Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-01-22
IN A NUTSHELL.

ings.
IN A NUTSHELL.
''Here is the case in a nutshell. The
steamer left Boston at 3 D. m. For twelve
| hours her course lay through dangerous
waters, and her Captain was, in all proba-
bility, on deck until o'clock or "a little
after the next morning. The last point of
peril is known as the Middle Ground, and
i'll passing it a vessel steers straight for
the TarpaUlin Cove Light, which is
situated on the high bluffs of NaushOn
Island. In order to be certain of clearing
the Middle Ground he goes in quite close
to Iarpauln Cove, a proceeding which is
entirely safe, as the banks are sheer and
bold, and deep water extends close into
the shore. The vessels head is then turn
ed toward the southwest and she has a
clear course before her through Vineyard
Sound. Captains are accustomed to 90
below when Tarpaulin is passed, and |
presume Capt. Wright did so also. The
necessity for special vigilance is past,
especially on clear moonlight night,
such as this was reported to be.
''Now look at this chart and you will see
the enOrmity Of the ofiense which charge.
Vineyard Sound, between Cuttyhunk Is
land and Gay Head, is five miles wide.
The wind, If 1t was west by north. as re-
ported, was directly off shore from the is
land, on this side of the Sound, and nav
igator ought to hug that shore for the pur-
pose of getting the benefit Of the lee of the
land. Moreover, that is the straight
course, and it is absolutely safe, for be-
tween Tarpaulin Light and the Vineyard
Sound lIghtship there is no impediment to
travel, and the shores of Naushon. Nasha-
Wena and Cuttyhunk islands are so bold
that steamer could run within two hun
dred yards of the coast, and it would
meet with deep water all the wav, In
ia bo
One-a steersman would not come within
three and half miles of the DEVILS
Bridge, and when man goes three and
half miles out of his proper course in sail
ing ten miles you can imagine how utter
| ly without excuse he is. The proper
course would be west by half south. west
southwest, and he must have run fully
two points off from that. In going at the
rate the City of Columbus was the gale
could not possibly have had the effect of
throwing it so far of as all that.
PHYSICAL FEATURES.
''There are various physical features
| connected with the coast which occur to
me as standing in the way of an excuse
being made for the vessels position on
the ground of defective compass. Gay
Head Light stands upon a bluff over a
hundred feet high, and can be seen over
| twenty miles away, Tarpaulin Cove
Light was kept in sight by the steamer in
/ crossing over as she did to the Martha's
4 Vineyard shore, whereas if a proper
! course had been kept she would have been
/ shut out from view by jutting headlands
/ on Naushon Island. Stillagain. the angle
4 of the lightship's light, with reference to
/ the steamers bow, would have warned a
/ a wideawake man that he was out of his
/ course. But the whole thing is so pal
/ pably case of criminal neglect that /
/ lose all patience when l contemplate it.
/ 81 wish to say one thing on the other
| side of the question: said Capt. Bowman
/ in conclusion. "a moonlight night is sup
/ posed to be a mariners delight. 1t is quite
/ the contrary. / have never had such mar
/ row escapes from putting vessel ashore
! as on bright, clear moonlight nights. Ex-
| perience has Taught me that in the MOON
4 light land is only about half as far away
| as it looks. On dark starlight night, on
/ the other hand, one is always safe, for the
/ land looms up apparently Just beyond
/ your bows when 1t is mile away. SO
/ that, having once got over upon the dan
gerOus shore of Gay Head, the watch of
the City of Columbus might very
easily nave been deceived in the
moonlight regarding the proximity
Of the land. If asked to guess why
the steamer was allowed to get so far
| away from the safer shore l would saw
that IN all probability the windows on
the Wlndward side Of the pilot house be-
came thickly coated with ice. On the
| leeWard side window was opened on a
crack and the Gay Head light kent i'm
sight. The men did not realize how lar
they were getting away from the Cuttv-
| hunk shore until it was too late. The
DEVILS Bridge buoy was suddenly seen on
the starboard bow, the loud cry of Hard
a-port,' which filled the soul of Can't.
Wright with terror, was heard and mo-