New-York tribune., 1882-04-29
PRICE FOUR CENTS.
A VESSEL SUNK IN THE BAY.
TWO OCEAN STEAMSHIPS IN COLLISION.

ROMER sHOAIS-THE LATTER SINKS ALMOST
LMMEDMTELY-NO PERSONS ISJURED-wHAT
THE OFFICERS AND PILOTS SAY.
The steamship Nankn, which for a year and
half has been running between New-York and Ha-
vana, left her anchorage in the North River at a.
m. yesterday in ballast for Liverpool. In an hour
and half af.erward she came in collision with tho
steamer G. W. Clyde, which was returning from a
voyage TO San Domingo and was so badly damaged
that she sank almost Immediately near md
channel. Both vessels were in charge of Sandy
Hook pilots, the Clyde being handled by G. seeth
and the Nanlin by E. Comfort. When
the Nankin was abreast of Romer Shoals the Clyde
coming up the bay Signals were ex-
changed but they seem to have been misunderstood.
The signals from the Clyde TO keep to the star
board, which is the rule generally observed in pass
ing vessels. The signals from the Nankin were to
keep to the port, and it was not until the vessels
were almost close together that the Clyde answered
the signals TO keep to the port. Her engines were
then reversed, but the headway OF the vessel was
barely checked when the Nankin's starboard quar-
ter struck the bows OF the Clyde. The plates OF
both vessels were broken. The starboard side OF the
Nankn, opposite the second compartment from aft
was cut clean below the waters edge, and the COM
partment Immediately filled with water. At
the same time the Nankins stern began to settle
and her crew cleared away the boats and
of half dozen sailors. who cllmbered down tho
port side and hung from the rail. The tugboat T..
Myers, which Was near at hand, steamed up and
rescued those on board and in the two boats. and
brought them to the city. The Nankin soon sank.
As soon as the collision occurred First Oilicer
Kelly. of the Clyde forward TO ascertain the
extent Of the damage. lie found that the ste
and several of the bow plates were broken or torn
OF, aud that the collision compartment had filed
with water. As the water gates were closed, no
water found its way abaft the collision bukhead.
The Clyde had on board twenty-six passengers, in-
cluding two women but they did not exhibit the
least alarm their safety although preparations
were made tn leave the vessel in she began TO
sink Her freight consisted OF sugar, honey. log
wood and hides, none of which was damaged. Tha
crew Of the Nankin. after being brought to the
city, went back in the afternoonn on the steamer
Rescue of Merritts Wreckng Organ izaton. to as
sist in floating the sunken vessel
Captain James Holmes. OF the G. w. Clyde, has
been in the employ of William i. Clyde * 60. as
commander of their vessels for fifteen years, and L.
spoken Of by ship merchants and mariners care
full, experienced and successful navigator lie
gained considerable prominence IN 1876, when ne
went To the Straits Of Magellan with party OF
wreckers aud wrecking material, and succeeded IN
floating the steamship Georgia which had been
stranded in the straits, aud took her to san Fran.
CISCO Captain Holmes made the following state.
ment to a TRIBUNE reporter immediately after the
BGssds TRe G. T. Clyde S eo re11g from
voyage 10 San Domingo with full cargo OF
freight and twenty,six passengers on board we
had passed Sandy Hook, and were coming mp the
Swash Channel abont 1880 a. ~, when we
sighted the Nankin about q mile
bs Snng Sagk wns aboa ea %
port bow, and l Immediately ordered the whistle
blown once to indicate to her captain to port helm
and go our starboard side. We heard the Nam
kins whistle blow once in response, thus recogniz
ing my signal. In a few minutes observed that
about to cross our bow. The vessels were then SC
together that a collision seemed inevitable
less the Nanln should change her course and go full
speed astern. stopped my engines and bad them
reversed to full speed astern, and also blew two
blasts OF the whistle 10 indicate that my vessel was
stopped and that the NaDkin should keep her helr
TO The starboard The tide was running ebb, and
the tendency was to carry both vessels down the
bay The Clydes headway had barely been checked
when the Nankin gave us a glancng blow acros,
our bow from port to stan board, tearing our stem
OFT nearly down to the water line drawing, tn.
heads of the rvets in the blow plates and crushing
and breaking tue plates in In Lay anxiety about the
safety of my Own vessel | paid no atteuton TO the
Nankn for fully ten minutes, and then observed
that she going down by the stern Chief Otticei
Kelly jumped down in the bows and saw that, whik
the damage to vessel was great and the fore
compartment was full of water there Was no danger
of tie vessel sinking. Neverthce less bad the boat
swung out and made ready for lowering IN case 0
an emergency During all this time the passenger
and exhibited great GOODNESS. l saw the tus
e. Myers going to the Napkin and noticing that ths
latter had passengers, that she had plenty o1
boats, and that the forward part OF the vessel could
not 90 under, we came on up the bay. The clyde
was to sail again in about ten days, but will
probably be delayed for repairs. ii she had not
been the strongest kind OF vessel the blow that
she received would certainly have sunk her"
Chief officer Woods, of the Nankln, sand: The
Nankn left her anchorage Oft the Battery at q a.
III. Tor Liverpool. l was below when ! heard
confusion If whistliDg between our vessel and an
other one / distinctly beard the Nankin blow two
whistles several times, and then went on deck
AS | reached the deck l heard the q. ". clyde
blow two whistles, ana Immediately afterward the
two vessels came III collision Our starbOard quar-
ter, just abat the main rigging; was cut irom tne
rall below the waters edge, aud Immediately tha
engine and ,boerrooms and after-compartments
filled with water. The vesssl sank in about nvo
minutes after she was struck, her bows remaining
out OF water. The tug T.. Myers then came along
side and to X us oil"
George Seeth, the p lot of the @. ". Clyde, claims
that the fault was with the other vessel. His ac-
count of the accident was as follows was COM
ing up the main channel about o'clock. When se
were just below the Romer beacon saw a steamer
entering the channel above. This steamer was tho
Nankin heading out One whistle Was blown as
signal for the Nankin 10 pass me to port, But III
stead of doing this she came across the Clydes bow
When saw that collision was inevitable re-
yorSed the engines" .
Ecleclus Comfort, the pilot of the Nonkin gavea
different account. lie said " saw the Clyde ap-
preaching and thought il would not be safe to pa9
her on the port side: SO gave the signal to pass
on the siarboard. This signal of two whistles ]
gave three times. | thought there was room enough
to Dass, and there would have been II the Clyde
had kept Oh her course"
Martin Torson one of the seamen Of the Nankin,
SAID lie vas trimming ballast when be saw he Clyde
almost against tine Nankin. When the vessels
struck" he continued Was out on deck with tho
other sailors, and began TO lower one Of tho life
boats. Others lowered boat on the opposite SIDE
of the vessel Some of the sailors in their haste 70
get into the boat, fell into the water and were
1icked up The only man that | could on tss
NankIn was the captain. who stayed right where no
was on the bridge"
";rbe passengers were not alarmed by the coli
lisoup said one of the passengers ~ the Clyde
because we saw we could reach land III the Life
boats If the vessel went down saw tho NahAin
frst when she was about five miles OF. She ap-
peared to 90 III a zigzag line and crossed our bow
twlce. signals were gwen by the CEde, but the
Nankin did not regard then."
.The Nankin was chartered about eighteen months