The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-12-02
NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.


| Rear ADMIRAL Rowan, commanding the Asiatic
| SQUADRON writes TO the Navy Department from Y0-
kohama October 2, giving an account OF the severe
| Gripping OF The United states steamer Idaho, in
| typhoon. on her way to Hong Kong on the morning
O. the 26th OF september. The Pacific Mall steamer
| America arrived az Yokohama from Hong Kong.
| bringing the Admiral despatch from Commander
TAYLOR reporting the disaster and asking for assist
auce Having but the Ashuelot In port and she not
being fit TO cruise In rough weather on the coast,
! Admiral Rowan ordered steam to be gotten
up on the flagship. the Delaware and In three hours
she was cruising out OF the harbor. She crused
four days IN search Of the Idaho, cutting up her
supposed position very thoroughly but the weather
was so unfavorabe, SO rough and stormy, with con-
stani rain and thick weather, that she was unable
TO nnd her. On the fourth day the flagship returned
TO Yokohama where the Idaho was found safely an
chored she having passed the Delaware on the third
day In the thick weather Admiral Rowan fears the
Idaho is too much shattered and too rotton to DO
fit for sea without expensive repairs. She will be
used a store and hospital ship II unfit to cross
over to San Francisco The following Is detailed
report OF the tyDhoOn and Its rsvages:-
UNITED STATES SroREsHIP IDAHO
Ar SEA. Sept. 25, 1869. I
ADMIRAL-I nave the honor to submit the follow
Ing detailed account or the circumstances attending
the typhoon OF the 21st inst 1t has been compiled
from observations OF the ships log and from the
personal recoections OF the officers OF this vessel
During the afternoon OF the 10th inst. the SKY was
clear and bright, the wind headed the direction as
predicted BY the pilot and we carried suddlng sails
until evening" Throughout the midwatcn OF the 2ist
inst. the wInd continued the same, the ship making
ten knots per hour. AT daylight IighJ drlzziing
ram set III. During the morning watch the
became moderately rough, aud during the forenoon
the ship commenced 10 ride uneasiIy, although the
force OF the wind renamed nearly the same
being logged 0 deg. min $ sec At meridian the
barometer stood 2o.7O. Al one r. Nj. topsails were
reefed. The wind treslened so rapidly that be-
fore the hands were piped down the mainsaIl
the ioresali was fnred, showing signs OF
weakness along tue head. Durine tins
watch new l9resa,sSysa was bent the fore
NJ the snip was going to on port tack under lore
sormstaysai, ioretrysail ana close reeied maintop
sail, heading 5. w. by y, with moderate gale from
southeast and q DRILLING ram. The sea
quite rough, but she rode very easily. The
barometer stood $3.50, falling very rapidly, and the
gale increasing with great violence holding steadily
to It's Observation-Disclosures half-past eight
rove as preventive to the maintopsail brace, and
stout jumpers were placed on the lower yard arms.
During the afternoon and after Ave 7. NJ The gale
increased with terrific gusts to hurricane. The
malntOpsall was being made ready for setting close
reefed In case the topsall should go. Al quarter
past five the main yard went in the sings with
laundering crash, the slarboard arm banging furi-
ously 10 the leeward against The sail and rigging,
breaking IN two one piece foulng in the
backsays ana rigging the other hanging by
the sail brace ana left until propped against the
forward sitter. The port arm new back, pressing
",
strain by taking the jumper wen forward anu ret
ting 1t up. simultaneously with this disaster the
cracks, sounding like yoeys OF musketrv, and the
lee haf instantly disappeared. The lee brace was
immediately let go. the topsaii yard hew back and
the main Try san was set as quickly as possible. This
sail did good service Tor nearly an hour, when it
finally blew to ribbons. The noise, Jury and impet-
uosity OF The hurricane at this time are udescrl.
bable The prisoners We're released at six Z. n.
aud worked iilaniuliy, doing whatever they were
told Ia securing wrecks and repairing damages
Inn
gwen to the crew. some OF wnom tled ike giants.
Boatswain Leeds passenger was Invaluable in
ail tunes the right man In the right place.
Thomas Walker, q coXswan, also deserves special
mention: lie wassthe principal ACTOR IA securing
the main yardarnl, and by reckless exposure
Of life saved the rail from being crushed and battered
on board. Awnings ana curtains were placed In the
weather rigging. Inc sAip lay TO almost mo
ueniess. keeling over considerably. the helm
being hard up. The rnsis of wind were now
were deaiepng. inc air was composed OF
spray The sea was pressed down smooth,
the tops OF the waves cut OH clean by the WIND anu
carried by the tempest In me spray, which blinded
and stung our faces painfully. At times The
maininast was invisible from the quarter deck. it
was utterly Impossible TO look above the rail-
ana below IL we actually breathed salt water
orders could not be made lnte.iigble by word Of
accomplished by examples. Men became sick from
mouth, tile trumpet was useless, anu WORK was alone
the salt water which they imbbed The storm sui
p. ~ Between $50 ana 7:4o P. N. the iooUinv
accidents occGrred:-fhe maintopsail yard, fore
and mzzen royal masts and yards, and nam
tOpgaiant maSts ana iisat yards went hanging
on in tangled wrecks; the Toretopsa split and dis
appeared III twinkiing, followed by the fragments
OF the fore storm lrysall, the sheet OF which was
steadied anu strengthened by two strong tackles
The barometer stood at 2i.S2, when the main topga
liant mast went. close to the cap with y fearful
crash, coming down with the wnos debris OF the
top hamper and starboard half OF tie mant0p, and
lodged outside the leo main rigging. me wire rig
glnH held wonderfully. The miZzen opgalant yard
alter hammering to leeward some tune, strongly
thrust Itself betWeen the rigging and mast ana jam
tie cut away. The ship began TO laoor heavily.
ssnl . Ara, great seas with every lnrc9.
halfway up the llizzen rigging, carried away tue
buixneads OF the cabin paDtry, cabin door and
armory canopy ran OF the after hatcn. the ward
room skyights ana weather hammock rails sweep.
ing everything and everybody aO0va the decks into
tue lee scuppefs The ship now went nearly on her
beam ends, Dut IN q moment rishteu and left the
third cutter IN the sea 10 leeward. The barometer
had now fallen to 1892. At nafrast seven O'Clock
r a. y sea came over the lee DOW. carrying away
the rail- and woodwork OF the top gallant forecastie
swept the Ice Gangway clear. bringing everything
ait and carrying away u second time the wardroom
iSs s cabin carpet, and swept '0' tuose vim IN
the vicinity against the. bulkhead through
s ca1 he te%"es Uaa M ., IN Intense sSnass
possible for II to be- and Its fury uninag,nabe. The
darkness was impenetrahle excepting when there
were occasional flashes OF sheet gatning. when the
waves could be seen banked up over the other,
soothing and boning nish above and around the
snip. The noise OF the WIND was ike unearthy
yeiiS, and the ship qulveted In every timber Sud
denly the mercury 27e0 and with slight due
taatlons continued to rise. With one fierce squall
| the WIND dropped almost to calm ana we were on
| the vortex. confused cross-sea was noH running,
while puts ana squalls came from all points OF tle
COMPASS. The ship was making water last. The
men manned the pumps cneerlully, Singing songs
and congratulating themselves that the gale was
over. she rode beautifully, gong down bow first,
| as II she would never stop trembling, and then
| mounting the sea with long, gliding sweep. she
shipped great seas at every lnstant. The seams in
| the deck were open fore anu ait, and The water
poured through In torrents. damaging or destroying
all the BOOKS, papers, clothing qua stores anu be-
low the nam deck, as well as all the personal effects
| OF the Officers IN the ward and steerage. Sns
shipped another sea on both bows, starboard gang
way aud both quarters ut the time. The snip
trembed under TINS shock, and 1t seemed n she
| would never rise again. Yarpaaiins were now bet.
Ter secured IN the rigging, the close reeed spanker
got reauy, decks cleared and everything secured.
At $50 y. Al. tho wind came out ia redouDed yio-
InucA lna ,gn nnr