Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-03-02
WRECK OF THE KEARsARGE.
Unimportnnt Testimony Before the
Court of Inquiry.

Admiral Gherardi indo-sed a suggestion
at the opening session of the Kearsarge
court of inquiry at Brooklyn yesterday
that Witnesses he furnished IL COPY of the
testimony as soon as il was Transcribed
each day. and that they be instructed to
make any corrections or alterations de-
sired in the record of the testimony. This
will save reading" said the admiral. Il
don't want to hear the blamed thing read
all over again" This suggestion was adopt
ed.
Lieut.. Lyman. recalled, told what the
weather conditions were the evening the
vessel struck. The conditions were ex-
t-emely unfavorable for an observation of
Sirius, the haze causing very poor horizon.
This is an important point among those re-
lied upon to prove that Roncador reef is
wrongly charted.
Lieut.. Brainnrd's story.
Lieut.. F. r. B-ainaId had the second dog
watch from to p. m, but didn't take the
deck until 6:ij on account of the dinner
hour, there being an arrangement among
the officers covering this point. He relieved
Lieut.. Hood from whom he received gen.
e-al orders about the course and speed of
the ship. She was then under steam and all
plain sails to royals. except the fore and aft
sails. There was an extra lookout on deck
and man aloft. They were both keeping
a bright lookout for RoncadOr. Lieut.
Hood remarked that he thought they Were
we'll past it, but it was necessary to keep
bright lookout The officer of the forecas-
tie was Cadet Ball.
Lieut.. Brainard told Of the hail from the
lookout, breakers on the port bow" He
ordered the helm apOrt, and then hard
aport. He also ordered the engines stopped,
and the topgallants and royals clewed Up.
he 90 ,,fTo
on deck and relieved him. The witness told
of the experiences after the vessel struck
and read n report which he made of his
trip to Old Providence and thence to Colon
for assistance. AS he was about 10 leave
the stand Commando Heyerman asked
Were not the courses Che mainSail and
foresaiD hauled up when You came on
watch?'
Il think not" was the reply.
Admiral Gherardi took off his glasses and
asked whether if the yards had been braced
up enough at the time of the accident, it
would not have helped the engines in back
ing off. The reply was that this was i'm
possible, as the yards We're almost square
the wind at the time being nearly dead
astern.
Naval Cadet BENJAMIN Mccormick testi-
| fled that he the assistant navigator
and assisted in taking the observations
Naval Cadet Ball. the officer of the fore
castle at the time of the grounding, told
about directing the lOOk-Ou to keen a bright
watch ahead, and he gave graphic ac-
count of how the hail of breakers ahead"
was passed along the deck. Before ne left
the stand he was asked Commander Heyer-
mans question: Were the courses hauled
up before the breakers were reported?"
mo, sir said Mr.. Ball decidedly.
Lieut.. Hoods Narrative.
Lieut.. John Hood. who has been in the
service since 1919. said he was the watch
officer during the first dog-watch, from 4 to
q p. m, the day the vessel struck He had
been told that they were near Roncador.
and that 1t was necessary for the look-outs
to watch carefully, and he cautioned them
His testimony corroborated the theory that
the officers on the old corvette appreciated
the dangerous position they were in and felt
that they v ere taking all possible precau-
tons
Did you have any conversation with the
navigator"
Yes; very soon after took the deck we
got the chart and talked over our position
and course
From the instructions you had received
cadOr?"
Il expected to be well by il at 6 O'Clock.
Were any special precautions taken by
you; knowing you were nearing the vicinity
Yes; 1 cautioned the look-outs and or
dered the fOresail hauled up
when was the fOresail hauled up?" de-
Haflded MT. Kelly. This was the first direct
contradiction in the testimony Up to this
time the stories of all the witnesses had
practically agreed The point is important
because it shows that the commander was
or was not taking every precautiou The
hauling up of the sail increased opportuni-
ties for sighting.
About 400. ] think" said Lieut. Hood.
Then the judge advocate wanted to know
about the night Orde- book. Mr. Hood told
of going TO the wreck the second day after
they landed IN the island. The commander
told him to Try and recover the book and
described Were il was, but the witness
could not find II. The search was a hurried
one. because the sea was rising and the
danger Of the trip to the cay was increas-
ing.
You have no doubt about the foresail be-
ing hauled up?" asked the judge advocate.
None, whatever" very positively.
Curious that it is not recorded in the
log" commented Mr.. Kelly.
Excuse me-" said Lieut.. Hood hurriedly
turning over the leaves of the log. Now
you come to speak of it, / believe that il
was not hauled up until after o clock in
the second dOg-watch, but while i was still
on deck. But | am certain that | gave or
derS to have ii hauled up. being ordered to
take 1t in by the commanding officer"
This ended the taking of testimony for the
day. It is expected that all the evidence
will be in by adjournment on Saturday