Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-07-19

Testimony Presented at the Harrington
Court-Alartial Yesterday.

The court-martial investigating charges
against Commander Purnell F. Harrington in
connection with the stranding of the naval
cadets practice-ship Constellation June IS re-
sumed its session yesterday at the Naval acad-
envy, Annapolis. Lieut.. Commander W. T.
Swinburne, executive officer of the ship, who
was under examination when court adjourned
yesterday, resumed his testimony He said:
Il heard fog-horn calling all hands on deck
and later heard Commander Harr ington give
the order to wear ship Before the helm got
halfway round the ship struck. Almost no
interval came between the order for all hands
on deck and the order to wear ship. The ac-
cused was certainly on deck, walking up and
down, until the ship stranded"
THE WATCH OFFICERS EVIDENCE
Lieut.. ]. NJ. Orchard, who was watch officer
on the Constellation, testified: 81 had the
afternoon watch on June IS, the time of the
accident, coming on duty about 1890. The
weather was overcast and damp with a light
mist occasionally. The sail on the ship at 30
was plain sail to topgallant sails except MAIN
san and spanker The ship log indicated at
O'Clock the speed Of the ship to be 7.S knots,
varying just little at times. The breeze was
steady, and we carried about the same sail all
along. Shortly before 2:30 o'clock the top
gallant sails were taken in and the men sent
aloit to furl them The course of the ship at
Z;lO was about south. southeast. Cape Henry
which should have been Just ahead of ship. was
then not IN sight. Junction buoy which was
In sight. bore OFF the starboard beam and was
about a quarter Of a mile away. NV duty was
10 see the ship set on her course and steadied,
and also that she held her course. There were
on the bridge for the purpose Of locating the
ship the chart and chart-board, perhaps others.
but can not tell what they were. The look
outs stationed were only the cadet officers of
the watch. especially the officer Of the fore
castle. IL Is part of the duty Of the officer
OF the forecastle to be relieved as such
and stationed as a regular lookout told this
one to keep lookout ahead, and he reported
some OF the buoys which we passed He may
have reported all of them. Shortly after
came on deck / saw a seaman placed in
the lee-chains throwing the line. The midship-
man of the quarterback was stationed to pass
the soundings by order of the commanding Of
hcer. i did not keep the run of the soundings
as they were taken. but did hear of one sound
ing OF eight tathOms. which think was taken
before we reached Junction buoy. He kept
his station on the quarterback. He was sta
tloned to pass the sOundings, think lust after
locloek. | saw him at the gangway for a
while. During NV watch the wind was north
easterly. The ship struck the beach abou,
2s4o. The course Of the ship was changed sew
erai times while was officer of the deck from
a half to quarter OF point at a time. can
NOT give any particular change after that. as
VI puttlAS tIeLl IL log.
left the ship immediately after she struck and
returned next morning. when found the rough
log mad been written up by one of the midship-
men OF the watch. l corrected the log after
wards By making one or two changes"
cRoss-ExAMINATIoS.
In reply TO questions from the accused. Wit
ness said: The weather was not clear. some
times misty, though had no trouble in find
ing Suoys. One Of them, No. 4, saw abou
miles away. The cape was visible after W,
left the bell buoy, but cannot tell how long
Beyond the line Of the land saw Q house, bn,
l 90 not think the light house was in sight,
The buoys were in view when reported them
The Constellation ran into the fog after lie ayin.
Junction buoy
The court refused to allow witness to Civ,
his opinion as TO the proper watch bein,
stationed at the time Of the accident Tn,
evidence of Lieut.. Orchard was concluded a