The daily morning Alaskan., 1901-11-03
Inf WRECKED
 ISLANDER
Commissioners Report On
 the Investigation
Vessel Was Fully Manned and Equipped For Servioe-Passongers Actions Consurable- Pilot La- Blanc Not Exonerated

VICTORIA C.. Oct S3.-Thc Com missioner and asscssor,', appointed to cn. luirc into the loss of the c. F. x, Com pauys stcarmcr. Islander this morning gave their fndlnr as follows:
 After carefully considering the cNi doncc given at tho lnvcstiSation to cu uIire Into the cause of the wreck of the steamship islander in stephens rassagc acar Douglas island. Alaska. We ind;
 i Ghut the Islander was stcamshl or |. 'gi tons. Eross register tonnage. hlii. uf steel. at Yokcr. Scotland. In lSNN: thu, thc vessel was fully oiiccrcd and manned with d crvw consisting of @ persons, Wat n a thoroughly seawofthy condition psv- ,ious Co thc accident. that the cquipm ni wly complete in every particular acc'"d'' ng Co thc regulations Of thc Canadian Steamboat Act. that her officers were ulalia,d Co an their several ratings; that th, crew In thc different departments O .rr sufficient in number to Insure th' safe navigation of the ship and the sale ~ of those on board.
 From the evidence of the crew nnt ,xpcrts. u apears that the ship was nav ir,tcd in the manner and custom In the trade in which she was engaged. the nav iration being left alternately with th' Captain and the Pilot; that he Maser had nn special instructions relating to the n,yiration of the vessel from the own ars. and that the distribution. manage mont and discipline of the crew were icu entirely Co him.
 s That the islander left Skagwny' ,lasla. on the iith of August last. at about 2 go D. m, and was totally wrecked it about 2:i5 a. m. on the lith of August ls,i. bv contact with some unknown Snp- stance (prcsumably ice drif. Very much t,bm.rgcdn. sinking In ccep water m less .b,u twenty minutes after the collision. .,nJ resulting in the loss of the lives ot th, Master. l6 of the crew. and 'S pass'n- .,rs. of whom two were children.
 i It does not appear from thc evidence ,dduced that tho Master real scd the 'm- nincnt danger in which the accident r.oc.d The ship: hence tho l7cE ot prompt md r,solutc means iu J-uusing the crow ,,d passengers. who wcrc asleep in the ,.,bins. In placing an officer and crew t"| ,,.b boat. and enforcing the proper ,uota of passengers Co each boat Ih' 'vflcnc, clearly shows tnat th" capacity uf thc boats was sufficient Go ''"m''- ,nts cvcry person on board. lnt "'ins '"I th, want of proper managewc'' on' uls' riplin, thcre Was a rush |" Inc boats at m, last moment. which V.s lry'id 'h' ,,rtr.i of the few officer ant members of the crew engaged iu 'e.unT 'h' boats into thc water thereby preventing the r.s,u. of several valyablc liN'1.
 Whilst due praise must be awarded fl, tboy. ,f the officers and crew wh" r'- l,,in.i by the ship until she sank Dee ,,..,th their feet and for assisting S" ,,,pv of thc passengers Co reach the ,.,.,,s and other available means "f pres ..,,.,ti., ,. presented thems.l Ives We can ,,t i,r.r. tho fact that there was an un- ,..,rl,,rbl, lack of appreciation of th" 'N- I.tirg danger to their fellow passengers .,,.,,, ,v those. m the boats, regarding tbe rescue of others who. for w'"' "i an o,f.,rturity. had not been ubl' to aVdil themselves of chance of boarding the i.oots before they left tho ships side
 Whilst admitting tutt thr vessel ,y,s navigatcd tn careful manner We ind that uu special instructions had been issued by the Master to th, Pilot. or per son in charge of the deck when be lrit ,ho bridge. relating to the navigation or .p.,d of tho vessel in event "f failing m with Heating ice which was not nn'N- ,.c,cd in the locality through which 'h' shin WIS passing
 We think that Pilot I.c liunc iS open 10 ccnslrc for his action In keeping the shin fu,I speed at the rate of nearly " knots an hour. after having seen floating ,c.. some ten minutes before the acc'' dent
 We would also condemn the custom .pp,rcntly m vogue In coast waters. of leaving the bridge of any steamer at night. and more especially a passenger steamer. in charge ot only one officer
 We also find that there is no proof h ih. evidence before ms that the loss "f h, Islander was due Co the iutcmperonce ,f inc Master or others.
 tSignoh JAMES "NoDiN'
 Commissioner.
 JOHN c. CON.