The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-02-03
A Tragedy of the Sen.

Recent disasters on the high seas-the
case Of the Elbe-Crathie collision. for in
stance-and the mishap 10 the steamship
81. Paul a few days ago. have served to
draw attention 10 the great responsibility
resting upon the commanders OF ocean
steamers. and also 20 suggest the query,
are the commanders always mindful OF
the duties and responsibilities Of their
positions IL would no doubt be emf
nently safe to say that the majority OF
them are. Steamship captains are gen.
orally carefully selected after they have
demonstrated by long years OF active ser
vices that they are worthy Of the trust
10 be reposed in them. But there are
doubtless exceptions to the general rule
And what appears to be a tragedy of the
sea, consequent upon the actions Of one
OF the exceptions to the rule IS shown in
several kilograms published recently in
the shipping news columns Of the Morn
ing News.
Under date OF Jan. 3 a telegram from
Delaware Breakwater reported the ar
rival there Of the British steamship Sicil-
ian, from PernambucO for New York.
with her bows damaged slightly. 1t was
learned that she had been in collision
with a schooner, but ''the name of the
vessel and the place OF the accident those
on the sicilian refused to divulge." The
Sicilian arrived at New York on Jan. 25
and reported:
Jan. q. at AS a. m, off Cape Henlopen,
during fresh northerly breeze and thick
NnHaa Nnaa rafNH aa "a
masted schooner. The schOoner's stern
or spanker boom was struck by the
steamer, denting in two plates on the port
bow and carrying away the foretOpga-
liant fOrecastle rails. The schooner sailed
away, consequently nothing could be
learned as TO her name or condition.
Since that time nothing has been heard
from the unfortunate schooner, beyond
doubt an American, or from her crew.
The conclusion that she is at the bottom
of the sea, or has been added to the grow
ing number of dangerous derelicts in the
track of commerce, is inevitable.
The report that the schooner sailed
away means nothing. She was under sail
at the time she was struck. Her crew
would hardly rush to take in sail the first
thing after a collision, hence it would
be most natural for her to continue to
make Roadway under the impulse of the
sails until she disappeared in the dark
ness and foundered. From the fact that
the steamers bows were injured and the
schooner's spapker boom carried away
the conclusion is to be drawn that her
rudder was smashed or carried away
which would leave her unmanageable. 1t
seems that the coniding steamer did not
take the trouble to ascertain how badly
the schooner was crippled. and did not lay
by to render aid if necessary to the crew.
The Sicilian's report says fresh north
erly wind was blowing. The government
reports from all of the stations along the
coast, taken three hours after the time of
the accident, say the wind was very light
The official report for Cape Henlopen
says the wind was not only very liga but
was from the south. In that case there
was nothing to prevent the steamer from
keeping alongside the schooner if she had
so desired. The presumption, therefore,
is that the Sicilan steamed away as soon
as she cleared herself from the schooner,
and left her victim to her fate.
In the collision between the Elbe and
the Crathie there was some excuse for
the Scotch steamer running away to port
as fast as she could because she was bad
ly hurt, and the lives on her were in i'm
minent danger. In this case of the UNI
known schooner off Henlopen the attack
ing steamer does not appear to have had
even that excuse. There seems to be the
need for an investigation somewhere.