Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1906-01-10
COURT WILL PLACE
BLAME FOR COLLISION
Beard Of Inquiry Meets on The
BattIeship Iowa Off Old Point
to Investigate Accident.
ALABAMA IS IN A BAD LIGHT
Officers Refuse to Talk About Evidence
But ii lie Held That the Alabama Had
Plenty OF Room to Have Passed the
Kentucky Without Side swiping the
Ship
Correspondence Daily Press. }

(Corres pondence Daily Press.)
HAMPTON. VA, Jan. "a naval
board OF inquiry, composed largely oil
the officers of the Ships OF the Atlantic
fleet, convened on board the United
States battleship Iowa, at 1890 O'CLOCK
this morning and began the investi.
cation of the causes leading up 10
the collision between the Alabama and
the Kentucky, which occurred off Five
Fathom Bank. New York harbor Sun
day morning just before noon.
While nothing was given out regard.
Ing the investigation. it Is understood
that all the officers of the first division
Of the battleship squadron, to which
the Alabama and Kentucky are at.
tached. were summoned aboard the
Iowa by Rear Admiral Robley D. Ev-
ans and that many of them were call
ed upon to testify before the court.
Just what their testimony was could
not be ascertained
kentucky's Commander Arrives.
Captain Edward 3. Barry, comman.
der of the Kentucky, accompanied by
his executive officer, Lieutenant Com
mander w. w. Fletcher, who was
with him on the bridge at the time Of
the grounding and the subsequent col
lizion. arrived at Old Point this morn
Ing from the New York navy yarl,
where the Kentucky is undergoing re-
pairs.
Both OF the officers were before
the court and it was learned from a
reliable source that Captain Barry sub
m'tted lengthy written report of the
occurrence to the chairman OF the
board OF inquiry.
The report probably will be sent to
the navy department together with
the findings of the court. when the IN
vestigation is concluded. which probab.
ly will be Thursday
Utmost Secrecy Prevails.
The utmost secrecy Is being main.
tained by the officers OF the squadron
concerning the investigation and il
was impossible to get at the details Of
today's Investigation for that reason.
The entire affair will Of course be
made public after the report has been
submitted to Washington.
Alabama at Norfolk.
Captain S. p. Comley, commander Of
the battleship Alabama, and his ex.
ecutive officer were also summoned
before the court on the Iowa, if reports
10 that effect circulated at Old Point
are to be given any credance. The
Alabama came in to Hampton Roads
with the other ships Of the first div.
ision, but instead Of dropping anchor
of Old Point, she proceeded to the
Norfolk navy yard, where she will
undergo repairs to the bent plates
of the sponsor which were damaged
when she hit the Kentucky in New
York harbor.
When the news that the court of
inquiry was In session on the Iowa
was circulated at Old Point consider
able interest in the trial was mani.
tested among the officers Of Fort Mon
roe and the guests at the Chamberlain
Hotel, but no official report concerning
the trial was given to them and they
were unable to learn any of the de.
tails.
Sympathy for Captain Barry.
The utmost sympathy for CAPTAIN
Barry, commander of the Kentucky,
was expressed for that officer ii con.
sidered to be one of the best navigat.
ing officers in the United States navy.
Those who dared express an opinion
believe that the Kentucky's master
will be absolved from all blame for
grounding his ship, and as for tho COL
lis,on, 1t is said that the Alabama,
with the distance of eight hundred
yards separating the ships. ought not