The Springdale news., 1889-05-03
THE NATION WILL ACQUIESCE.

OmciaI Letter From the Secretary of the
 Navy to ear-Admiral Kiraberly-The
 Loss Of Our Men and Ships at APia
 Deeply Deplored, But the Conduct of
 the Survivors Needs No Investigation'
 It Speaks for Itself.
 WASHINGTON, April 28.-Secretary Tracy yesterday addressed the following letter to Rear Admiral Kimberly, commanding United States naval forces on the Paclhc station at ADia. Samoa:
 StR-Thc department is in receipt of your cable dispatch of March g, from Auckland, and also of your letter of March 19, from Cap tain Farquhar, Commander Mullan and Lieu tenant Carlin, narratng the circumstances or the overwhelming disaster which has recently befallen your squadron in Apia harbor. need not say that this event has caused the depart- ment profound sorrow, which, as the appalling extent and character of the catastrophe be- came known, was reflected throughout the country. Even if the navy were possessed ot an adequate number of ships to supply the heccss ties of service, the loss of three at one blow would be q serious diminution or the cruising force To a navy passing as is that or the United States, through stage of transi- ton, when most of it's previously-exist- ing vessels have disappeared, and its new fleet is only on the threshoiu of existence the blow came with crlpplihS force. The department ledrps with the deep- est pain that the wreck at Samoa resulted III the death of four officers, Captain Sohoon- maker Paymaster Frank H. Arms, First Lieu tenant Frank F. Sutton, of the marine corps and Pay Clerk John Roche, and thirty-n'ho men of the Vandalia; seven men of the NpslCf and one man of the Trenton. However seVere- ly the destruction of the tessles may be felt oy the navy the loss of so many valuable hVes 's a far greater and more rreparabie misfortune Captain Schoonmaller died, IS he had lveo az Of n on and devoted servant of his country to the last- Weakened by long effort he was swept py tno sea from the deck of his vessel soon atler M sIlo had drifted to her final resting place. ne nui rcane at Samoa has brought it's afhictlons " many American households, which will receIFo the sympathy Of the Governments yet lt 3a GaI. not be said that those who died thus, nah.uLy facing danger in the execution or thelr uu'S' have died in vain.
 The department, having closely examined the reports of the circumstances under "nIoh "i the disaster occurred, learns that on the iotn Of March, when indications of bad weather nrse appeared every preparation YVES made 70 inee9 T the coming gale. The ships were slrlppeu, anu steam was raised The force of the approach ing storm could not be foreseen and tlfeTe was every reason to hope and believe that the vos sels would ride it out at their anchorage ih safety. The extraordinary violence of the ga 2 rendered this impossible while the crowded condition of the harb0r, where the vessels lay, exposed to the full force of the wind ana sea, yet shut in on both sides by the sharp edges or
 coral reefs, made their position one Of extreme danger. The Nipsic Commander Dennls
 Mullan. the inncrmost vessel Of the meet, WIS enabled to reach place of comparative safety on the beach, where her gigs crew were loss while gallantly attempting to run line ashore. The Vandalia. commanded by Captain ScnoUn1
 maker, and upon his death by Lieutenant J' w Carlin, after skllfnly avoiding colIsou, washed into the inner harbor. struck tne poins ' of the rect not far from the Nipslc. Here sns remained exposed to the fury Of the storn her officers and men taking refuge in the rlBglhp; while the sea swept over her ana the spray anu fix~fry tH HnT C her crew were lost in the attempt to SWIM ashore and one man. F. M. Harman, seaman met his death in brave but fruItiess enorl C1I " carry a line to the Nlpslc. The surVlNols, after remaining for eight hours in momenta1y expectation of death, were finally rescueu- The latter vessel, Captain Farquhar om1anu- ing, had the misfortune, early on the morning of the 18th, to lose her wheel and DreaK nsl rudder. Soon after the heavy sea, forclng itS way into the hawse holes, in spltc of Instructions, filled the furnace rooms anu put out the fires The flagship, without steam or rudder, her anchors dragging drlfted alHosb at the mercy of the gallo, along the edge ot the eastern reef at times not more than twenty feet from total destruction. Every endeavor was made to control her movements, ana nes commanding officer states in his report that upon at least one occasion, 1t Was through VI" excellent judgment of Lieutenant R. M. v. Brown. the navigating officer, that the sup cleared the reef and the four hundred ana nttY lives on board were saved. The departme notes with satisfaction your commendatlon of | Lieutenant Brown, and also Of Lleutenant~ l Commander II. w. Lyon, the executive OlnCtfsloi | their efforts to save the ship. After collision with the Olga, the Trenton passed over to the | western reef, where she drifted with the cur
 rent, until she struck the ground near the van ! dalia.
 From your own report and from other ac- | counts. that have reached the department, lb | appears that the conduct of those under your ' command evinced that courage, resolution anu | fortitude which the United States has learned ] always to expect fr"'p the officers and seameIt
 of its navy. When Ter Brtannic Majesty 1: | tcnTy oil ta,Np fort nnGGpSGl0n more powerful engines. succeeded Tn her Bai-
 lant effort to pass the Trenton and 1f-ssssaIp out ! of the harbor against the hurricane, the ringing | cheer rom the American flagship as her crew | were standing facing death showed spirit | alike generous and dauntless. During the
 whole of Saturday, when the Trenton was help | Iessly dragging her anchors on the verge of de- | structon, the officers preserved their compos- | ure and heroic conduct. and directed her meve-
 ments with consummate skill Thecre were | thro~n into the rigging as a subs .itute for | sails, and through the cool and exact judgment l of those charged with her guidance, she was ! enabled 10 escape the exremity of peril. l when she brought up alongside of l the VandaHa, her officers and me,o1 not l withstanding the suffer ng through wr.ich they ! had passed and the dangers by~whfch they
 were still surrounded, thought only of doing 1 their utmost to assist their comrades of the | Nandalia. whose danger was greater than their own, and by firing rockets with life lines over l the masts and rigging of the sunken vessel. ! they succeeded ir rescuing all of those who had taken refuge there; while under the inspra- | tion of sentiment which has awakened q |! sponse in every American heart the band of l the flag ship, to encourage those who daZed
 with fatigue and weakened by exposure were still clinging to the rigging, played the National i anthem
 | In reply to your request and that Of Captain Farquhar for court of inquiry, the depar, ment has to say, that it deems such court un- necessary. It is satisfied that the officers m command of the ships at Apia dif their duty with courage fidelity and sound jul ,ment, and | hat hayN lOVlliV seconded | by their subordinates; that the hurricane which caused the destruction of the vessels and | the loss of so many lives one of those vlsl- tations of Providence, in the presence of which human efforts are of little avail; that the measures actually taken by youselt l and the officers under you. were all that wisdom and prudence could
 dictate and that it was due to these measures | that so large a proportion Of the crews were | saved: that the one step which might have | averted the catastrope, namely, 10 have put to ! sea before the storm had developed. could only | have been justified, in view or the grave re- | responsibilities resting upon you at samoa, by l the certainty of overwhelming danger to youI l fleet which of course could not then be fore ! seen; that you rightly determined to remaln at | your post. and that the department, in the ! face of the terrible disaster which 1t involved, l approves absolutely your decision, which has | set an example to the navy that should never | be forgotten
 | To convene court of inquiry under these l circumstance would seem to imply doubt on | the part of the department, where no doubt ex- l iSts. and instead or oFuefH% ah investigation.
 it tenders to you. and through you to the off- l cers and men of you command, its sympathy | for the exposure and hardships you have en. 1 countered and it's profound thanks for the | fidelity with which you performed your duty in
 a crisis of appalling danger. Very respect. 1 fully. B. F. TRACY,
 Secretayv efWar.
 Serious Accident to Horse a
 LOUISVILLE, Ky, April 2s.i ;
 Derby candidates, VanguardkS . ssort,
 were being exercised at the 1 NHub ! =. %l,o N