The Florence

(orally). I do not think that we need discuss the facts very much. Both boats were there, and the actual pumping of water and rendering of services began about the same time. Mr. Strickland was in charge, and while his authority was not recognized till he got on hoard the Hague and commenced to direct her captain, nevertheless he actually ordered the maneuvers, and Capt. Mathis directed the taking of the boat to the dredge, without which she would probably have been lost entirely, from- sinking.

As far as the putting out of the fire is concerned, the only value of it was keeping the gasoline…