Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-08-26
LOSS OF THE TALLAPOOsA.
Lieut.. Commander Merry Makes Hi
RepOrt-The Boat to be Raised.

Lieut.. Commander Merry Makes His
RepOrt-The Boat to be Raised.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 25.-The Navy De-
.partment has received from Lieut.. Com
mander J. f. Merry, under date of Woods
Hall, Mass, Aug. %, his report upon the
sinking OF the Tallapoosa. 1t is as fol-
lows:
have to report the sinking of the Talla-
pOOsa yesterday at ii 10 O'Clock al night, about
I miles east of East Chop Lighthouse by col
lison with the three-masted schooner James
5. l. well. The TalapOOsa lies in fathOms
of water at high water At the time of the
collision the TallapOosa was steaming with
one boiler (halt poWer) against flood tide and
strong wind from the southwest ana going
over ground at the rate of about So knots per
hour. The weather was hazy near the hOri-
zOn, but clear overhead. The red and green
lights of the schooner were sighted about two
points on the starbOard bow, we showing
her our green light to give her more room
had the helm put to starboard. All at once
she lu6ed and showed her red light. / then
knew that a collision was inevitable. The
schooner struck US Just forward of the fore
rigging on our starboard side, cutting us be-
low the water line and very near to midship
SINKING INEVITABLE.
1 Immediately saw that the Tallapoosa
would sink, and made every effort in my DOW
er to clear the berth deck, fre-room and
" ard-rOOm, calling all hands to abandon the
snip. The officers and men were quiet and
went to the boats without excitement The
ship sank bow first, which l believe was on
the bottom before the stern began to sink
just betor6 the stern went down L ordered
the men into the main rigging. The eXecu-
tive omcer, chief engineer, nine men and
myself took to The rigging. To the best of my
belief, coupled with the opinions of the Off
GERS and men, the ship sank in five minutes,
the highest estimate being ten minutes. |
ordered the boats to pick up the men in the
water and take them to the schooner,
which, at my request, had anchored.
She soon after sent a boat to our assistance.
Another schooner anchored near, and SO of
our men were put on bOord of her. About the
time reached the schooner the steamer Gate
CITY, bound to savannah, came along, was
hailed ana stopped. sent Ensign WhlItlesey
on board and requested the master to take us
to w )Od's Hole, which he did willingly, and
he, together with the officers and crew, treated
us with the greatest kindness. Every
effort was made to save life,
and l regret to report that
Passed Assistant Surgeon c. G. Black and
George Foster, landsman, are missing, and
are believed to be drowned. William G.
Donnell and William Jones are also missing,
but several men say that they were seen on
board the Gate City, and it is the general be-
lief that on our arrival at Woods Hole they
were asleep, and are now on that vessel.
THE BOATS.
Five OF the pulling boats and the HerrsofT,
steam cutter, were saved. The other steam
cutter was stove by the collision. and picked
up by the schooner and tOwed into Hyanns.
On our arrival at Woods Hole | requested
Lieut.. Wood, Commander of the Fish Hawk,
to go to the wreck, which he did, taking the
officers and crew. Lieut.. Everett reports the
house on the hurricane deck breaking up.
The colliding schooner is a large vessel, with
/, 100 tons of coal on board. She is not seri-
ously damaged, but leaks about the bow, her
cut-Water and some Of her wood ends being
started. kept one officer and seven men on
board of her for assistance. She got under
way and anchored in Vineyard Haven. Lieut..
Wood tOwed her further into the harbor, and
offered any assistance required, which was
declined.
THE TALLAPOOsA TO BE RAISED.
PROVIDENCE, r. l., Aug. 25.-A New
port dispatch says: "The Secretary of the
Navy has determined to make an effort to
have the Tallapoosa raised as it now
lies, and with that view will at once invite
proposals for doing the work."