The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-04-03
THE SINKING OF WAR SHIPS AT SAMOA

The Trenton and the Vandalia Total
Losses-Fhe Nipsie Badly Wrecked.
but May be Saved-FOrty.six Ameri.
can Officers and SeRmen Drowned
Two German Ships Lost and One
nded.Ninety.Five Germans Per.
isIi.
WASHINGTON, March 30.-The fol-
lowing cable message was received at
the Navy Department this morning:
AUCKLAND, March 80, 1889.-To the
Secretary of the Navy, Washington.
D. c.: A hurricane occurred at Apia
on March Is. Every vessel in the
harbor is on shore except the English
man-of-war Calliope, which got to sea.
The Trenton and the Vandalia are to-
tai losses. The Nipsic is beached with
her rudder gone she may be towed,
but the chances are against 1t. I will
send her to Auckland if possible.
The Vandalia lost four officers and
thirty-nine men, namely: Captain
Schoonmaker, Paymaster Arms, Lien
tenant of Marines Hutton, Pay Clerk
John Roach Henry Baker, w. Bris-
bane, VIM. Brown; Quartermaster
Michael Cashen M. Craigin, B. F.
Davis, Thomas G. Downey, M. Erick-
son, s. G. Ghring, Adolph Goldnere,
Geo. German, N. B. Green, Joseph
Griffin. E. NJ. Hammur, John Han
chett, C. H, Hawkins, w. Hoat,
Frank Jones, George Jordan, M. III.
Joseph, John Keely, Thomas Kelly, n.
Kinsella, g. P. Kratzer, Charles Kraus,
F. r. Lessman, George Message, Ayl-
mer Montgomery, Thomas Riley, H.
P. Stalman, G. G. Stanford, John
Sims, G. H; Wills, John Mileford,
Henry Wixted, All Kow, Ah Peck,
Pendang Ticker.
The Nipsic lost seven men, namely:
Geo. w; Gallon, John Gill, Joshua
Heap, Thomas Johnson, David Kelle-
her, Henry Ponkell, VIM. Watson.
All were saved from the Trenton.
The Trenton and Vandalia crews are
ashore; the Nipsic's are on board.
All stores possible have been saved.
The German ships Adler and Elmer
are total losses. The Olga is beached
and may be saved. The German losses
are ninety.si
It is important to send 800 men home
at once. Shall { charter steamer? l
can charter in Auckland. Lieutenant
Wilson will remain in Auckland to
obey your orders.
Fuller accounts by mail.
KIMBERLEY.
INSTRUCTIONS TO ADMIRAL KIMBER-
LEY.
WASHINGTON, March 30.-The fol-
lowing dispatch has been sent to Lieut..
Wilson, for admiral Kimerbley, care OF
the American Consul at Auckland:
Take such steps with regard to the
Nipsic and wrecks and sending the
men home as you may deem proper.
Full power is given you. The Monon-
gahela sailed for Apia February q.
(Signed) TRACEY"
The Olga had 267 men, the Adler 127
men and the little Eber eighty-seven
men: vet with one-half of the number
of the American forces these unfortu-
nate vessels appear to bave lost more
than twice as many men. Some naval
officers think this is an indication that
the American vessels had greater
structural strength than the German
ships, or that superior seamanship was
shown.
MERCHANT VESSELS SUFFER SEVERE
LY.
AUCKLAND, March 30.-Later ad-
vices received here regarding the bur.
ricane which devastated Samoa and
wrecked a number of German and
American war ships say the storm
swept the island on the 18th instant.
All the war ships attempted to put to
sea, but only the English Steamer CAL
| liope succeeded in getting out. The
merchant vessels suffered severely.
The Bark Peter Godefrey, one other
bark and seven coasters were wrecked
and four persons were drowned. The
Calliope sailed for Sydney. The Peter
Godeffrey was a German bark. She
had arrived at Samoa from Sydney.
NEWS OF THE DISASTER FROM BERLIN.
BERLIN, March 30-The advices re-
ceived by the naval authorities here re-
port tnat the storm ragged during the
18th and 18th insts. Five officers and
seventy men from the Alder and twen-
ty men from the Eber were drowned
The Olga was stranded, but her crew
were saved. ALI the merchant vessels
anchored at Samoa foundered.
Wanted.