The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1889-05-02
WASHINGTON.
Letter of Secretary Tracey Il
the Admiral Commanding
in the Pacific.
The Secretary's Comments on the
Disaster at Alphabetical
and Other Items.

WASHINGTON, april ZI.-OecreUAry 1rdoy
to-day addressed the following letter to
Rear Admiral Kimberly, commanding the
United States naval forces in the Pacific
station at Apia, Samoa:
Sir-The department is in receipt OF
your dispatches of March 80 from Auck-
land, and also of your letter of March 9,
from Samoa, which the accompanying re-
ports from Captain Farquahar, Com
mander Mullane and Lieutenant Oarlin,
narrate the circumstances of the over
whelming disaster which has recently be-
fallen your squadron in Apia har-
Dor. need not say to
you that the event has
caused deep and profound sorrow, which
is heightened by its appalling extent and
the character of the catastrophe, which,
as soon as it become known, was reflected
throughout the country. Even if the
navy was possessed of an adequate num-
Der of ships to supply the necessities of
the service, the loss of three at one blow
would be a serious diminution of the
available cruising force. To navy pass
ing, as Is that of the United States,
through a stage of transition, where most
of its previously existing vessels have
disappeared, and its new fleet is only on
the threshold of existence, the blow comes
with Gripping force. The department
learns with the deepest pain that thu
wreck at Samoa resulted in the death of
four officers, Capt. M. Schoonmaker, Pay
master Frank N. Arms, First Lieutenant
F. E. Sutland, of the marine corp, and
Pay Clerk John Roche and thirty, nine
men of the Vandalia, seven of the Nipsic
and one of the Trenton. However sew
erey the destruction of the vessel may be
felt by the navy, loss of 80 many valuable
lives is far greater and more irreparable
misfortune.
Captain Sohoonmaker died as he had
lived at the post of duty, a gallant
and generous officer and devoted
servant of his country to the last. Weak
ened by long effort he was swept by the
sea from the deck of his vessel, soon
after she had drifted to her final resting
place.
The hurricane at Samoa has brought
affection to many American households
which will receive the deepest sympathy
of the government; yet it cannot be said
that those who died thus, manfully facing
danger in the execution of their duty,
have died in vain.
The secretary then gives an epitome of
reports received, and continues:
From your own report and from
Al Aln 49, ant
it appears that the conduct of those
under your command evinced through
out that courage and resolution
and fortitude which the United States
has learned always to expect from the
officers and seamen of its navy.
When her Brittanic majesty's ship Cal
Hope, fortunate in possession of more
powerful engines, succeeded in her gallant
effort to pass the Trenton and steam ont
of the harbor against the hurricane, the
ringing cheer from the American flagship,
AZ her crew we're standing in the face of
death, showed spirit alike gene GUS and
dauntless. During the whole of Saturday
when the Trenton was helplessly dragging
her anchors on the verge of destruction,
the officers preserved their composed
bearing and directed her movements with
consummate skill. The crew were thrown
into the rigging as substitute for sail,
and through the exact judgment of those
charged with her advance she was nabled
to escape the extremity of peril. Finally
at the close of the day when she brought
up alongside of the Vandalia, her officers
and men, Notwithstanding the suffering
through which they had passed and the
dangers ty which they we're surrounded,
thought only of doing their utmost to as
sist the crew of the Vandalia,
whose distress was greater than
their own, and by firing rockets
with life lines over the masts and rigging
of the sunken vessel they succeeded in
rescuing all those who had taken refuge
there while under the inspiration of a
sentiment which has awakened, a warm re-
spouse in every American heart. The
band of the friendly ship, to encourage
those who, dazed with fatigue and weak
ened by exposure, we're still clinging to
the rigging, played the national anthem