New-York tribune., 1884-01-22

but only for failing to find ont either that 'De
captain had made a miscalcuiGtion oi else 'la'
the tide and gale were scndng the steamship ~
lccward. The quartcrmastcr says thar II hau
occurred TO him that the vessel was a lltuc
nearer shore than usual, but hc could not ten
exactly. GAY Head revolving light was plainly
visible all the WAY from Nobsla and the other
lights could be dimly deserted through the nae
rho man ot the wheel could see the shore,
although not plainly. Apparently lai"iilG
suspicious were finally excited Tor shoi' '''"o
before the disaster he cautioned the quarter
mastcr not TO go to lccwaTd Oi the course llc
did not. however, order soundinSs to nc taken
nor summon the captain, nor direct the look
ont to watch for the buoy. He neglected all
precautions and blindly followed the course
which had been set by his superior officer.
The second officers responsibility for the dls-
aster will be greatly diminished If 1t can De
shown that the vessel was out of her course at
3 o'clock when the captain retired from the
wbeelhousc. Upon this point the testimony OF
the captain of the steamship Panther has an
important bearing. He says that his veSsel
passed Gay Head eastward bound, abont >
o'clock Friday morning. This was about the
time when Captain Wright disappeared from
deck. The Panther was in the middle OF the
channel, and sighted tie lights of steamship
two miles distant to starboard, closely hugglng
the shore, This must have been the City or
Columbus. The captain of the Panther
watched her until she fell astern of him-prOD-
ably for half an hour OF the disaster, which
followed within another half-hOur, he knew
nothing until he arrived in port. The position
of the City of Columbus at o'clock was two
miles out of the regular course and dangerously
near the land. 1t indicated that the captain
had either mscalculated the distance from
shore and the course which would carry him
safely out to sea- or else that he was following
the familiar practice of reckless commander
making u short cut close to Gay Head in order
to save time and to avoid circuitous channel.
In either case the responsibility rests largely
with him, for the ship was evidently not much
further out of her right course when she struck
than when he turned over the command to his
second officer and if any allowance were to be
made for the lceward tendencies of storm and
tide, he ought to have thought of It,
II il unusual for the captain of a coastwiSc
steamer to leave the second officer in command
of tht-ship during any part OF the night Inc
first officer is ordinarily left in charge during
his watch, but the captain shares the second
officers responsibility. Indeed, the most prn-
dent and conscientious captains remain on deck
ali night and only sleep in the daytime. Cap
tain Wright not only left his second officer in
command of the ship during terrible gaze put
went below an hour before the Devils Bridge
the most dangerous point OF the course, had
been passed. His conduct is open to the
scvcrcst criticism Unless he can prove that
his orders were neglected or disobeycd, the mis-
calculation of the ships course WAS clearly ms
error of judgment; and in any event his place
was on deck until the hidden rocks were left
behind and the beacon at Gay Head falling
astcrn showed him that the vessel was speeding
to the open sea in safety.