STEAM SHIP " PHILADELPHIA."
RETURN to an Address of the Honourable
The House of Commons,
Dated 30 January 1855; - for
" COPY of REPORT of the SPECIAL INSPECTORS appointed
to inquire into the Circumstances attending the Loss
of the Steam Ship 'Philadelphia.'"
Board of Trade, EDGAR A. BOWRING,
3 February 1855 Registrar.
REPORT of the SPECIAL INSPECTORS appointed to inquire
into the Circumstances attending the Loss of the Steam
Ship " City of Philadelphia."
Local Marine Board,
Liverpool, 26 December, 1854.
My Lords,
In pursuance of the directions to us, by command of
your Lordships, dated the 20th day of December instant,
we have investigated the circumstances attending the
loss of the steam ship " City of Philadelphia," by
striking the rock known by the name of Cape Race Rock,
on the night of the 7th of September 1854; and we have
the honour of reporting the result of our inquiry, and
also of enclosing the Minutes of Evidence of the master,
and such of the officers and crew as we have had the
means of examining.
The following witnesses were examined:
Robert Leitch, late commander of the " City of
Philadelphia;"
James Fettes Torrence, late chief mate;
Richard Rossiter, late second mate;
James Campbell, engineer;
William Clark, one of the look-out men at the
time the ship struck;
William Jenkins, able seaman;
James Curry, able seaman;
Francis West, seaman and lamp-trimmer; and
James McCann, ordinary seaman.
The Minutes of Evidence are appended to this Report.
From this evidence, it appears that the steam ship
" City of Philadelphia " left Liverpool, on her first
voyage, on the 30th of August 1854. She was a screw
steamer, belonging to the Liverpool and Philadelphia
Steam-Ship Company. She had four compasses fixed; two
in the wheel-house; one about three feet before the
funnel, on the bridge; and the fourth, the standard
compass, which was placed about 10 or 12 feet before
the mizen-mast, and about five feet above the deck of
the deck-house. The three first were compensated by
magnets; the standard compass was corrected by means
of a table of errors, obtained by swinging the ship
before she left Glasgow. During the early part of the
voyage, it was found that little reliance could be
placed in any compass but the standard compass. Dead
reckoning and observation both combined in establishing
the correctness of the standard compass. the table of
errors shows this compass to have a maximum deviation
of 28 degrees; and the last azimuth, which was taken
about 38 hours previously to the ship striking, also
tended to prove that reliance could be placed in the
standard compass. About 11 hours previously to the
ship's striking, her position was determined by
observation, which agreed as near as is usual to the
ship's place by dead reckoning; and the course, S. W.
by W. (which was S. W. by W. « W. by standard compass)
was then determined on, which should have taken the ship
midway between the Cape Race Rock and the Virgin Rocks,
a little more than 30 miles clear of each. After 8 p.m.,
the wind veered round, so as to render it necessary to
take in sails; and whilst this was being done, the ship
was kept away from her course to the northward; but it
does not appear from the evidence that she was kept away
for a sufficient length of time to take her considerably
to the northward of her track. About 11.10. or 11.15. p.m.
of the 7th of September, breakers were disvcovered a-head,
which were at first considered to be ice. The helm was
put starboard; but the breakers not being cleared, the
engines were reversed, and immediately the ship struck.
The captain, who had gone below for refreshments, was on
deck at about the time the ship struck, and the utmost
precautions were taken to secure the safety of the ship.
At first the leaking was confined to the forward
compartment, of which there were seven; and although
precautions were taken which prevented the water coming
over the between-decks, yet it appears, by the bursting
of the compartments, three of them became filled. The
ship having been backed off the rock, was kept along the
coast to the northward, in order to make St. John's, if
possible; but on the third compartment filling, the
water entered the stoke-hole, and rendered it necessary
to beach the ship, in order to save life. The boats in
the meanwhile had been got ready, and the passengers,
and almost all their luggage, together with sails for
tents, and provisions, were landed in safety, and
subsequently about one-half the cargo. It was
afterwards discovered, that an extraordinary current
had been setting to the northward for two or three
days previously to the wreck, but it is not probable
that this current could have extended sufficiently
far from the shore to account for the ship being 30
miles to the northward of her course. The Special
Inspectors regret that they are unable to account
for the circumstances which led to this misfortune;
but they have the satisfaction of reporting to my
Lords, that they are of opinion that every
precaution had been taken by Captain Leitch and the
officers of the " City of Philadelphia," and that
they exculpate them from all censure in connection
with this unfortunate affair. They would, however,
direct the attention of my Lords to the fact, that
this part of the voyage of ocean steamers is subject
to a greater amount of danger than any other part of
the Transatlantic voyage. The danger of striking Cape
Race is rendered imminent from several considerations,
it being on the nearest approximation to the Great
Circle Track, towards the ports of the United States,
and the currents appear to be variable, and not
determined by any regular laws. Between the two dangers,
the Cape Race Rock, and the Virgin Rocks, there is but
little more than 60 nautical miles, and the inducements
which favourable currents and shorter distance hold out,
at a period when all ships are engaged in the race for
short voyages out, leads to the practice of hugging Cape
Race too closely, and this danger is especially
aggravated by the fogs which prevail in that region, and
when the compass is not worthy of a very great amount of
reliance. It is also raised as an argument against going
considerably to the southward of the Virgin Rocks, that
a danger of another character would be incurred - that
such a track would lead through the fishing ground on
the banks, and that frequent collisions would be the
result.
Under these circumstances, the Special Inspectors
would submit to my Lords the propriety of having a
Lighthouse established on Cape Race, which, in their
opinion, would tend greatly to promote the safety of
Transatlantic steamers in their voyages to the
United States.
(signed) Andw. [Andrew?] Mann,
F. R. Graves,
James Beazley,
Special Inspectors.
MINUTES of Evidence taken by the SPECIAL INSPECTORS
appointed by the LORDS of the COMMITTEE of PRIVY
COUNCIL for TRADE on the 20th December 1854, to
inquire into the Circumstances attending the Loss of
the Steam Ship " City of Philadelphia," in accordance
with the Provisions of the 104th section of the
Mercantile Marine Act.
Robert Leitch. - I was in command of the " City of
Philadelphia" at the time of her loss. We left Liverpool
on the 30th of August last, with a crew of 88, and 549
passengers, besides two medical officers and two
stewardesses. I have commanded ships for eleven years;
the last six years I have served in steamers, three of
which I was chief officer of, in the British and North
American Mail Steamers, and the last three years-and-
a-half I have commanded in the Liverpool and Philadelphia
Steam Ship Company: they were the "City of Glasgow," the
"City of Manchester," and the "City of Philadelphia," all
iron steamers. I have made in these ships about 40
passages, and never met with any previous accident. After
leaving Liverpool on the last voyage, everything
proceeded well up to the time of striking; I had an
observation to find the longitude of the ship's place on
the morning of the 7th of September, at 9 a.m., and an
indifferent meridian altitude at noon. At 12.35. had a
good observation of the sun's altitude, and reduced it to
the meridian, which gave me four miles south of my
meridian altitude. I then, feeling perfectly confident
of the ship's position, steered a course S. W. by W. « W.
by the standard compass; that should have taken me 30
miles south of Cape Race. The position of the ship which
these observations gave me, was as near as possible the
same as that given by my dead reckoning. The wind at
that time was S. S. E., varying to S. E. About 8 P.M.
it became very foggy, and I therefore ordered a man to
be stationed alongside the engine, and directed the
engineer to stand by the engine, and two hands on the
forecastle to look out, the officer on the bridge and
an officer at the binnacle. I took these precautions,
not under the impression that I should make the land,
but in case of meeting with ice, or of a collision
with another vessel. About 11.30. P.M. the ship struck
Cape Race Rock, and before backing off, I sounded
outside the ship, and in the hold. I took these
precautions to prevent backing with the ship in a
condition in which she might go down in deep water.
Finding very little water in the hold, and deep
water outside, I backed off; after getting off, I
kept the ship northward, and kept her along the land,
in order to reach St. John's, if possible, or run
her on shore if necessary, to save the lives of the
passengers. At 1 A. M. of the next day, the water
rushed so fast into the stoke-hole, that the men
could not remain there; the engineer said, that he
could not keep steam 20 minutes longer. I determined
then to run the ship on shore for the safety of life.
We beached her then in Chain Cove; the steam was then
done; I then sent a boat on shore to ascertain the
landing; the officer reported a sandy beach. I
immediately got the boats out, and commenced landing
females and children. After these were landed, we
landed the male passengers, and commenced landing
passengers' luggage, stores, provisions and sails
for tents. For several days before, the fishermen had
difficulty to cast their lines, on account of a
strong current to the N.E.; this was down the shore,
where there is generally a S. W. current. I have
always previously considered, that there was in that
locality a current to the S. W., as well by my
personal experience, as by the charts in which it
is so laid down. The fishermen first directed my
attention to that fact, and I afterwards confirmed
it by my own observation: the current was running at
about two knots per hour. Captain Barbet, commanding
the French corvette " Le Cameleon," stated, that he
had found it recorded in his log-book, that for the
three years he has constantly navigated the coast
of Newfoundland, he has always found on the east
coast of that island currents of 25 to 30 miles in
24 hours, running E. S. E. [See copy of Exhibit A.]
We observed an azimuth about 38 hours previously to
striking. This gave the deviation of the standard
compass about 19 degrees easterly, the variation
being in that locality 34Þ west, which was reduced
by deviation to 15Þ west. The azimuth compass was
compared with the standard compass, which was not
compensated by magnets, but the ship was swung, and
the errors were tabulated previously to leaving
Glasgow. By this comparison, I made the deviation
of the standard compass the same as that given in
the Table; I placed the whole of my reliance in the
standard compass; it was placed about 10 or 12 feet
before the mizen-mast, and about five feet above the
deck of the deck-house; I could place no reliance on
either of the other compasses, for I found each vary
from day to day as much as two points; they were
corrected by magnets. I found my course correct as
made by the standard compass; the greatest deviation
was 28Þ; the points of least deviation were the
positions of her head and stern when she was being
built, and the greatesr deviation was at right angles
with that line. The whole of the passengers were
landed without accident; nearly all the passenger's
luggage was saved, and about half of the cargo.
James Fettes Torrence. - I was chief officer of the
" City of Philadelphia," on her last voyage. I remember
the circumstance connected with her going on shore on
the night of the 7th of September, previously to which,
nothing of importance occurred. I took observation that
morning for longitude, which I found to be 49Þ 50' W.
The noon meridian altitude was not very good, but I
reduced a good altitude afterwards to the meridian.
The latitude by account made us further northward than
that by observation. We then steered S. W. by W. « W.,
by standard compass, making a true course S.W. by W.
The course we were steering should have taken us about
30 miles to the south-ward of the point at which we
struck; we struck at about 11.30 P.M. My observations
agree with those of the captain. It was not my watch
at the time, but I came on deck immediately the ship
struck; I went down to secure the forward compartments,
and when I came up, she had been backed off; we then
put her head to the northward, to make St. John's.
About ten minutes after she struck, there was no water
in any but the forward compartment, but soon the water
gained fearfully: we had all the pumps at work: I
sounded the pumps as we went a-head. We were going on
at the time the engineer said that they could not go
on many minutes longer, as the water was coming in to
the stoke-hole. I should think we were altogether 10
minutes on the rocks; we then turned her a-head to
the beach; we had all our boats ready long before this,
and we landed all the passengers in safety; I never saw
the part of the hull where the injury was sustained.
I have been 12 months chief officer, and have been in
this company's service three years and a half. The
standard compass showed truly during the whole voyage,
but the other compasses were no use at all; two of
these compasses were in the wheel-house; the bridge
compass was about 12 feet before the funnel, on the
bridge; these three were corrected by magnets, but the
standard compass was not. We steered entirely by compass,
and by comparing the courses steered, and observations
of ship's place. I can only account for the accident
from a N.E. current, which we found from the fishermen
had prevailed for three or four days, in such a manner
as to prevent their fishing; I afterwards observed the
current myself.
Richard Rossiter. - I was second mate of the " City
of Philadelphia," and was officer of the watch at the
time she struck; I had no idea we should make the land;
we were steering at the time S.W. by W. « W. by
standard compass. About 10 or 15 minutes after eleven -
I was on the forecastle at the time, it was thick
weather - one of the men on the look-out, cried out,
" Starboard the helm; there is a lump of ice:" I saw
it was a breaker, and called out to the engineer to
reverse the engine, but we immediately struck; the
third mate was on the poop, and Captain Leitch had
only left the deck a short time, and was on deck
immediately the ship struck. Captain Leitch then
gave the order; he sent the carpenter to sound the
pumps, and directed me to take a cast of the lead,
and ordered the vessel to be backed off; he then
directed me and the carpenter to watch the water in
the compartments; there was at first no water in the
compartments; there are seven compartments in all;
I thought the ship was not making water; I found
the fore compartment was full, and believe that it
burst; I am convinced that it did not come over
between decks. When she went on shore, she had water
in three compartments. I believe that it must have
been the current, or the land drawing the north end
of the compass; I have observed frequently errors in
the compass in and about the St. Lawrence; I am now
speaking of wooden ships. I kept the ship's dead
reckoning, and have no reason to doubt the accuracy
of the standard compass. I have frequently been in
the St. Lawrence, and have found that the current
generally set to the north-eastward, but have met
with a case previously which induced me to believe
that sometimes the current sets in an opposite
direction. I have also been in the Newfoundland trade,
and once found the current of the east coast of that
island setting northward. The watch was on deck at the
time the ship struck; all steady and well conducted.
James Campbell. - I was engineer of the " City of
Philadelphia," and was on duty the night she struck;
the word was passed, " Stop her," before she struck.
We were keeping extra watch that night, on account of
thick weather; we stopped the engine immediately we
received the order; there were two engineers at the
time by the engines; a few minutes after, we had orders
to back her, which we did; we then stopped her, and
in a few minutes backed again, and then moved a-head
half speed; she was making water forward, but not in
the engine-room. Between half an hour and three quarters
of an hour the water came into the boiler space, but
not into the engine-room; the boiler is about the
centre, and the bunkers are about 30 feet long; we
went a-head as long as we could keep fires in.
William Clark. - I was an able seaman on board the
" City of Philadelphia," and was on the look-out at the
time she struck; there were two on the forecastle; we
were told to keep a good look-out. I saw the surf on the
water, but no land, just before we struck; I sang out
" Hard a starboard" three times; but seeing she did not
get clear, I sang out, " Stop her," when she immediately
struck. The look-out and officers were on deck, attending
to their duty.
William Jenkins. - I was an able seaman on board the
" City of Philadelphia," and was on watch at the time she
struck. I was taking in sail, the wind being contrary; I
sang out " Starboard," for I saw what I considered to
have been an iceberg a-head; it was very thick weather;
the second mate ordered the ship to be kept away whilst
the sail was got in.
Richard Rossiter re-examined. - I kept the ship away
about five minutes to about west, to shake the foretop sails,
to get the yards down; I kept her this course not more than
five minutes; I did not hear any notice from aloft of ice
a-head.
John G. Curry. - I was ordinary seaman on board the
" City of Philadelphia;" I was on the foretop gallant yard
with William Jenkins; we saw breakers, and came down by the
back-stays. This is all I know; before we came down, the
ship struck.
Francis West. - I was seaman and lamp-trimmer on board
the " City of Philadelphia;" all I know is, that in
trimming the lamps, I saw that the compasses did not agree.
I noticed the captain and mate taking sights night and
morning; I have never seen any of the officers otherwise
than sober.
Alexander Murray. - I was fourth mate of the " City of
Philadelphia," but it was my watch below, and I cannot tell
any circumstances connected with the wreck.
James McCann. - I was ordinary seaman on board the " City
of Philadelphia," but it was not my watch.
STEAM SHIP "PHILADELPHIA."
Return to an Order of the Honourable the
House of Commons, dated 29 March 1855; for,
COPY " of any CORRESPONDENCE between the BOARD of TRADE
and the LIVERPOOL LOCAL MARINE BOARD, relative to the
Report on the Loss of the Steam Ship 'CITY OF
PHILADELPHIA,'(in continuation of Parliamentary Paper,
No. 45, of the present Session").
Board of Trade, EDGAR A. BOWRING,
30 March 1855. Registrar.
COPY of any CORRESPONDENCE between the BOARD of TRADE
and the LIVERPOOL LOCAL MARINE BOARD, relative to the
Report on the Loss of the Steam Ship " CITY OF
PHILADELPHIA."
(6605/54.)
Office of Committee of Privy Council for Trade,
Marine Department, 5 January 1855.
Sir,
I AM directed by the Lords of the Committee of Privy
Council for Trade to request you to return their
acknowledgments to the Local Marine Board for their
report on the loss of the " Philadelphia," and to
request them to ascertain, if possible, whether the
engines of the ship were slowed before the breakers
were seen, and if so, to what extent, and for how long.
I am, &c.
(signed) T. H. Farrer.
The Secretary,
Local Marine Board, Liverpool.
Local Marine Board, Sailors' Home,
Liverpool,
8 January 1855.
Sir,
I AM directed by the Local Marine Board of this
port to acknowledge thr receipt of your letter of the
5th instant, requesting them to ascertain whether the
engines of the " City of Philadelphia" were slowed,
and having made inquiries on the subject, I am
directed to forward the enclosed.
I am &c.
(signed) John Thomas Towson,
Secretary.
The Secretary,
Naval Department, Board of Trade, London.
Liverpool and Philadelphia Steam Ship Company,
No. 1. Tower Buildings, Liverpool,
8 January 1855.
Dear Sir,
In reply to your inquiry, whether the engines of the
" City of Philadelphia" were slowed before the breakers
were seen off Cape Race, I append Captain Leitch's reply
to that inquiry, in case it is wanted.
Yours truly,
(signed) William Inman.
J. T. Towson, Esq., Secretary,
Liverpool Local Marine Board.
The engines were not slowed, but I had been at the
engine-room with the chief engineer, about five
minutes before the ship struck, and saw two engineers
standing by the engines in case of need.
(signed) Robert Leitch.
STEAM SHIP " PHILADELPHIA."
COPY of CORRESPONDENCE between the BOARD of
TRADE and the LIVERPOOL LOCAL MARINE
BOARD, relative to the Report on the
Loss of the Steam Ship " CITY OF
PHILADELPHIA," ( in continuation of
Parliamentary Paper, No. 45, of the
present Session.)
(Mr. William Lindsay.)
Ordered, by The House of Commons, to be Printed,
30 March 1855.
