The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1889-05-10

Navy ~ Rear Admiral Kimberly the
loss of sur Mem aud ShIp~ ~ Apla
deeply neploreds lsut tho Conduct of
the Survivors Needs NJ investiration;
~ speak for Itself
WASHINGTON, April 2s.--Secretary Tracy
yesterday addressed tho following letter
10 Rear Admiral Kimberly, commanding
United States naval forces on the Pacific
station AZ Aoia. Samoa:
Sin-Thc department is IN receipt OF vonr
cable dispatch 81 March ~. from Auckland,
and also OF your letter of March ~ from Cap
tain Farlnhar. Commander Mnan aud Lieu
tenant Carlin. narrati ing the circumstances OF
the overwhelming disaster which has recently
befallcn your squadron IN Apia hlfbor. need
mcnt profound sorrow, which. Us the appalling
extent aud character Of the catastrophe be-
came known. was reflected throughout tho
country. Even II the navy were possessed of
an adequate number o. ships 70 supply tho
neccss ties OF service. the loss Of three AT one
blow would be u serious dimiuution 81 no
cruising force 10 navy passing. as Is that OF
the United States. through stage OF transit
fion, when most OF its preyOu sy.exisf-
ing vessels have disappeared ana
It's new fleet Is only on the threshold
OF existence. the biNw came with cripnnr
force. The department learns WITH the deem
est pain that the wreck al Samoa rc.ulied IA
the death OF four officers. Captain Schoon-
maker Paymastcr Frank II. Arms. First fi4u-
tenant Frank II. sutton % inc marine corrs.
and Pay Clerk John Roche. ana ihlrtv.nino
men OF the Vandalia: seven mon 81 tho psic.
and one man OF the Trenton. However sevcrc-
ly the destruction OF the ycsslcs may be fell Nv
the navy. the loss OF so many valuable lives sa
far greater and more rrrparAblc misfortune
Captain SchoonmaiScr died, rs he had yed at
the post OF duty Il gallant and generous cheer,
and devoted servant Of his country 20 the last.
Weakened by long EFFORT. ne was swept by the
sea from the deck OF his vessel soon after she
had driftci 20 her flnal resting place. The hur.
ricane NJ Samoa has brought lts am ciors 10
many Amcricnn households. which WIN receive
t the sympathy 81 the Governments: Yet Il cum
not he said that those who dirt thus. manfnlly
\ facing danger in the execution Of their duty.
4 have dci IN vain.
! Thc department. having closely examined
( the reports ~ the circumstances under which
the disaster occurred. learns that on the 11ih
i OF March. when ind cations 81 bad weather 'lrSt
Y Appeared every rrcparttion was made to meet
< the coming gale. Ths ships were STRIPPED and
\ steam wa~ raised. The force NJ the approach
4 ing storm could not he forcscen ana there was
every reason 70 hope and believe that tae YES
sells would ride II out az Their anchorage IN
safety. The exiraor. iinarv violence 81 the gaze
rendered this ,mpossh bic. VIII "a the crow led
/ condition ~ the harbor. whore the vessels lay,
exposed "a the ful force of The nd and sea,
YET shut IN on both sides bv The sharp elgeS of
coral reefs. made their position one 81 extreme
danger. The NIpsic. Commander Dennis W.
Mullen the innerinost vessel of the fleet. was
enabled 10 reach place OF comparative safety
on the beach where her < IS crew were lost
while CALAMITY attempting 10 run q linenshore.
The vandnlla. com narded by Captain Sthoon-
MAKER. aud upon his death ny LentcnlntJ. W.
Carlin after skllynlly avoiding collision.
washed into the inner harbor struck the point
~ the reef not far from the y psic. Here she
remained exposed 10 the fury 81 the storm. her
oflccrs and men taking refuge IN the r'gg ne:
while the sea swept over her ana the spray and
surf were flying 10 her mnss-heads- Many q
her crew were lost IN the attempt 70 SWIM
ashore. and one man. 7. NJ Iiarnan seminar.
met his death In "A brave hut fruiflcss cnOrt 10
carry line TO the Npsc. The Survivors.
after remaining for eight hours IN momen'ary
expectation 81 death. were finally rescued.
The latter vessel Captain Farquhar command
ing. had tho misfortune, early on the morning
OF the 10th. 10 lose her wheel and break hcr
ruddcr soon after the heavy sea, forcing ~
way into the hawsc-ho'es. Ia spite
Of obstructions. nllcd the furnace rooms. * \
nut ontfhc fires. The flagship. without ~ ~
or ruddcr. her anchors dragging, driftci almcss
az the mercy or the gale. along the edge % tne
eastern reef AZ times not more than 'went ~.
was made u control her movements. and her
commanding officer states ~ his report thnt
upon AZ least one @ cason. II WAS through mo
excellent Judgment 81 Lieutenant Il N. O..
Brown. the navigating officer. that mo sup
cleared the reef and the four hundred ana nitv
lives on board were saved. The departme u
notes with satisfaction your commentator o.
Lieutenant brown. aud also of Lieutenant
Commander II. W Lyonthc executive officer, for
their Efforts 10 save the snip. After collision
with the Olga. the Trenton passed over 70 the
! I western reef where she drtfted with the cur
rent. until she struck the ground near inc van
From your own report. and from ether &C.
connfs. that have reached the department. y
b nnpears that the conduct o. those under your
4 | command cvinced that courage. resolution nnu
fortitudc which the United states has learned
always TO expect from the Officers ana seamtn
: ~ IL navy. when Her Br fannie Majcsty's
shin Callope. fortunate in the possession q
more powerful engines. succeeded IN her ~
liant effort 10 pass the Trenton ana steam ou'
a ~ HE harbor against the hurricane. the fugin.
r cheer from the American flag ship as her crew
were standing facing death showed = sP.,,l
alike generous and dauntless During th'
o whole az Saturday. when the Trenton WIS heip
* fessly dragging rer anchors on the verfr 81 -
strucion. the officers preserved ,heir ~, =,
4 ments with consummatc skill. The creS wcr'
/. thrown into the rigging as q SUBSTITUTE w
% sails. and through ~. c9oi "nn esaes .s w
enabled 10 escape the extremity q perl
Finally, ~ the close o. 'nr '' y
! the vandalia. her officers and mer. ~,
y withdrawing tho sufer ne through whi'n ", ~,
Il had passed and the dangers ~ whish VIM, MIMI
!, / were sfill surrounded. thought only oi u".nt
! their utmost 10 nasist their fnraues o. w
=, vandaia whose danger was greater mn wv .
u own and by firing rockets with lie nnes VA,
a the masts and rigging of the sunkcn .'s@''
: they su. CO.. led in rescuing All ~ those VIM ~
= taken refuge there while under the insp'na
y ton OF sentiment when nas =" ~ n.nd
shc f,ay shin 10 encourage those VINO. haz.
n with fatigue and weakened by cxpnsurr W.
y sfill cinging 10 the rlg8ihk' P'"NN'' ~
le anthem. .,. - ca,,.ai
!" Farauhar for n court of inquiry. thr us,,'. y,
~ 1ncnt has to say. that " deems surn r"n,, M
4. nccrssarv N Is satisfied that thr QUIZ, M,
q command az the ships at Apia, dih ~ 7 ~" IN
with courag~. fidelity and SOUND JnaE'lr, y, M. ~.
That they were zealousiy and loyAliS s.s !,
re W their snhnrd mates: that the nuI,.S" /,
!. which caused the destruction 81 thc '.SS'.s
I. me loss ~ 80 many lives was one % Nc. ~
~ tatlous OF Providence, IN the presence ~ Ky Ky
10 amman EFFORTS are ~ little nvail. 'n'
- ~ measures actually taken ny youSs
y ana He ofnccrs under Won. were =
~ maj wisdom and prudence su 49,
y. d,c,atc. ana that II due 70 these NJ 49,
N shat "a large n proportion % the crews y, NJ,
4, savcd. that the one step when m'Rnt ~
4" avcr,et the catastropc. nancy. to nav ~,
m sca before the storm had developed. cou'n ~.
"a ,avc been justified. N view 81 thc srn,.
snonsibiiirs resting uuon YOU ~ 7". y.
Xxx certainty az overwhelming dancer " y"
~ s,act which III course could NOT 'h"n ~ ''''
ur scen. that you rightly determined V rs"nin
II vour most. and that the department. w !.
Ill sacc ~ Tho terrible disaster when y lnv" ,
re- nrproyes absolutely your decision WIFI !.
OF 80; IN example 70 the navy mat snou'u my
" Y ~. cnnvenc court % inquiry under NC
~ .,,c,,rs tanrcs would seem 70 imply unun'
ne ~, s"rt N ,he Department. where no DOUBT
he Nv, w "a snstcn.i of ordering an tnveStlytti'