The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-08-19
The Steamer Headed Straight
for Piedra Blanca
Island.
EXCEEDED HIS INSTRUCTIONS.
A Tale of the Sea, Wherein Is Por.
trayed Struggle Between Duty
and Discretion.

The suit of J. H. Rex, formerly third
officer of the Pacific Mail Steamship Com
PAWS vessel City of Para, against the
owners of the steamer, which was on trial
before Justice of the Peace Groezlnger
Yesterday, developed some interesting
points regarding the blind obedience that
is exacted from steamship officers and In
cidentally threw what may prove side
lights on the reasons why so many steam
ers have gone ashore and been lost OF late.
Rex was discharged from the steamer at
San Bias, Mexico, and sent back to San
Francisco on the company's steamer
Colon after having been kept in irons for
some time, his sole offense consisting In
having changed the course OF the vessel
on the night of April "a last when he
thought she was in danger of running
ashore. He sued for 1899 damages for the
treatment he received at the hands of Cap
tain Russell and the other officers of the
City of Para.
The plaintiff on the stand told a
straig htforward story of the incidents OF
the trip that evidently impressed the
Justice.
He said that on the night of the Oath of
April, while he was in command after
of Isabel Island, he discovered that the
course that the ship was sailing would
bring her up against Piedra Blanca
Island, which lay directly in her course.
Not being sure of the distance from the
island, and not liking the appearance OF
the main land, which looked dangerously
near, he sent for the first officer to con-
suit with him. Two calls failed to bring
his superior on deck and, believing that
all on board were in danger, he changed
the course of the vessel half point so as
to carry her clear of the island. The
change of course was slight and would not
necessitate an appreciable loss of time.
For this he was discharged, placed
in irons and compelled to return to
San Francisco on the steamer Colon
against his wishes. He testified that he
had been following the sea for forty years
and had served as tie master of a large
number of vessels as well as first and sec
ond officer of many more.
S. N. Nelson, the first officer of the ship,
admitted when called to the stand that
the ship had been headed by his orders
directly for Piedra Blanca Island, but
claimed that there was plenty of time to
change her course and that he would have
done so at clock that morning had not
Rex taken il upon himself to do so.
On cross-examination Attorney Hut
toms questions contained an inference
that the officers of the ship were angry be-
cause the change of course had necessi-
tated q slight loss of time and an increased
consumption of coal, bus this was denied
by the witness, who claimed that Rex
should have obeyed his orders, no matter
what they were.
Officer Nelson admitted that the quarter
master, sent by Rex, might have called
him and he not hear, as he was asleep or
couch in his room. He claimed thai
Rex had once before changed the course
of the ship without orders, though assert
ing that the captain had ordered him t
instruct the second mate, who was on thu
| bridge, to that effect
The matter was taken under adyisemen
| by Justice GroeZinger.