Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-02-10
TO REACH PORT TOMORROW
When the Grew of the Kearsarge is
Expected at Colon.
A Light to BE Placed Probably on
Roncador Reef-The Court Of In.
quiry-The Marblehead.

The Navy Department does not expect to
hear anything further from the Kearsarge
before tomorrow. by which time it is be-
lieved the relief ship City Of Para will have
returned to Colon from its trip to Rom
cador reef with the entire ships company
Of the Kearsarge
1t Is about a days trip ESQ miles, from
Colon to Roncador reef. 1t is confidently
expected, therefore that the Kearsarge crew
will be safely and comfortably on board the
Para some time today and will be back in
Colon tomorrow. 1t is expected that they
will go to New York on the City Of Para
when she starts on her regular trip.
1t is expected that the loss of the Kear-
sarge will result in the placing Of a light
on Roncador bank-a contamination the
United States Navy Department has ear
nestly sought to bring about for several
years, but without result, owing to the wish
of this government that other nations bear
a share in the expense.
The Court of Inquiry.
A court of inquiry to determine the re-
sponsibility for the loss of the Kearsarge
is one of the important naval events of
the near future. AS Admiral Stanton, COM
manding the North Atlantic squadron al
though on the vessel at the time, had moth
ing whatever to do with navigating the
ship. the responsibility for her stranding
cannot possibly devolve on him. unless 1t
can be shown that he personally interfered
in her navigation, of which there Is not
much probability. He Joined the ship at
Port au Prince, Hayti, and was making his
first cruise In her as commander of the
North Atlantic squadron when she met
her fate. He was acting at the time under
specific instructions from the Navy De-
partment to take the, vessel to Blueields,
Ntfor IN hat parfr infa a,f,
were not injured in the war between
Nicaragua and Honduras. His special mis-
sion was to prevent any interference with
the progress of the work on the Nicaragua
canal.
The three officers most likely to be af-
fected by the official investigation are Com
mander o. F. Heyerman. the command
ing officer: Lieut.. Charles T. Forse. the
executive officer; Lieut.. Charles II. Ly-
man. the navigating officer, and the officer
in special charge of the deck at the time
of the accident.
The last named Individual whose identity
has not yet been disclosed will undoubted-
ly fall heir to the Hons share of the re-
sponsibility and will surely fare badly IN
less he can show strongly extenuating cir
cumstances.
Successor of the kearsarEe.
As stated in yesterdays Star. the 1000
ton cruiser Marblehead. which will be put
in commission at New York on the 18th in
slant, will undoubtedly succeed the Kear-
sarge as the flagship Of the North Atlantic
squadron. the only other vessels attached
to which are the monitor Miantonomoh and
the dynamite cruiser Vesuvius. Rear Ad-
miral Stanton WILL undoubtedly, continue
in command of the station unless it should
develop that he was in some measure re-
sponsible for the loss of the Kearsarge.
His duty on this station will be of short
duration, however. as he is booked for the
command of the South Atlantic station on
the retirement of its present commander
Admiral Benham, which. in the natural or
der of events, occurs on the nth of April
Commodore r. W. Meade. now on special
duty in this city as president of the naval
examining board. is generally mentioned in
naval circles as the most probable success
sor of Admiral Stanton as commander of
the North Atlantic station. regardless of
the date of the latter's detachment.