898 fEDB^AIi BXPORTBB. �The moming was clear and cold, and at the tîme of the coUi- Bion it was still dusk — not light enough to take down the ves- Bel's lights. The Franconia was coming from the eastward, on her vojage to New York, by way of Long Island sound. She passed on the west side of the buoy in the channel, off Sunken Meadow, and kept on in a straight course down the river, drawing a little nearer to Ward's island side as she came on. Her master, mate, and quartermaster were in the pilot- house, and she had two men stationed forward on the look- out. The tide was flood, running about four miles an hour. Her speed was about eight knots through the water. When she got up opposite Ward's island her lookout and pilot ob- eerved the red light of the tug on the port bow. It bore from a point to two points on the port bow, and was reported as a "red light on the port bow." At this time the steamer was just coming up with a schooner, bound to the eastward, on a course nearly parallel with that of the Franconia, and which passed the steamer before the collision. The schooner wa» on the steamer's starboard hand, between her and Ward's island, and passed at a distance of about 100 feet from the steamer. She had the wind about abeam, on the port side, and her booms were oflf to starboard, but she did not obstruct the view of those on the steamer down the river. When first ob- served, the vessel bearing the red light, which proved to b« the George L. Merkle, was somewhat more than a quarter of a mile distant. She had just before rounded Negro Point, and was headed up the river upon a course about parallel with that of the Franconia. Her master had been at the wheel till they passed Hallett's Point, but went into the cabin before coming in sight of the steamer, leaving a deck hand at the wheel. She had no lookout. She was a small tug, but well able to manage her tow, and was going through the water about two and a half to three miles an hour. When first seen from the steamer she appeared to be on a course which would carry her safely by the port side of the steamer, if she kept her course. She was down below, or to the west- ward of, the bluff or point of Ward's island. It is usual for ail steamers meeting at that part of the river, on the flood ����
