Evening journal., 1912-12-27
AY CRASH IS
UNEXPLAINED
investigations Into Merton
OCeanO Collision Are Being
Withheld
COMPANIES TALK
OF DAMAGE SUITS

steamship merton ana the freight
steamship Oceano on Christmas Eve
may be expected, action is being
withheld for the present The first
move will probably be made in the
United States courts.
The Delaware and Pennsylvania
Pilots Association and the Commits
sioners of Navigation, either OF
which might start an investigation on
is own account, declare that they
deem it inadvisable to do anything
lntil a court fixes the responsibility
Tor the accident, in which, on a
pright, moonlight night. more than
250 lives were placed in jeopardy and
vessels damaged to the extent of S40,-
poo. They explain their attitude on
the ground that any findings might
be prejudicial to the case of any
party bringing suit
John p. Virdin, president of the
Pilots Association, has announced,
therefore, that no action will be taken
by that body unless a formal com
plant is entered by the captain
agent, owner or consignee of either
or both vessels. The same stand is
taken by the Commissioners of Navi-
cation.
Afidavits may be taken by the
.ish Admiralty courts, but this will
mot be done until It has been def
nitely decided by the owners of the
vessels in what courts, if any, they
will enter suits. The United States
aDistrlct Court. the American Ad-
miralty tribunal is powerless to act
unless a libel or suit is filed there.
The American Line Steamship
company has announced through its
president, p F. Young, its intention
l5f bringing suit against the Ocean
steamship Company, owners of the
Oceano, but no such action has yet
been taken. The agents of the latter
vessel are awaiting for instructions
from their owners. and 1t is believed
in shipping circles that they will file
counter suit
AS the collision occurred in Amer
ican waters, it is the opinion Of ship
llping men that whatever suits are
started will be in local courts, but so
far nothing has been done which
Nvould tend to show who was to blame
or the accident.
Capse Still In Doubt.
~ The cause for the collision is still
lshrouded in mystery. IL is admitted
that the night was bright and clear,
= that both vessels were visible to each
other for a great distance The cap
tain of the Merton. who was on the
bridge OF his vessel with the pilot,
: says he saw the green light of the
approaching tramp, and the master of
the Oceano, who was on his bridge,
also declares he saw the green light
: of the liner This indicates that both
\ vessels were steering the proper
n course, and It was agreed that had
they both maintained their course the
accident would not have occurred.
Two whistles were blown, indicat-
ing that they were going to pass to
} port. This is required by law when
Z vessels are meeting or passing any
& where within a half mile of each
A other
After the exchange of signals some
one Numbered. Some navigat0rs yes
: terday expressed the opinion that the
signals were mistaken by either one
or both of the vessels. Others exon
crater the navigators of the vessel
by declaring that such an accident
N woull be possible by the failure of the
steering gear to work or the slow
XII response of a vessel to her helm.
IM The channel at the point of collision
Is three-Quarters of mile wide and
tlbout AZ feet deep. The Merton, vut-
lVard bound, was drawing about 2s
let of water and the inbound Oceanc
ll2 feet The Cross Ledge Shoal
les almost in the centre of the bay on
DE eastern side of the channel. The
HER. which is $50 feet i'm length, did
ut have too much leeway in SWING
zig in the channel if she held the eX-
act centre The combined width Of
10th vessels a trifie more than 100
fet, gave them ample room to pass
il safety had neither one altered It's
cburse.
Captains At Odds.
Captain Hill, of the Merton. is sale
to have accused Captain Mathies, Of
ths course" which is taken to NEAR
he was swaying back and forth across
the channel.
In reply, Captain Mathies says: 1--WE
have rules and regulations on the seas
and in river channels. just as the
drivers on streets on land have We
are supposed to keep on the right. Oui
bow was smashed we struck on th'
right side of the Merton and she Ven
ashore on the Jersey side of th'
channel Figure it out yourself
In his statement he blames rh'
Merton for endeavoring to cut across
his bows without success.
4 Another phase was injected into Thu
discussion Of the collision yesterda.
by the declaration of Dr. William
iCampbell Posey. of Twenty-first ant
l Chestnut streets. who said that a
least two of the pilots on the Della
ware River to his personal knowl
edge, were color-blind and not abl
10 dis Germ the colors of the lights o
vessels. He added he had no infor
lmation concerning the eyesight o
William Poynter. the pilot who wa
Taking the Merton out, nor of Norri
! B. Smith, who WIS bringing in tn
n Oceano While this statement has n
! bearing on the case. il brought al
\ instant and indignant reply from tn
4 Commissioners of Navigations and MI
|lVirden.
The collision Of the Oceano an
N Merton could not have been caused b
j the failure to distinguish lights, as IN
Il night was sufficiently light for bot
vessels to see the other as though
4 had been daylight
= "PiIOts Color Blind" 4
Doctor Posey said that two year
4 ago, when he was testing the eye
4 sight of the local pilots for the Con
missioners of Navigation, he refuse
: two men. His recommendations tha
i 'nhey be dismissed. he asserted, Wer
gnored, and the men retained tlei
- licenses.