Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1869-12-15
In a Typhoon.
WASHINGTON. Deeem


Rear-Admiral Rowan, commanding the
Asiatic Squadron, writes to the Navy De-
partment from Yokohama, October ?, giving
an account Of the severe crippling of the
United States steamer Idaho in a typhoon on
her way to Hong Kong on the morning Of the
26th Of September. The following is extract |
ed from detailed report of the typhoon and
its ravages
"The gusts of wind were sudden and all |
powerful. Its fendsh howls were deafening. |
The air was composed Of spray The sea was
pressed down smooth the tops Of the waves
cut off clean by the wind and carried by the |
tempest in fine spray, which blinded us and
stung our faces painfully. At times the
mainmast was invisible from the quarter deck. |
1t was utterly impossible even to look above
the rail, and below it we actually breathed
salt water. Orders could not be made intel
| ligibe by word Of mouth, the trumpet was
useless and work was alone accomplished by
examples. Men became sick from the salt
water which they imbibed. The storm still
came from the southeast and continued until
| 7:40 p. NJ. Between 6:30 aud 740 p. NJ,
the following accidents occurred The main
topsail yard, fore and miz2enroyal masts and
yards, and maintop gallant masts and light
yards went, hanging on ia tangled wrecks
foretopsail split and disappeared in a twink
ling, followed by the fragments Of the fore
storm trysail, the sheotiof which was steadied
and strengthened by two strong tackles The
barometer stood at y 50, when the main top
gallant mast went close to the cap with
fearful crash, coming down with the whole
debris of the top hamper and starboard half
Of the maintop, and lodged outside the lee
main rigging. The wire rigging held won
derfully. The mizzen topgallant yard, after
hammering to leward some time, strongly
thrust itself between the rigging and mast and
jammed the wreck Of the maintopmast, and
could not be cut away. The ship began to
abor heavily, shipping great seas with every
lurch. The first sea smashed the whole boat,
half way up the mizzcn rigging carried away
the bulkheads Of the cabin pantry, cabin door
and armory canopy, rail of the after hatch,
the wardroom skylights and weather ham
mock rails, sweeping everything and every
; body above the decks into the lee scuppers.
The ship now went nearly on her beam
ends but in moment righted and left the
! third cutter in the sea to leeward. The bar.
ometer had now fallen to 1862. At 1880 p
NJ a sea came over the lee bow carrying away
= the sail and woodwork Of the topgallant fore
castle, swept the lee gangway clear bringing
everything aft, and carrying away, a second
time, the ward room skylight, which was being
covered with the cabin carpet, and swept
those in the vicinity against the bulkhead,
7 through the cabin door, and aft in a confused
mass. The tempest was now as intense as it
was possible for it to be, and its fury unim-
! aginable, The darkness was impenetrable
excepting when there were occasional flashes
Of sheet lightning, when the waves could be
seen banked up one over the other, seething
and boiling high above and around the ship.
= The noise of the wind was like unearthly
: yells, and the ship quyered in every timber
r Suddenly the mercury rose to 27.00, and
: with slight fluctuations continued to rise
d With one fierce squall the wind dropped al.
: most to a calm, and we were in the vortex
s A confused cross sea was now running, while
+ puffs and squalls came from all points of the
compass. The ship was making water fast
The men manned the pumps cheerfully sing
lugi anu VuubIatulatlHB tntHselfeh tual INT
gale was over. She rode beautifully, going
Y down low as if she would never stop tremb
d ling, and then mounting the sea with long
: gliding sweep. She shipped great seas a
G every instant The seams in the deck wer,
?. open fore and aft and the water poured
r through in torrents, damaging or destroying
d all the books, papers, clothing and stores il
o and below the main deck, as well as all tn,
e personal effects of the officers in the wardroon
and steerage She shipped another sea oil
1t both bows starboard gangway and both quar-
d ters at the same time. The ship trembe,
under this shock, and it seemed as if sh
IS would never rise again. Tarpaulns were nov
better secured in the rigging, the close-reefo,
spanker got ready, decks cleared and every
:" thing secured. At 9:20 p NJ the wind cam
:. out in redoubled violence from the north AM
b. east, striking us on our port beam, The heln
" was hard up. She bore up we'll, and a
h. more quietly as the last half of the typhoo
sc passed over, the wind backing to northwest au
g, moderating rapidly, although the sea remain
/, ed very rough. At 1913 2. NJ. our risin
barometer and the rapidly subsiding wind CAV
1t proof that this most terrific typhOon had lei
|, us.