The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-04-15
INDIANAPOLIS

terry, but it soon became impossible to iden-
thy the bodies, and owing TO the warm
climate it was necessary to bury them
where they were found. A number OF
rough collins were made, but numbers of
bodies were buried III the native mats:
some OF the bodies were terribly mutllated
by the beating for hours against the coral
reefs. Paymaster Arms's body was recov-
cred two days after the storm. 1t was pos
ltiveiy. identified by the clothing and
ring which he wore. The body was in
terrible condition, and was buried in the
mats where it was washed ashore. Some of
the natives also fonnd a body about the same
time, four miles up the coast, and from the
description which they gave it was be-
lieved to be that of Captain Schoonmaker,
but the Identification was not positive.
The bodies of Lieutenant Sutton and pay
clerk Roach have not been recovered. On
Friday. March y, the Germans held men,
oFs ois ssFyes cbusb at d%ra he FRENCH RmssrR Sa5R
Captain Farquhar, Consul Blackjack,
and many other Americans attended,
and guard of honor from the United
States war ships were also present. The
American memorial services were held Sun
day morning. March "a, in a large yard. in
which the Trenton men have their quarters.
Ine services were very brief, and were con-
Quoted by Chaplain McAllister. of the Tren-
ton. Over 700 men from the three American
men-Of-war were present, but none or the
German officers attended.
The storm does not seem to have changed
the political situation, so far as the natives
arc concerned. Both the parties are still
encamped on the positions they have occu-
pied for several months past. Mataafa's
men have not given the slightest intimation
that they intended to take advantage OF
the unprepared condition of the Germans,
and it is not thought they will make any
attack upon Tamasese's force pending the
Berlin conference. The German consul, DR..
knappe, is still pursuing the spiteful
course which has always characterized his
administration of affgirs. here, notwith-
standing the noble work of the Samoans in
saving the lives of the Germans during the
storm DIR. Knappe posted printed notices.
few days ago. declaring that the Samoans
daily steal the produce from the German
plantations. and warning the puonc not 70
purchase anything from them. Captain
Fritsch has not yet recovered from the in
| Juries received during the storm.
SAN Francisco, April 1.-THE Chronicle.
| commenting on the details of the wreck of
| the American and German war ships at
in regard to responsibility for the disaster.
| 1t proves that the American and German
commanders did every thing that good sea-
| manship could do TO save their vessels and
that the escape of the British ship Calllope
| was due mainly to the great strength of her
| engines. The American officers proved their
| claim to superior seamanship. and the saw
| ing of the crews of the Trenton and Nipsic
was due to the skillful handling of those
vessels. Mr.. Dunning, special correspond
ent of the Associated Press, has the good
| fortune to be the only newspaper man who
| witnessed the disaster. His account is q
| superb picture of scenes of heroism and suf-
fering without parallel in recent years. The
| story of the fruitless attempt of the war
vessels to escape is full of pathetic features,
| and we think no American can read with
| out emotion the thrilling episode of the
| crews of the Trenton and the Vandalia
| cheering each other, and of the band of the
| Trenton striking up The Star-spangled
Banner as the ships swept on toward GER
| tain death"
What Is Said by Naval Officers at Wash
| ington.
WASHINGTON. April 14.-The long and
| graphic report of the disaster at Samoa was
read with great deal of interest here.
Naval officers generally were of opinion
this evening that mo blame could be at
tached to any one for the loss of ships and
life. They were not inclined to hazard any
decided opinion in regard to the handling
of the various vessels. Commodore Walker,
chief of the Bureau of Navigation, and
acting Secretary of the Navy, probably
voiced the general feeling when he said to
| an Associated Pressr sorter tonight: ANY
man who gives an opinion is simply guess
| ing. We do not know just how matters
stood, and 1t would be merely guess-work
to say what might have been done. 1t Is
impossible to tell much about it. There
were some fine men, excellent officers on
| the ships, and we know that the
vessels were lost. Admiral Kim
berly is. splendid officer and fine
Mulian and Captain sc6oonmaker, of the
Vandalia, who lost his life, are excellent
officers. They doubtless did all they could.
l think probably there is no blame to be
attached to any one."
Commodore Walker thought the escape
of the Calliope was largely matter of
luck. She probably owed her survival. he
said. to the fact that she lad more
R0wsEh than the other shs vessels Sad
very hard work in getting out of the
harbor, only making about half mile an
hour. Again, the Calliope may have been
more favorably placed than the German
and American vessels. Our vessels may
full gale, and even if they had been, it may
be they were not able to turn round so as
to go out. But" said the Commodore, I'VE
can't tell; it's. all guess-work" "The
Walker said, seemed to have been about
the same after the hurricane struck them.
| The mistake that seems to have been made
was In staying inside the harbor, but this
| was q case OF our ulnQSlgnJ De1ng better
than our foresight. The vessels may not
have had time to get out. There was no tell
ing but what some of the vessels mi ght have
gone down with all on board if they had
put to sea. 1t was probable, however, that
they would have pulled through. "But
there" said he .'the Judgement of the of
fcers would come in, and they no doubt did
what seemed best. They may have thought
weather it. They all took the same
| eourse and were all cauuht in the Same
box. Men could not do a great deal in a
hurricane The wind blew everything
down and the seas were heavy almost be-
yond conception. remember a hurricane
in Barbados whi ch blew down large, heavy
stone buildings and razed almost the whole
town, and this seems to have been such a
storm. The Idaho, United States war
vessel, was once caught at sea in a hurri-
cane, and, though she escaped. she
was never any good afterward. The
wind was so fearful that it forced the
oakum ont from between the planking OF
the ships deck and twisted the vessel al
| out of shape, until it resembled the twist
| ing of the withes on a wicker basket. The
deck was SO sprung that you could 90 dowI
below and see through the crevices what
was going on above. A little more
and the vessel would have foundered.'
The Commodore expressed his opin
| ion of hurricanes by saying
II don't want any hurricanes in mine. w,
were more fortunate than the Germans il
| not losing so many men, but this was oul
good luck. They were all fighting fOl
their lives, and did every thing they could
| All the vessels adopted the same cOurss