Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-04-21
THE FLEET AT SAMOA.
LETTERS PROM ADMIRAL KIMBERLY
AND ooENANoER MULLAH
In References to the wrecking, Commencing
the King and His Subjects FOR
Assistance Rendered.
rBr telegraph 70 tho pIspatch.l

berry, referring to the wreckIng or the
American feet at Api1. IL Is understood
that they were accompanied by long de-
tailed report, but this has not yet reached
the department. The first letter Is dated
Apia, March 18th, and reads:
Secretary OF the Navy:
Sir,-I have TO commend to the Govern
ment OF the United Ststes the very great as
sistance we have received In saving public
property from our wrecked vessels at this
place from Matsafa Malietoa, who, without
any request on my part, called on me per-
sonaly and sent some hundreds OF his
men TO sssist our people In saving the
stores and materials from the wreck
ed vessels. Also, when the Nipslc
and VandalIt went on shore the natives
risked their lives to save those OF our men
who endesvored 10 reach the shore by swim
ming, and two OF them lost their lives In
these attempts. II some recognition Of these
services could be made | thlok 1t would be
appreciated very highly by the Samoans,
particularly IS they have so generally given
their services, and in two cases their lives,
TO befriend us.
Under the date OF Apis, March 2lst, Ad.
miral Kimberly writes The Nipsic was got
of last night. and Il now shoaL without any
rudder or rudde.-poS,, and her crew IS en-
GAGE 10 trying TO get up her chains.
The Trenton is sunk, the water coming
over the port side of her gUn-deck 1T nigh
water think her back IL broken She
might possibly be freed nom tho water II
we had proper appliances, powerful steam
pumps, &c. She has no rudder, rudder-post,
or propeller, and lies with her deck slightly
inclined to seward. She lies alongside OF
tue wreck OF the Vandalla, which Ia shore
ward OF her. The latter vessel IS total
n hatrl NhR a
water rises over Der topgallsnt forecaa-
tie. Only her foremost is Standing We
are engaged securing moorings for the Nip
sic aud in wrecking the Trenton and Vans
1alia. A good deal OF what We save might
be sold a. public auction to save the ok
pense OF storing and transportation. Oar
sick and injured are doing well. IL would
perhaps be well TO send q vrecking vessel
here later in the season 10 save the Tren-
toms heavy guns, ammunition, &c. have
received from Captain Henry G. keare
the diving apparatus and will use 1t
for all 1t IS worth, but we ought TO
have another in case OF accident
TO this. hope the department will not for
get Captain keane's kindness to us 10 our
distress. He commands her Msissty's ship
Calliope. which vessel had but one boat.
gsve 10 her one OF our ten cared cutters, but
She did not consider II safe to lie there at this
season OF the vesr. She sailed this morning
for Sidney, where she will be repaired. sac is
considerably damaged by the Olga colliding
with her.
Almost every vessel was ~ one time or an
other ~ collision with some other vessel, and
a great deal OF the damage thSt occurred was
owing 20 this cause
II can save the Nipsic, which can be
done il the weather permits, | viii send her
| -, 10 1al
aud repaired. Another ship should be sent
here for the purpose OF conveying her, as
the risk OF the imnrovised rudder Il too
great TO send her there alone. have still to
learn Of the condition OF her machinery and
propeller. but shall be informed in the course
Of aiew days.
Very respectfully, your obedicnt servant,
l.. A. KIMBERLY,
Rear Admiral United States Naval Force on
the Pacific station.
WASHINGTON, April 2O.-A letter from
| Commander y. W. Mulan. o. the Nipple,
dated Apia, March 23d, addressed to the
Secretary OF the Navy, reads:
"In compliance with paragraph %, page
| 80 Of United states Navy Regulations,
| have the honor 10 report that all boiler
poWer was used on the 10th OF March during
| the violent hurricane which occurred IN the
harbo.. ID. W. hULLAN,
"Commander. commandng.'
Admiral Kimbecly's detailed report has
reached the Navy Department
/ Admiral Kimberly's report has been antici-
/ uated "a 70 ITS msin news features by the
! Associated Press kilograms, bat some OF It's
/ technical details are OF interest He says
| IndlcRtious OF bad weather appeared durlEg
1 the forenoon II Friday, March 18th, and st
/ O'Clock on that daV ! commenced prepare
/ tions 10 meet the gale by setting down the
/ lower wards aud housing topmasts. Fires
/ were lighted and steam raised. by !
/ O'Clock the COLE had developed. II blew
/ hard during the evening, and we parted our
port.bow caDle. During the night 1t blew
/ with great violence. but, with the aid OF the
! stean.vessels, Kept IN good shape until
morning. Al daylight we had hoped TOT
moderation OF the wind, but were dlsap-
pointed. The gale set In with renewed
! fury and early in the forenoon 1t was
| evident that some OF the inner ships
yero ashore aud those nearest 10 Us were
riding uneasily. The 1agsbip lost her wheel
| about this time. IL was carried away with
a crash and seriously Injured some Of the
hclmsmen. believing tackles and spare
/ tillcr were applied promptly, bat 1t was dis
/ covered that the rudder was broker, ana
soon it was entirety useless. The wind by
! this time was blowing with hurricane force
| ana the seas were very heavy. The snip had
| begun to make water during the early morn
/ ing. Hand-pumps were manned and all the
! bilge-pumps in the engine-room put on. The
wafer gained and threatened 10 put out the
| fires. The greater part OF 1t seemed 10 come
/ in through the hawse-pipes, which were siili-
| ated on the berth.deck. Every effort was made
/ 10 stop the entrance Of the water at TINS point
J 10 hu -
/ moulding on the chains aud by veering into
| the hawse.pipcs. II could not be stopped,
! for the violence OF the seas was so greet that
/ il would force back everything opposed to
/ il Al hands were set to bailng. by $3.50
/ A. NJ. the fires bad been put out and the men
| driven M from the fire-rOOm. Work ri the
/ hand. punps and with buckets continued from
| this time throughout the gale with the hope
| OF being abe 10 relieht the fires and keep
| the ship aflOat. Further details OF tue
scenes in the harbor are practically identical
with the teltgraphic reports except inst
Admiral Kimberly says the Trenton
fired rocket lines across the Yards OF
the Vandala when she swung along
SIDE that vessel and thus rescued the VAN
dallas crew. The men were kept at tue
humps and buckets, without cessation, WIN
the view TO hauling OF the ship If possible
! and Keeping Dti hitOabs " MN wv 49,
abated SUNDAY moruing and the wind mode
rated it was then ascertsined that the pro.
peler was missing. The ship bad settled hard
on the bottom. and the water could not be
reduced. 1t was up to The engine-room plat
form and rising. Under these circumstances
and IN the absence OF any docking facilities
or mafine-rnilwsy appliances and and power
fuI pumps the abandonment OF tue ship be-
came necessary. The stores were gotten up
AS rapidly as possible, aud the people got
their effects ashore. Immediately thereafter
the crew were set 10 work get
ting out and saving from her everything
possible. On Monday the water wa, up
| TO the gun-deck. and she bad settled
a little on her port side. ON Tues
day she had settled more to port ana
was sill lower in the water. The Vandaila
Il completely submerged, only her foremost
and hesd-booms showing above The wafer.
The Nipsic Is living IN about seven feet OF
water at low tide rise sud fall about Tour
ieet She would probably have 10 be hauled
astern some five hundred feet 10 iloat her at
high tide. She has lost her smoke-stack
pipe, also her ruddeT, aud her propeller Is
! remain board