Year: 1879

CAPTAIN DEAKRNs OFFICIAL REPORT OF THE


coLLIsIoN-THE RESCUED sEAMEN-APPEAL


TO THE BRITISH CONSUL


The steamer City Of New York. which ran into
and sank the bark Helen off Barnegat ON Saturday.
now lies at her wharf. pier No. 3 North River. Tho
damage to her bow necesstated the removal of
of the cargo till the broken timbers of the bow
were almost entirely above the water line A scaf-
folding was formed and the copper sheathiug and
shattered stempost removed for a distance
the water. 1t was intended to place her
on a dry dock to-day. but none could be found un-
occupied. If the vessel can be placed to-day on one
of the dry docks she will sail Thursday the
passengers and cargo with which she freighted
on Saturday; otherwise she will be delayed for
week and her passengers will be transferred
to another steamer of the line. The damage. the
captain states. be repaired for about 81 800
Beyond the injury to the bow the steamer sustained
no damage. Indeed it is matter OF astonishment
that. considering the speed and tonnage of the
steamer, the damage comparatively trihing
"Had she been vessel" said her builder yes
terday "she would certainly have gone down,
great was the force of the collision" One OF the
masts of the bark tumbIed the forward deck OF
the steamer and yet did no damage than bend
ing the upper portion OF of the forward pump
cylinders. The bow cable remains intact Tie bag
gage and cargo were found perfectly secure


CAPTAIN DEAKES's REPORT.


The following report of the collision fled yes
terday by Captain Deaken, commander OF the City Of
New York, i'll the Office of The United States Local
Inspectors OF Steam Vesses:-


sSs tho to to @ h@pSse Board tho es;oa
bark Helen, of Dundee, which happened at about
fog latitude & ~ deg 80 min north longituds about q


ss o on Se X. soqr Of the
boat lowered and sent her to the OF the remainder
the damage done to ourselves. and found the
ing much water. Al twenty minutes past twelve mid


night the boat returned 70 the steamer having picked
officer Of the deck al the tme Ca Johnson rang engine
When I got IN the pilot house the en- gne working
abaek but then there was no possibility of avoiding col
engine was reversed.


one this K NJ june the ship was headed Sset
toward New York where she arrived this noon still work
Charging a. tighten sr ai
Barnegat at quarter to ten and when left the deck
and fosss when on at or about MIN
utss to eleven r NJ Very respectfully, yours. &c,


HERALD reporter had an interview with Captain
Deaken, and found him greatly depressed the
collision. "As far as we are concerned on our
SELL he remarked, 1--WE escaped very fortunately;
but then the loss of life on the bark is terrible
think Of The cries OF the for assistance shall
never forget am conscious that we did verything
in our power to render assistance and only regret
that we did not succeed in saving all hands. Our
passengers behaved with wonderful cooluess and
bravery. considering the laeness of the hour when
the collision occurred The only way can account
for the collision is that the bark just getting ont
OF the fog and We were just going into 1t. We
caring for the fellows and collected
clothing for them from the officers and have
been in command OF vessels for fourteen years. and
this is the first accident ever met with at sea-"


The Captain corroborated in his other statements
the report published in yesterdays HERALD. which.
he said correct in every particular. He pointed
q chart the course of both vessels and their
position at the time OF the collision. The command
of Southern bound steamers and vessels will do
well to note the position of the sunken vessel, which
lies the regular southern track, latitude 80 deg
35 min. north longitude "A deg west with her spara
out of water


The rescued seamen who lost everything save the
clothing they at the moment OF the collision.
called on the British Consul in this city yesterday
and asked to be forwarded to their homes ship
wrecked seamen. They signed the following afi-
davt:-


The bark Gelon left Cardiff Wales, March a. with coal
for Havana Cuba She there took 353 hogshexds,
boxes and 1877 bags of and sail for New York
eleven miles The
of vessel then changed east by north half
north. from northeast About nine o'clock 1t began
to be foggy and dense clouds of mist hung about
vessel Tho fog horn blown and two placed
the lookout About eleven O'Clock heard the
whistle OK steamship, and three minutes afterward
close upon collision inevitable nevcrthc
less the ordered the vessels whes
struck almost at the instant quarter aft
OF the mxzen rigging cutting holes through the iron
plates of bark; the nizzentopmast fell When
vessel went down Captain Barclay Angus Bell of lslny
James Gauresen of Norway James Ross, of Dundee and
the cook carried with IL. Lights burning
brightly the rigging the fog every
minute.


The investigation will be commenced early next
week.