The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1906-11-18
AWAITING DECISION
Of INSPECTORS

The most absorbing topic of discus
sion along the water front, IN the
marine exchanges and in the big
steamship Offices Is the Forthcoming
decision of United States Local In
spectors Bolles and Bulger in the mat
ter of the grounding of the Mongolia
on Midway Island last September,
while trying to put ashore George S.
Ward, vice president of the Pacific
Cable Company. 1t is whispered among
those in the confidence of R. P.
Schwerin. the suave general manager
of the Pacific Mail Steamship Com
pany. that Inspector Bolles has pre-
pared a report censuring Captain W.
p S. Porter, master of the Mongolia.
for negligence and unskillfulness on
that occasion, and relieving Manager
Schwerin from the onus which might
be implied by his enemies because of
his diverting the magnificent steam
ship out of her course to oblige one
passenger, when he as well as other
seamen knew that the approach to the
island was an exceedingly dangerous
one. 1t is said also that Inspector
Bolles insists upon his right to write
the decision and allow Inspector Bulger
to concur or refuse to concur In the
opinion. Bolles as a navigator had
much experience in fair and foul
weather, storm and shipwreck alike,
and therefore believes he is more COM
petent to pass upon the testimony in
the case than Bulger. who is an engi-
neer Of more than local reputation, but
mere landlubber.
But If what Inspector Buyers
friends say be true. Captain BolIes
will be alone in his opinion of the
merits or dement's of Captain Porter,
and Inspector Bulger will refuse to
concur. He will say further that the
testimony fails to show that Captain
Porter did not use all the caution and
all the aids to navigation that could
be expected under the circumstances.
but that 1t does prove that First Mate
Martin was the blamable party in fail
ing to report that the lead had touched
bottom until some ten or twelve min
utes after the sounding was made, dur
ing which interval of time the ship
had gone mile closer to the reef.
Captain Porter's friends do not ex-
pect anything but an adverse decision
from Captain Bolles. They noted the
license that was accorded to r. p
Schwerin by Bolles during the inves-
tigation and the significant fact that
at recess Bolles went out to lunch with
Schwerin. They even limited that
Bolles' opinion was to be written by
Lawyer Haggerty. who appeared as at
torney for Schwerin in the investiga-
ton, but this hint is clearly a false
hood, because Captain Bodies has been
seen by many witnesses in his office
working upon the decision for the past
three days and he does not need the
assistance of Schwerin, Haggerty or
any one else to write his official opin-
| ions.
| Inspector Bulger said last night that
he would not concur in any opinion
censuring Captain Porter because he
did not consider him guilty under the
testimony. He added that If Captain
| Porter should be dissatisfied with the
decision he could appcarto Supervising
Inspector Birmingham Bulger said
that he could not say anything as to
the expected opinion of his colleague
Captain Bolles, because he had not
seen It.
It is thought that the much dis
cussed opinion will be presented early
| this week.