Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-07-11
FOR TWO YEARS.
Capt. Watkins Suspended for
Loss Of the Paris.
Admits that He Alone Is Responsible
for the Wreck.
Inspectors Think He Was Careless and Ad.
minister Proper Punishment.


American Line steamship Paris was
made public, today, by the local board
of steamboat inspectors. Capt. Wat
kins makes no attempt to evade re-
sponsibility for the accident, but
frankly says that the stranding of the
ship was the result of an unaccounta-
BILE error on his part. The accident, he
says, was not due to any want of
thought or anxiety about his vessel but
resulted from mistake he made in
calculating the position of the ship.
Capt. Watkins is still in charge of the
Paris and is acting in the interests of
the underwriters to whom the ship was
turned over by the American Line Of
ficials.
Capt. Watkins has had a long and
honorable career on the sea. He enter
ed the service of the Inman, in 1868.
and since 1876 has been continually in
charge of vessels of the International
Navigation Co. He has made nearly
| 500 voyages across the Atlantic.
In filing the report with Supervising
Inspector Starbuck, the local inspec-
| tors 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 for two years.
| The report of Capt. Watkins is as
| follows:
Il, Frederick Watkins, master of
the American Line steamship Paris, of
| 1869 tons register make oath and say
as follows: | was master of the steam
ship Paris when she left Southampton,
at noon on the Goth of May last, with
passengers, mail and general cargo.
bound for New York, via Cherbourg,
and. at SIP p. NJ. of the same day, she
arrived at Cherbourg. Having taken
on board As more passengers and their
| baggage, we sailed for New York, at
$50 p. NJ. At SIS p. NJ, Cape La
| Hogue was abeam, and, at 1855 P. NJ,
| the Casquet lighthouse was abeam.
At 1.19 A. NJ. of the 2lst 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
wards the vessel struck on the rock
which proved to be about a cables
| length from the beach.
| 1T was then discovered to be thick
over the land although there was no
| Tvs oS SD ~. @Ahtioiis uSht, "AiNii
had not previously been seen, appeared
| bright and clear, about 10 minutes af-
ter 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
sistance arrived and shortly after day
light the passengers, mails and bag
gage We're sent ashore to Falmouth.
| AT daylight we ascertained the ships
position by crossbearings. At St. An
thongs light bearing n. Z. by N, a
| buoy off the Manacles rock E. by N.
quarter n. During the day the vessel
began to make water in various COM
partments and such water has increas-
ed until it is in every compartment
Practically the whole of the cargo was
discharged. large portion unchanged
and efforts by the underwriters and
owners 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 were lost or any personal in
jury caused by the accident.
Il 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 calculat-
ed, occupy 6 hours and "a minutes In
fortunately l reckOned the time on this
basis for coming up with the Lizard
from 1.35 p. NJ, when abeam of the
Casquets instead of from 6.3S p. NJ,
when abeam of Cape La Hogue, and
the vessel was thus rally is miles ahead
of the position l was acting upon. In
addition the thick weather over the
land had obscured the Lizard lights /
attributed the stranding to the above
cause and take upon myself full re
sponsibility for it.
Il have followed the sea as my pro-
fession since the year 1851 and have
held British masters certificate since
the year 1866 and an American masters
certificate since the year 1898, in which
year l became an American citizen.
Il entered the service of the Inman S. S.
Co., in the year 1868. and after serving as
officer in various grades was promoted to
be master, in 1867, and have since 1876
been continuously master in command in
the Inman. International and American
Line passenger and mail steamships. and
have III that capacity crossed the Allan
tic nearly 500 times. ] was during the
war between the United States and Spain
the navigating officer of the United States
cruiser Yale, holding a commission as
commander in the United States navy
and on the termination of the war l re-
ceived honorable discharge with the
thanks of the government.
81 have thought it right to place these
particulars before you in the hope that
you will take into consideration long
and responsible seafaring career during
which | believe / have throughout held
the perfect confidence 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 mis-
take / made in making my calculations
above described. | should add that | can
only speak in terms Of highest praise of
the discipline which under. trying circum-
stances was admirably sustained by my
officers and crew.
FREDERICK WATKINS,
Master S. s. Paris"
Appended to the foregoing is the consul
lar affidavit.
The report of the United States local in
spectors of the steam inspection service
to George ii. Starbuck, supervising in
spector of the second district of New
York, is as follows:
1--WE have the honor to report that we
have carefully read over the report made
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