat the night OF the col son ne met the
steamer CITY o. Norwich and that he believes from tho
course she took at the Time that mstOok the New
Yorks whistles. lie attributed the mistake IL there
TO the current Of air He aid not consider
for boats meeting each other nearly head and
head 10 pass each other ON fog whistle Under SUCH
circumstances he always stopped
He was examined some length 10 his
Interpretation OF the rules the subject Of whistles
His ideas the subject seemed to be clearer
those OF the captains OF the Stoning ton Line
he gave il his opinion that II more
difficult to hear the whistles toe StonIng-
ton Line than any other In the Sound. He
mad experienced more ddoulty In passing the soning
fog they did not blow their wins
ties often tue other boats he know Of one instance