New-York tribune., 1870-01-08
NAVAL DISASTER.
PARTICULARS OF THE LOSS OF THE u. s. TUG
MARIA-A REMARKABLE NARRATIVE.

PARTICULARS OF THE LOSS OF THE u. s. TUG
MARIA-A REMARKABLE NARRATIVE
The Miantonomah left the Brooklyn Navy
Yard a week SINCE conveyed by tho tug Mara. 10 en-
able her get safely TO the Catalpa ana CLINTON as
sisted her as far as Hell Gate when they left ana the
Maria took mp her position asern tender. gale oi
wind coming the vessels lay at anchor OIL Fort Scbuy
er. Early Monday morning they got underweigh' ana
proceeded up the Sound. On reaching Montauk ABOUT
O'Clock Monday night the heavy swell from Inc ocean
set in and the Maria commenced 20 roll fearfuly 1he
Miautonomah made good weather, but leaked some
through the turret packing, making IL decidedly un-
pleasant below decks. She rolled considerably for
monitor She stccrCd very vii lily, and tie Maria KEPT
wc on her quarter, occasionally running up to a safe
distance to see II all was right
About O'Clock the morning Of Tuesday. Gay Head
light being in sight, the fccdpIpo of the Maria burst,
owing probably 10 the violent working Of the vessel
This casually did not any alarm or excitement on
board and while consulting to what should be done,
the Mautonomah hailed and Informed OF the Maras
accident. The officers informed them that the vessel
would be slowed Until 1t could be ascertalnod whether
the damage could he repaired ON board Of the Maria
The Miauonomah steamed slowly ahead, bnt the Maria
have passed her. and was so far IN advance as
lead those board 10 believe that the Mmntonomah
bad stopped Thinking that she might have broken
down, they turned the Maria around to a'ceitm inc
cause of her delay. The Vineyard Light ship was now IN
sight and it became necessary to change the course o he
MiantOHomah bringing the bow OF the monitor III me
with the staThOar side Of the Mara At tins time II was
discovered ON board OF the Maria hat the Mlahluuoh
was rapidly approaching her, and orders were gwen 10
go ahead at fu speed but the engineer reported mar
his steam was nearly exhausted ~ ihat she couIu nD
make three knots. The Miantonomah was GONG 3boat
eight knots and although she tried 10 avoid the col~loh
10y putting her hc!m nara a,'"i 9 ~ ~ I ~ H.
Besides. the monitor answers ncr helm very slowly lHc
blow given by the MautOuomah Is represented as bcng
terrific, the penetrating the Marao iron nun ana
instantly killing Coles, the oiIer VINO vac oInnG % %tnT
engine The vessel kcced over so that the port rail-
was under water; the lamps stoves eSrs, anu &
thing movable were thrown into a confused m'ss ahd
were Knocked cndways and made a complete wreck. IN
an incredibly snort space "I lHc t.c Wv, u'7'.,
the Maria against the Prov OF the munlto'' en-
Iarecd the hole made It's destruction more perfect
Irnt commander Niles had charge Of the deck. Ensign
Blccckcr WAS i'm his berth, II beng his watch below Nr'
Brown the engineer WAS IN the Cngnc-iooh Ihe coos
Jones was in the galley asleep, and believed to nave
turned for the night. Grinhs was asleep m the Dnnk
ers with Burns and when the collision took place, he
called his clum and then started for the deck, which he
reached bat poor Bnrns never gained the utch' ON
fths however, jumped from the deck ana SWAIN 70 the
Mantonomuh when he was picked M by BroWh, the
engineer OF The Maria. who was luslrHmeulI l SAVING
several Of the others. CUMMINGS wa, unap.e 10 1umP
from the Maria 10 the moui ana ne was carried uoNH
by the suction Ensign DC, rAaI' VINO was liLu"'s W. W.
dressed jumped rom MS ur!Nl ~ w !is'' VI t D
collision, and attempted % get ont oi lnc poi t'1
door but hudIng the MalC5 mas ] ]TIinDE m ~, ,c6SJ c in
opening and reaching the deck, and with the others
climbed upon the bow Of the Miantonomah
All the saved are louN in i.lr pIalseS Vi & ,o w. ~
engineer whose coOlncss courage, and aOHty IA ths
crew over the bow and 40 last Crasped Graiths aud
hauled him board. From the time OF the collision
not exceed minute. The Mintoromah made an attempt
TO lower boat dessted from the fact that the boat
would been instantly sWampcd against her slde rs
the waves dashiug her decks. 1t seems mira
Gle that many saved. Fortunately the Nn1uto-
uomah kept her hcadway the collision, for had she
backed Oft entirely the Maria would have keclcd to
starbOard and left hone Of salvation for those on
board II was she hung the iron PROV OF the moh
tor. and thus gave them time 10 get on board.
The following is list OF the saved Lieut. -CommahCcf
Narstou Miles Ensign, John BecCker; pilots, VIM Cut
lgr Hugh Jones, Charles Duydii engineers. Abraham
Brown, Samuel SmitheIs; hremcn, Grinths, IuShs,
Icuuy; crew, Collins, Flanagan.
The following were lost FIremcn, John Coles, James
Cummings; Ollcr John Burns; cook Nm. Jones.
The Maria was q screw tug built during the war by
LCssrs Peruc for the Navy Department, ana she has
been emulOved around the Suvy-NUrd since, She
was the vessel by Admiral GOdOu TO watch tue span
s guubOats daring the time they lay al the fool OF h-
tceutl-st. She detailed this her last voyage 20
convoy the NantOnOmah 10 Boston, and was TO have
three orphan chldren,aud Cummings leaves family but
neither Of these men arc on III. books oi any vessel
those left are deprived OF any support, and are
not entitled TO pension. II has been sug
gc~fed hv some Of officers OF the navy
thar Congress Will provide for these and similar cases
Everybody board the time lost every article Of
Cothlg aud al personal effects The loss 10 Government
is about StHOU although tine Mana mas cost nearer
100000. she was a very scrNicedDc boat ana was
extremely wei. built
The Mautouomah arrived at Boston on Wednesday
afternoon. having been PIUyHcctOwn the night pre-
yiOus and the sIpWItUktd officers and men sent 20
York by rail IL is probable that the loss OF the
vessel will be made the subject for special court OF
INQUIRY Al OF the above facts have been obtained direct
sufferer by the disaster and the statements oI Tie
others 10 the same effect.