The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-07-11
WATKINS RETIRED.
Inspectors Suspend
the Captain For
Two Years,
TAKES A MANLY STAND.
Late Commander of Paris
Assumes All the
Blame.
TAKES A MANLY STAND.

New York, July 10.-The report of
Capt. Watkins of the stranding of the
American line steamer Paris was made
public today by the local board of
steamboat inspectors. Capt. Watkins
makes no attempt to evade responsible
ty for the accident, but says frankly
that the stranding of the ship was the
+ result of an unaccountable error on his
part. The accident, he says, was not
lie due to any want of thought or anxiety
about his vessel, but resulted from a
mistake he made in calculating the po-
sition of the ship. Capt. Watkins is
still in charge of the Paris and is act
ing in the interests of the underwriters
to whom the ship was turned over by
the American line officials
Capt. Watkins has had long and
honorable career on the sea, He enter
ed the service of the Inman line in 1863
and since 1875 has been continually in
charge of vessels of the International
Navigation Company He has made
nearly 500 voyages across the Atlantic.
In filing the report with Supervising
Inspector Starbuck, the local inspectors
submit a special report relative to Capt.
Watkins statement in which they state
that they suspend his license as master
Of ocean steamers for New York.
The report of Capt. Watkins is as fol-
lows: I, Frederick Watkins, master of
the American line steamship Paris, Of
1859 tons register, make cath and say
as follows:
/ was master of the steamship Paris
nw~t,z ~
the goth of May last with pCN sengers,
mails and general cargo, bound for New
York via Cherbourg, and at 5.21 o'clock
p. m. of the same day she arrived at
Cherbourg. Having taken on board
forty-five more passengers and their
baggage, we sailed for New York at
6.52 p. m. At 6.3S p. m Cape La Hogue
was abeam and at 1855 p. m. the Cas-
quets lighthouse was abeam.
AT 119 a. m. of the 21st of May land
was suddenly seen ahead and reported.
The helm was Immediately put hard to
starboard and the port engine was put
full speed astern but directly after
y wards the vessel struck on the rocks,
which proved to be about a cable S
length from the beach.
sss 1t was then discovered to be thick
over the land, although there was no
fog at sea. St. Anthony's light, which
had not previously been seen, appeared
u
bright and clear about fifteen minutes
after the vessel struck. We reversed
the engine full speed, but the vessel re-
manned fast and we then fired distress
signals and swung out the boats. As
distance arrived and shortly after day
light the passengers, mails and bag
gage were sent ashore to Falmouth.
At daylight we ascertained the ships
position by cross bearings.
st. Anthony's light bearing n. e. by n,
buoy off the Manacles rock e. by n,
X n. During the day the vessel began
to make water in various compartments
and such water has Increased until it is
in every compartment. Practically the
whole cargo was discharged large
portion unchanged, and efforts by the
underwriters and owners have been
made at great expense to get the vessel
off, but she is still on the rocks and is
full of water fore and aft. No lives We're
lost or any personal injury caused by
the accident.
I regret to say that the casualty was
owing to an unaccountable error on
my part. 1t is about 131 miles from
Cape La Hogue to The Lizard and the
run between these points would, l cal
culated, occupy hours and 81 min
utes. Unfortunately l reckoned the
. time on this basis for coming up with
The Lizard from 7.35 p. M, when abeam
Oh the CdSQueIS, luSledu OIL lIOIIl 900
p. m, when abeam of Cape La Hogue,
and the vessel was thus really eighteen
miles ahead of the position. l was act
ing upon. In addition the thick wealth
er over the land had obscured The Liz
ard lights.
/ attribute the stranding to the above
cause, and take upon myself full re-
sponsibility for it. / have followed the
sea as my profession since the year
hnl m G. r. .
certificate since the year 1866, and an
American masters certificate since the
year 1893, in which year I became an
American citizen. / entered the SER
vice of the Inman Steamship Company
in the year 1868, and after serving as
officer In various grades l was pro-
NOTED to be master in 1867 and have
since 1875 been continuously master in
command in the Inman, international
and American line passenger and mail
steamships, and have in that capacity
crossed the Atlantic nearly 500 times.
/ was during the war between the
United States and Spain navigating Of
ficer of the United States cruiser Yale,
holding commission as commander In
the United States navy, and on the ter
mination of the war 1 received honor
able discharge with the thanks of the
government. l have thought it right
to place these particulars before you in
the hope that you win take into CON
sideration a long and responsible sea-
faring career during which, 1 believe
4 have throughout held the perfect CON
fidence of my employers. The accident
was not due to any want Of thought or
anxiety about my vessel or her safety,
but arose purely from the mistake /
made in making my calculations above
described. | should add that can only
speak In terms of the highest praise OF
the discipline which under trying cir
cumstances was admirably sustained
BY my officers and crew.
Frederick Watkins,
Master Steamship Paris.
Appended to the foregoing is the con
gular AFFIDAVIT
The report of the United States local
Inspectors of the steam inspection ser
Vice to George II. Starbuck, supervising
Inspector of the second district OF New
York is as follows:
We have the honor to report that we
have carefully read over the report
made by Capt. Watkins, late command
er Of the steamship Paris, when she
was stranded on the English coast be-
tween the Lizard and the Manacles, on
May Fl, 1899, at about 119 a. M, copy
or which is hereby attached, in which
Capt. Watkins takes the entire respon-
nibility Of the disaster upon himself in