Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1899-07-11
LOSS OF THE PARIS.
Captain Watkins, Her Master,
Reports, Taking the Blame
Upon Himself.
MADE AN UNAOooUNrABLE ERROR,

Jeopardy, but Luckily No One Was In
jured-Reckoned His Position by Time
an Hour Later Than He ShouId-Land
Fog Helped on the Disaster-Suspended
for Two Years.
New York, July 1.-THE report of
Captain Watkins of the stranding of
the American line steamship Paris was
made public yesterday by the local
board of steamboat inspectors. Cap
tain Watkins makes no attempt to
eyade responsibility for the accident,
but on the contrary says frankly that
the stranding of the ship was the re-
suit of an unaccountable error on his
part The report of Captain Watkins
made under oath is as follows: Il
was master of the steamship Paris
when she left Southampton at noon on
May 20 last, bound for New York, via
Cherbourg and at 5:21 O'Clock p. m.
of the same day she arrived at Cher
bourg. Having taken on board forty
five more passengers and their baggage
we sailed for New York at 5:52 p. m.
AT 6;38 p. m. Cape la Hogue was abeam
and at 7:35 ID. N. the CaSquetS light
house was abeam.
When the Vessel struck the Rocks.
AT 1:19 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 aft
erward the vessel struck on the rocks,
which proved to be about a cables
length from the beach. 1t was discov-
cred to be thick over the land. al
though there was no fog at sea. st.
Anthony's light, which had not previ
ously been seen, appeared bright and
clear about thirty-five minutes after
the vessel struck" The captain then
gives brief details of the landing of the
passengers, mails, baggage and cargo,
and the attempts to pull off the ship,
and states that no lives were lost or
personal injury caused by the disaster.
Makes an UnaceountabIe Error.
He then proceeds: II regret to say
that the casualty was owing to an un-
accountable error on my part 1t is
about 131 miles from Cape La Hogue TO
the Lizard, and the run between these
points would, 1 calculated, occupy six
hours and forty-five minutes. Unfortu-
nately L reckoned the time on this basis
for coming up with the Lizard from
z: 80 a. m, when abeam of the Casquets,
instead of from 6: SO a. M, when abeam
of Cape La Hugue, and the vessel was
thus really eighteen miles ahead of the
tion the thick weather over the land
had obscured the Lizard lights. l at
tribute the stranding to the above cause
and take upon myself the full response
bility for it,
Refers to His Good Record.
Captain Watkins makes statement
of his sea services since 1851, during
which time he has crossed the Atlantic
nearly 500 times, and to his record as
navigating officer of the Paris (crusier
Yale) during the war with Spain, and
continues: Il have thought it right to
place these particulars before you in
the hope that you will take into consid-
Grafton long and responsible seafar-
ing career during which / believe I
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 I
made in making my calculations above
decribed.'
Inspectors Suspend Him for Two Years.
The report of the United States To-
cal inspectors complains that the cap
tain's report is meagre in details. and
after giving all attention to matters not
made plain, says: I'VE are of the opin-
ion that Captain Watkins has not acted
with the necessary care and attention
requisite in the navigation of his ves-
sci which a master should have used,
and We therefore suspend his license as
master of ocean steamers for period