WASHINGTON, Friday, Nov. 9.
    The official investigation ordered by the Treasury Department into the causes that led to the terrible loss of the steamship Evening Star has been concluded, and the report submitted to the secretary of the Treasury by Capt. N. M. MEW, who is in charge of the administration of the steamship laws.
    The report is very lengthy and exhaustive. Mr. WATERBURY, ship-builder, of the firm of ROOSEVELT, JOYCE & WATERBURY, testifies under oath that she was as strong a ship as he had ever built in his 28 years' experience. A full description of the manner in which the ship was built then follows, with this concluding commentary:
    From this it will be seen that the ship was thoroughly well built, and that so much of current report to the contrary is manifestly erroneous. The engines, though built in 1854, and originally intended for lake navigation, are proved to have been of sufficient capacity and power for the ship, and the evidence shows that in neither engines nor boiler was any defect discovered. Her spars, sails and rigging were all new and in excellent condition. She was not provided, however, with any extra spars or sails. The ship's company was composed of captain, first and second officers, boatswain, and ten seamen. The engine department was composed of one Chief Engineer, two assistants, three water-tenders, six firemen and eight coal passers. She was provided with all the life-boats required by law, six in number, beside one extra twenty-feet boat additional. The ship had once been ashore on Pickle Reef, Florida, on the 31st of May last, and evidence was taken to show the extent of injury she then suffered. It appears that though on the reef fifty hours, she continued her voyage to New-Orleans, returned and made another trip. In July it was thought best to give her an overhauling, which was done, and it was discovered that her keel was split in places extending from about midships to thirty feet aft, but it was not started any way in the seams. This portion of her keel was removed and a new piece put on and securely fastened.
    She was completely overhauled in other respects by the local inspectors in New-York before leaving the ways, and it was found that she was in as good condition as ever. The conclusion of the report with reference to the seaworthy condition of the vessel is in the following language:
    "The evidence seems to be conclusive on this point, and the testimony proves that up to her sailing for the last time from New-York she was a good, serviceable, seaworthy vessel."
    The details of the disaster as developed by the evidence are thus given with great minuteness. The final sinking of the ship being caused by the heavy sea forcing the forward gangway and pouring great volumes of water into the engine-room, which it was impossible to relieve the ship of, as there was no ship's carpenter on board, nor any apparatus for the purpose. Capt. MEW, in recapitulating the testimony, arrives at the conclusion that the principal cause of the disaster was an error of judgment on the part of the Captain, because, having strong premonitions of the storm, he might have avoided its main force by changing his course. He did not do so, however, but kept on in his direct course, encountering the full force of the storm in the evening. The report says:
    "It will be seen that from the first hour the settled course of the storm was northward, and it is believed that had the ship been headed west early in the afternoon of Tuesday, the vessel might have been saved by escaping the full fury of the tempest, and running into a moderate gale on the other side of the Gulf Stream. This, it is believed, would have been the part of wisdom, if acted upon in season. But it is likewise certain that to attempt to run his ship after the gale had culminated in the hurricane, would have been a hazardous experiment, and his only chance for safety would have been to keep his ship's head to the sea, which, it is believed, might have been done by means of a drag, assisted by a little show of canvas on her mainmast. Nothing of the sort was even attempted, and from the time she fell off into the trough of the sea, no effort seems to have been made to haul her up, after the rudder was secured, and the only means of safety in the judgment of the Captain seems to have been in keeping the ship free of the water which she shipped, by bailing, &c., in the hope that the storm might abate. It is a wonder that the vessel lived so long under these circumstances."
    The report further says: I confess to the belief in the possibility of saving the vessel, she being so staunch in her hull, had there been a carpenter on board. The ultimate cause of her going down was the shipping of such immense quantities of water through the breaches in her upper works on the starboard side, whether Capt. KNAPP would have been led to adopt expedients for getting the ship's head to wind or sea had he had a larger crew, it is impossible to say; but taking into consideration his long experience at sea and his reputation as a seaman, it is difficult to account for the fact of his not having done so, excepting on the ground of the evident inability of any such attempt with so weak a crew. Indeed, with the few seamen at his disposal in such a gale, he must have felt himself comparatively helpless. The report in conclusion says: "It gives me much satisfaction in being able to state that the Inspectors in New-York, who are sound, practical men, discharged their whole duty in the inspection of the Evening Star in August last."

Source:

Unknown, "The Loss Of The Evening Star, Result of the Official Investigation," New York Times, New York, Saturday, 10 November, 1866, Page 1.