The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-10-17
Steamer RED GROSS
IN UNSAFE CONDITION
Story OF Dangerous Shape
In, Which Hospital Ship
Starts on Trip.
INVESTIGATION is TO BE Made
Four Engineers on Board Vessel
Make Sworn Statement, Charging
Criminal Neglect by Former Crews.
Due In New York Next Week.

|
Criminal Neglect by Former Crews.
Due In New York Next Week.
Especial Cable to The Times Dispatch
LONDON. October 16-The London
bureau OF the international News Ser
Vice has received from Earle Harrison,
SPECIAL correspondent in Holland, an
amazing account OF the conditions of
tho steamship Red Cross. which was
/ equipped through the generosity OF
many Americans to carry nurses, doc.
tors and hospital stores to tho
| wounded in Europe.
| The Red Cross was formerly the
steamship Hamburg, but she was sold
as an old ship by the Hamburg
American Line. She Is of 6,59s tons,
and was built in 1899. She was en-
, tirely rcpainted. all white with
| gigantic red cross before leaving New,
York with $50 surgeons and nurses
aboard. but there was no time to reit
her completely. 1t was intended that.
AFTER cerrying doctors. nurses and hos
pital stores to England. France and
Holland, for the benefit OF the wound
ed OF all nations she would return to
New York with as many refugees as
could be cared for on board.
Mr.. Harrison. writes as follGwa:
was taxing luncheon on board the
Red Cross with Admiral Ward and
other officers. when the question came
up as to how mc.1y refugees she would
carry back to New Yyrk. 1t seems
she was quite full. was rather sur
prised to hear the chief engineer re-
mark he wished they were returning
without passengers. was informed
l..l -
the oficers. the ship was unsafe, that
all her pumps had been practically de-
stroyed. that her fire fighting appa-
ratus does not work. and that she
should have never left New York in
the condition that she wag
II was told that four engineers had
made sworn statement substantially
as follows:
On board S. 8. Red Cross. formerly
>. s.. Hamburg. Rotterdam. October 10.
we hereby certify under oath that the
oiiges of the Red Cross ship, former
ly the s. S. Hamburg, were stufred
win blankets. potato sacks, waste,
overalls. china cups. tin platters, old
'oois OF various descriptions brushes
ana other debris. In such quantities as
10 endanger the safety of the ship.
II was impossible under these condi-
tlons to get out the water from the
biises with pumps. and the pumps
themselves were In useless condition.
IL was by finding and removing vari-
Gus materials from the bIlges, pipes
and pumps that we were able to bring
the ship across to Falmouth
we also found In the provision
room three barrels of debris, such as
rotten onions. potatoes, cabbages and
other foodstufrs. placed there instead
OF being thrown overheard
We also found in the suction pine
from the provision-room blanket,
stuned In the pipe in a manner which
prevented us from removing water
from that part of the ship. Forty
inches had leaked and accumulated
before the obstruction In the pipe WINS
| found and removed.
The German officers from whom
we took over the ship boasted that, we
would have to put back into New York
| In three days or less. and that ali our
meat and supplies would spoil. as the
pump on which we depended as an
| emergency was found practically
adrift. and we had to sheer 1t and use
jack. 1t was only by constant watch
Ing that we could keep it In condition
until we made port.
'one-third of the valves in the ash
pumps were missing, and the station
airy pumps, on which she depended in
case of fire, when taken apart, were
found TO be short twenty-five valves
and springs out OF a total of forty
eight which compelled us to drive the
pump Win Sucn speed 10 get pres
sure OF thirty-five pounds, so that we
were afraid 1t would fall apart. The
overheard discharge from the ash
pumps, when taken apart, was found
! to be all corroded, and the valve and
| seat had at least one-sixteenth of an
| inch of scale, which showed that the
valves had been wilfully neglected.
The boilers were in filthy condition.
great many OF the valves were un-
able to operate until we overhauled
them ourselves. particularly the blow
and stop valves. which were absolute
~ useless and dangerous. The tubes
of the boilers were two-thirds filled
with SCOT, and there was practically
no packing for the pumps, and only
few spare pump valves, and, In fact,
the ship was In such condition as to
be dangerous to put to sea in.
I'VE found. on examining the fresh
water tanks. that the partition walls
were covered with loose scales which,
at the slightest touch, dropped to the
bottom In pieces four or Ave inches
square.
"'In our opinion the ship had been
criminally neglected by its former crew
or crews. and In conclusion, we wish
say that 1t was only by the most siren
uous exertion by the engineers, which
necessitated their being on duty day
and night, that we were able to keep
the ship anoat'
tSigneD 81. p. MCCARTHY
First Assistant Engineer.
WILLIAM II. FERGUSON,
Second Assistant Engineer. =
| en-. FLETCHER, Jr.,
~ Third Assistant Engineer.