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x VOL. XXXII. CLEVELAND, FEBRUARY 15: 1906. NO: 7. INVESTIGATING THE VALENCIA WRECK. The government will undoubtedly make a searching inquiry into the wreck of the steamer Valencia with especial reference to the conduct of the masters of the Topeka and Queen which were sent to assist in the work of rescue. . The thing that has a bad look about this wreck is the proportion of members of crew to passengers saved. The Chamber of Commerce at Seattle adopted the following resolution in calling upon President Roose- velt to act in the matter: "Whereas, It was known in Seattle on Tuesday noon that the Valencia had been wrecked on her voyage from San Francisco to Seattle; and "Whereas, The steamship Queen was despatched to the scene of the wreck, arriving off Cape Beale on Wednesday morning; and "Whereas, The steamship Queen was, according to the published statement of her master, within three-quarte7s of a mile of the wreck of the Valencia, and those on board the steamer knew that there were from fifty to sixty people still clinging to the wreck of the Valencia; and "Whereas, Said steamship Queen, reportedly under or- ders of the agent of the Pacific Coast Steamship Co., in ozder to avoid loss of time in carrying her freight and passengers to. San Hrancisco, upon the arrival of the steamship Topeka, abandoned said steamship Valencia; and "Whereas, Neither the said steamship Queen nor the steamship Topeka sent any assistance whatever to the Valencia, claiming that the sea and the weather were so rough as to endanger, the lives of would-be rescuers, while a life-raft from the Valencia, much overladen, was able with unskilled hands to reach the Topeka; and "Whereas, It is reported that the lifeboats of the Val- encia were ill-equipped and had defective plugs and oar locks, rendering them unsafe; and "Whereas, it is charged by the passengers and surviv- ors of said wreck that there had been no fire drills, or drills of any sort by the crew of the Valencia on this voyage, and that said crew was unskilled and there was lack of discipline on the steamship Valencia; and "Whereas, Among the number of those rescued the crew of the Valencia greatly predominates, and the story of the wreck does not recount the rescue of a single woman or child; therefore be it "Resolved, By the Chamber of Comme:ce of the city of Seattle, that the national government be petitioned to cause an investigation "by qualified officers sent from Washington, into the causes of the wreck of the Valencia and the action of her officers, the officers of the steam- ships Queen and Topeka and the officers of the Pacific Coast Steamship Company, to the end that if their action was all that could be demanded of men engaged in their respective duties, they may be relieved of the criticism and odium that now in. the minds of the community at- tach to their behavior." MR. WALLACE'S TESTIMONY. / Quite interesting has been the testimony of Mr. John F. Wallace, formerly chief engineer of the Panama Canal, before the senate on interoceanic canals during the past week. The first part of Mr. Wallace's testimony «dealt with his relations to Wm. Nelson Cromwell of New York. Mr. Cromwell's only official relation to the canal is as director and counsel of the Panama Railroad. Mr. Wallace's chief reason for' resigning his position was that he "was made jointly responsible with Mr. Shonts and Mr. Magoon for work on the canal, while Mr. Shonts had a verbal agreement with the President that he should have a free hand in the management of all matters. I felt Mr. Shonts was not as well qualified as I was either as a business man or an administrator; and he was not an engineer. I thought I was to be director general of the canal work. I thought it better to sacra- fice my ambitions regarding this work, which was to' be the crowning event of my life, than remain to be humiliat- ed, forced to disobey orders, or create friction." After outlining his objections to Mr. Cromwell, Mr. Wallace said, in reply to an inquiry: "I thought about him as being the man who brought about the sale of the canal to the government; who brought about the revolu- tion in Panama; who assisted the government of Panama in making its investments; who is carried on the diplo- matic list of that government, and who is interested in public utilities on the isthmus. I felt that a man mixed up in so many things might have his mind perverted, and at some time he might give the wrong advice, and the result would be a scandal. All the interests in Panama look upon Cromwell as their friend. He is the principal stockholder: in the Panama- American Company, which handles ice and electricity." The Clyde liner Cherokee which stranded on Brigan- tine Shoals on Jan. 12 has been successfully removed and taken to Cramp's ship yard for repairs. An irregular hole was found in the hull forward caused by pounding on the sand. There is another hole on the starboard side forward of the engine room and about 6 ft. above the water line which is causing the ship builders some specul- ation, Joseph Supple, Portland, Ore., is building a new steam- er for the Kitsap County. Transportation Co., Seattle, Wash., to be 135 ft. long, 22 ft. beam.