Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-01-25
THE LOST STEAMER.
more Expert OpiniOns-Capt. Wright
Defended, but the Second Mate Not so

| Ne'o Bedford Special to ". Y. Herald. Jan. %
Several well known navigators were m
] terviewed by your CORRESPONDENT TO-DAY
Capt. Henry c. Hathaway said: ssIn ius-
tlce 70 the Captain of the City of Column
hus freely say that 1 don't see how the
blame can be laid on him. Probably he
was awake all of the day previous and on
deck until 3 O'Clock or later on the morn
ing of the accident, and. after passing all
Oh the shoals, he shaped his course for the
open sea and left the steamer in charge of
the oIncer of the deck, who certainly, in
the aDsenee OF the Captain, should be and
PROBABLY was capable of taking charge of
the snip. 1t certainly is gratifying to
Know that the qUartermaster. who was at
the Wheel at the time of the accident. is
among the saved. 1 think that. if asked
ne VIII say that the ship carried n lee
heim, Tor ship trimmed two or three feet
Dy the stern with sea heaving on her
weather bow, and especially with a strong
current setting to leeward. would certain
ly make good deal of leeway. This. in
my opinion, should have been reported to
the captain. | think seafaring men will
generally agree with me and say that the
blame Is not on the Captain alone. if at
ALL" = ~
John NJ. Forbes, the owner of Naushon
island, who is thoroughly acquainted
win the locality and the condition of nav
lgatlOn through Vineyard Sound. said he
did not think that Captain Wright was to
be blamed for leaving the pilot house
when he did. The vessel had already
passed what is known as the Middle
Ground, and with any sane man at the
wheel there was no possible danger to be
apprehended. There was broad, clear
passage, and l should feel as safe as |
would walking up State street. The
wind ha IL
take a vessel out of her course. and with
light cargo would take her too near
shore. 1t IS easy to see now how suffi-
cIent care was not used wheE all the cir.
cumstances are taken into consideration
There was probably carelessness in letting
the vessel get so near shore, and this NAV
nave been the greater for the reason that
after leaving the Middle Ground there
was feeling of safety. Clearly the YES
sci ought not to have been so near the
shore as she was Just before she went on
the DEVILS Bridge, and there was care
leSSneSS SomeWhere-where Will he for
those who examine into the matter to de-
termine. AS to the doubt which has been
expressed IN some quarters as to the pos
siblllty of Capt. Wright seeing the buoy
on his port when he came on deck. Mr..
FOrDes sad there was nothing inconsist-
ent in this with the vessels going on the
that those who have questioned Can't.
Wrlghts statement have assumed that
the vessel was to the north of the buOv
while 1t is probable that she had drifted
to the eastward of it, and was really
headed for the shore opposite the DEVILS
Bridge. The order to hard port was the
proper one, but the sea and tide carried
tne vessel ON to the Bridge in spite of it.
From the statements that have been made
M T.. Forbes Cf tl,r
blame for the affair can be attached to
Capt. Wright. As to the conduct of the
oincers OF the steamer Giaucus, Mr.. Forbes
does not wish to express an opinion.
but thinks that il is something which
should be most rigidly inquired into. The
Glaucus, as she passed the wreck at
O'Clock IN the morning, could hardly have
been more than four or five miles awav.
and as to whether parties on the wreck
could be seen, that is something concern
ing which any one can form a iudg-
ment. Ii the GlaucuS played the part of
the bad Samaritan, it should be known.
1.-The Captain" said an old whaler.
told the truth when he said that the buoy
was on his port bow. The steamer was
INSIDE the buoy when she swung around
and thus brought the buoy on her port.v
The same Captain, while unwilling to
blame Capt. Wright, said: ''Capt. Wright
turned in at ten minutes past /, and said
he would return to the deck in about ten
minutes, but he failed to make his aDpear-
ance again until twenty minutes past 3
O'Clock. The fact is, Mr. Reporter, he
went to Sleep"
A Captain who had been a navigator for
20 years said: "She sagged In toward
Menemsha Blight, so that when the Cap
tain went on deck he found the buoy on
the port bow. The second mate, in my
opinion, was asleep. If the steamer had
gone back 10 feet she would have sunk so
deep that her masts could not be out of
the water"