The evening world., 1894-02-27
STANTON TEST|FIES.
he Tells How the Grand Old
Kearsarge Was Lost,
Seemingly Due to an Error Of the
Navigator.
They Thought They Had Passed to
the North Of tho Reef.

~
Secretary OF the Navy to Investigate
the wreck of the United States steam
ship Kearsarge on Roncador Reef re-
convened in the court-martial room of
building No. Z at the Brooklyn Navy
Yard at IL o'clock to-day.
All the preliminaries were arranged
yesterday. and the taking Of testimony
was begun at once.
The first witness was Rear-Admiral
Oscar F. Stanton.
while at Port au Prince said he. II
received a telegram from the Navy De-
partment under which the kearsarge
sailed on Jan. 30 for Nicaragua. i gave
a verbal order only to Commander Hey
erman to proceed.
ION Feb. 2. about noon, we were In lat
itude l3.4S. the longitude l have forgot
Capt. Heyerman said thai it would be
better to pass to the north of Roncador
Bank, which we knew was In the vicin-
''There was a stiff trade wind blowing
from the east-northeast, which moder-
ated towards noon.- There was a heavy
trade sea running. I went on deck about
the port side until nearly I o'clock.
I'VE usually dined at s O'Clock, but, as
we expected to make land that evening,
About $50 Capt, Heyerman told me
the navigator had told him that he was
sure We had passed to the north Of
Roncador Reef. Shortly after Z o'clock
l heard the lookout call breakers ahead.
| looked and saw that there was white
water nearly abeam on the starboard
side and that the ship was practically
Capt. ,Heyerman ordered the helm to
be put hard-a-port and the engines
dered that nres be started under the two
extra boilers. The sails were promptly
..nsha anoJnos continued hockipo nj full
speed for some minutes. and we thought
at first that the ship was going astern,
Heaving the lead showed. however, thai
we were hard aground.
There was for a time danger of the
not happen"
in which the officers and crew left the
counts. Then Capt. Heyerman was
called.
After stating in reply to the Judge
the public press were substantially. cor
had saved any of the ships records
particularly the trough and Smooth
log books.
II made two attempts" said he. "aftel
the vessel struck to save the log books
as we'll as the night order book. know
ing that they would be wanted as ex'
s Rduis IN fo the nve / Eas. h SRtsn t onis
able to a my life."'
Capt Msye Sn1 hs.n Identified 1n nss on se SSa1 a
chart of the Roncador Bank. and wa,
issued from the photographic Office a
Washington. 1t was corrected up tt
Another chart Of the currents issuet
by the Topographic ONCE was alst
identified, by Capt; Heyerman. nox,o,
1882 and 1889. respectively. were identi
CAPT. Heyerman then described thu
course from Port au Prince to Roncado>
Reef.
questioned as to his confidence in tn
charts and instruments on board tn
Kearsarge. the Commander said:
II had no doubt as to the accurac!
Of the charts n the instruments q
out Of gear, but the other instrument
were In perfect condition. =.
Capt Hyerman. answering Judge "A
been in the Navy Since 1851 and ha,
commanded the Yantic, Kearsarse ant
Pensacola
-Reverting to the day Of the wreck
Capt. Hyerman described the condition
OF the weather. and the currents for tn,
half dozen hours previous to the Kear
He received the reports Of the navisa
tor at Intervals. The latitude was takel
by, the ships running.
was well clear of it." said he. II ha.
had lookouts On the topgallant-yards al
the afternoon, and at $50 sent an once
aloft to make sure there was no DANCE
In sight. The officer reported thai eV
Capt. Heyerman said his running wa
taken by a patent log, but. 1t was nj
custom to also use an old ship log as
The two ui tailed. The patent log hs,
Thomas to Port au Prince. Capt. Heyer
man said he had every confidence In tn
log.
the Roncador Reef breakers could b
Heyerman said that, while running. b
the Marble Head Bank, off the coast 9
Hayti he had been able to see the whit
water five miles. The Marble Head Rec
Keys were about three feet high, ana a
higher, he calculated that the breaker
could be seen seven miles. ..
The breakers were first reported at 81
O'clock. At the time Admiral Stanton
the navigator. Capt. Lyman, and the off
Ger OF the day were on deck with Cap
What was the discrepancy" aske
the Judge Advocate. between the poin
where you really were and where 70
s st1Hgh !. you were when the shi
About six miles to the ~southwar
and four miles to the eastward OF tn
point where supposed we were froI
reply.
The witness then c~orroborated the ties
hnony, given by Admiral Stanton as I
nus orders immediatel after the eKai
sarge struck.
Ihere was, according to Capt. Heyei
man, an interval of only two minute
at most, between the sighting OF tn
on the reef.
looking over the side OF the shil
Sapt, Heyerman said, he saw the Ion
tb nm . running past. and he knew ths