The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-04-21


sEpped her cadsSs ard Was making =,
Ebert 10 60 cat OF the harhor. Sh,
came Bear ez1llding with Us whl..
ssezsainTT II the face OF the hurricane
In the afternoon the wind hayir,
hauled = little the Gag ship was Nor,
steady a. her Yno0rings. Soon sh,
parted Two chains and NE .he-s ssrsftes
over toward the reef. escaping III,
wreck OF = merchant hsrk bv .
mere chance Of her dragging =,
we approached her. We Sriftesi Is-.tS
our stern Was almost against the rref
Destruction seemed imminent. A. ID,
vessel was within q few feet al the resi
ior long while and pitching heavily
We drltfed IN this position about ths
reel Tor 6 long distance until we cams
70 where Il turned more towards the
eastward Here we found Smoothe,
water and our remaining anrho,
seemed 10 hold quite vel for time
This position. however. put US direct,
on the nawse- Of the Olga. which hac
one OF the ssnooshess beeehes in ths
harbor st this time. She was ri1ins
well and had control of he
engines. Efforts we're az once made
10 heave over an eight-lnch rifis
gun from the forscastie TO assist IL
holding. but il could not be esone In
time We slowly drifteSi upon her
and she aTcsdea US twice by the skill
fuI use OF helm and engines, bat soor
after cut into our quarters. first or
one side and then on the other. czrrv.
ing away the boats. rigging and quar-
ter-galieys. bat not essentially inigring
the hull.
pgSPERArE EFFORTS.
During al this time the officers 81
the flagship made every effort TO man.
age her by storni-sails and puftins
men IN The rigging. We driised hs
the port side of the Olga and across
the western reef, dragging anchor and
taIging now on the western reel as We
had before done on the eastern.
Some OF the wrecked vessels are now
in plain sight. The Nipsie Is well in
shore ON good bottom, with the stem
to sea. The NanGalia is sunk against
reef. Her masts are standing and
the tops of her sigging filled with men
and the spray ana surf living TO mast
heads. Tie Eber il nowhere to he
seen, and the Adler is on her side
high on the reef. The Olga had Turned
for the shore and white going ahead
under steam and sail was beached on
good bottom and IN good position 10
the seas. All this time the gale was
blowing with uaabated fury. At
about clock We were expecting 10
strike reef momentarilv. which was
directly under our stern, but an east
ernside undegtow or current seemed
TO carry rs along the reef and kept
just clear of striking. Thus we came
10 where the Sandaiia was lying. and
rs it was evident that our stern would
soon strike against her port side as we
approached her.
yAgDALIA's MEN RKscUKp.
Rockets we're fired, carrying lines
with the hope of reaching the people
on her masts. This proved very sue
cessfui, and men from the main and
miZzen tops were rescued first. Soon
after We struck the Vandalia with such
violence that her main and mizxen
masts went by board. We then swung
gradually and settled into position
along side her, just touching bottom,
and our stern grasping small wreck
on the reef The men were rescued
from the foremast of the Van
ing the night we continued to
beat our bottom against the Vandalia
with great force. The wind during
this, Saturday, night blew with hurri-
cane force: squall followed squali with
hardly an apparent interval. The
seas. however, were not SO high as
they were further out, and We got
through the night without additional
serious misfortunes. Just before day
light the flagship was visited by two
boats manned entirely by natives, who
carried lines TO the shore, This was
dangerous work, owing to the reefs
and wreckagc and TO the difficulty of
approaching the Trenton on account
of the yandaIia's wreck The men
were kept at the pumps and buckets
without cessation, with view 20 haul
ing Off the ship If it was possible to
keep her edoat.
THE FLAGSHIP ABANnoNEp.
When the gale abated in the morn
ing il was ascertaiDed that the pro-
peiler was missing. The ship had set
tied hard on the bottom. and the water
could not be reduced. II was up to
the engine room platform and rising.
Under these circumstances. and In the
absence of any docking facilities or
marine railway appliance and power
full pumps, the abandonment OF the
ship became necessary. The stores
were gotten up as rapidly a. possible,
and the people got their effects ashore.
Immediately thereafter the crew
we're set to work getting out
and saving from her every
thing possible. On Msnday the water
was up to her gun deck and she had
settled little on the port side. On
Tuesday she had settled more to port
and was still lower in the water. The
Vandalia was completely submerged
and only her foremast and head show
ing above the water. The Nipsic is
lying in about seven feet OF water at
low tide: the rise and fall is six feet,
She would probably have 10 be hauled
astern some 500 feet 20 float her at
high tide. She has lost her smoke
pipe; her rudder and propeller are
also badly damaged.
KEPT FREE OF WATER.
Her crew remained on board and
she keeps the hllges free of water by
steam-pumps have ordered board
TO investigate at once the possibility
of saving the Nipsic and further in
yestigate and report upon ala the cir
connected with the loss
and damage Of the vessels hs the gale.
The report OF this board VIII he for
warded at the first opportunity after
its receipt by me- The crews OF the
VandaIia and Trenton are in barracks
on shore. The Caliiope steamed into
the haTbor this morning with no signs
of having experienced heavy weather.
She goes 10 sydney as soon as possi
bic for repairs, and through the kind
ness of Cart Kane. her diving outfit
has been turned over 10 us and il will
be OF great assistance in saving stores.
/ commend his services 70 the
and trust they
viii be regarded as worthy
of recognition. Lieut.. Wilson goes
to Auckland 10 report the catastrophe
TO the department. by cable. snd %
charter steamer 80 take to san Fran
ci-co the Vandalia's crew ard Others
OF the squadron who are sick and dis
abled. BY the Calliope ] send dGpli-
cate dispatch to Sst ney. TO be for
warded by the United States consul to
the department have received
most valuable assistance from Malie-
toa Mafaafa. who has sent . large
number OF his men TO help in getting
stores and public property from the
ships. The Calliope, when she went
out of the harbor, carried ninety
pounds steam. making seyenty-four
revolutions, and with this was just
about able 70 make headvsy against
the gale. and when outside during &
period OF four hours, made no head
way, the engines running st full speed
caPTsrz EARoUHaR's STORY
In bis official report 10 Admiral
Kimberly. in relation TO the loss Of the
Trenton, Captain Faraahar. comman-