The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1889-04-05
HURRICANE AT APIA.
VESSELS WRECKED ON SHORE
AND OFFICERS LOST.
| The Defeat of Murat Ial>'ead a> Minis-
| ter to Germany--N North Carolina . fiji Ce
Seekers on Deck

The following is II part of the official
dispatch received at the Navy Depart
ment yesterday from Admiral Kimberly
of the Pacific Squadron
AUCKLAND, March 80, 1889
To SECRETARY NAVY, WASHINGTON, u. G.:
"Hurricane at Apia March - Every
vessel in harbor on shore except English
man of war Caliope, which got to sea.
Trenton and Nandalia total losses.
Nipsic beached rudder gone; may be
saved; chance against il will send her to
Auckland if possible Eandalla lost four
officers, thirty nine men
The Trenton is the flag ship, and no
lives were lost on it Naval officers here
say the disaster could have been avoided
The escape of the English steamer, Cal
liope. indicates that it could have been.
[ nited States vessels when in port are not
permitted to keep up their fires and rs it
is the work of three hours TO get up steam
with cold boilers, the American vessels
We're at the mercy of the sudden storm.
There was plenty OF criticism OF the
parsimony of this government regarding
coal and comparison made with the Eng
hsh liberality in that respect. England
has coaling stations all over the world,
and cares no more for the burning of a
ship load of coal than this government
does of ton.
Commodore Walker thinks that the
English man-of war Calliope escaped at
ApIa because she had steam up. The
American vessels were very short of coal,
and were probably compelled to Try 10
ride out the storm of anchor.
The Government" +" said a Naval officer
yesterday. could have saved the millions
which it will take to replace the vessels If
..,I Tod 1rii rcd dollars q
keep up steam while the vessels We're ii a
treacherous harbOr.
This comment IS emphasized by the fact
that the danger which finally engulted the
vessels was not without its warning The
rainy season set in this year at Samoa
with severity and rather early.
ON February IA, just month before
the fatal hurricane which swept away our
Naval vessels a heavy gale descended
upon the harbor and wrecked several mer
chant vessels, including the American
barkentine Constitution, whose crew was
saved by boat from the Nlpelc
ON February 25 apt. Nu.lan, of The
Nipsc, who from his long stay at Apa.
probably knew more about the character
of Samoan weather than the commanders
of the other other American vessels, wrote
to his brother in this city as follows
we are now in the midst Of the hurri
cane season, and until April -. We may
look out for heavy weather. Harbor l.
small, with reefs outside and inside bad
holding ground. No coal here and moth
ing to eat-eyerythiug very dear
Admiral kimberiy's dispatch is taken
to indicate that he has already mailed an
account ofthe wreck BY sharp work II may
have been possible for him to have caught
the mail steamer, which arrives At san
Francisco April 13 next, IN which case
full advices may be expected IN Washing
ton about April 90.
It is said at the Navy Department that
Admiral Kimberly 5 cab!egram containing
the news cost between 500 and 5000
There is a feverish anxiety here for
more news. a number Of the families Of
the lost officers and seamen reside III this
city.
Admiral Kimberly Is now practically
mas Ter Of the situation at Apia Mataafa
is encamped near the city with about nine
thousand men. Tamasese, who holds his
place as pretendtr, by grace Of Bismarck ;
support, has only about seven hundred
The German fleet is wiped out All that
Mataafa has to do is 10 take the Inferior
force prisoners, AS we'll as all the Germans
in Apia. and make them hostages for the
return of King Nalietoa within a certain
period Our admiral is III a position TO
interfere and save the lives of the Ger
mans at least, by giving tt m the protec
ton of the American flag which the IA
tive loyalists all hold III friendly ,>pect
1t will be interesting to see how the pro
blem works itself out, now that the storm
god with one sweep of his hand, so sud
denly changed all its conditions.
The nomination of Murat Halstead to be
Minister to Germany has been defeated IN
the Senate Benin tn" closed doors Of an
executive session the Republican Senators
have fought and defeated a brilliant edi
tor one of their own political faith, be
cause he expressed his opiniorS about
them, openly and honestly, during the
contest over the contested election case of
Senator Payne There is something so
manifestly unfair about this thing that |
do not hesitate to say | have no sympathy
with it. a similar effort was made to de
feat the nomination of Whitelaw Reid as
Minister to France. | am glad to say that
Senator Ransom was one OF five Demo
Gratis who defeated this scheme White
law Reid, as a partisan Republican editor,
won his reward and in voting for hi~ con
tirmation Senator Ransom and his col
leagues rose above petty meanncss 10 the
plane of national craftsmanship More
over. the vote was good policy. Harrison
is neither a fool nor an migrate He IS
| Just the man to appreciate the aid reuder
! ed his nominee in this matter. No soma
tor has a right to demand immunity from
editorial criticism. The editor does not
conduct his campaign by any Star Cham
ber'' process. He holds himself response
| ble to the whole world for what be says
! His charges ought to be met in the SAINT
way A Senator takes cowardiy aivan
tage OF an opponent when he carries OF
this kind of warfare, and think every
editor in this country ought to appreciate
| it When Democratic Senators are brave
enough to thwart such underhanded meth
ods. WhltelaW Reid and Murat HalsteaC
are editors of stripe thoroughly con
demned by the Southern Democratic pres
and people. They have never lost an OPP
portunity to viliify and traduce that sec
ton They are in the front rank of Re
publcanism. They did all they could tc
elect Harrison and to promote the Repub
lican party. 1t is small business for
Republican Senator to refuse to sanction
their own Presidents wish 10 reward auCl
men because they have a personal srlev
ance to avenge Let them prove in col,
type that Halstead and Reid lied on then
and they can get redress iu the courts o
this Republic. This is more honorabl
than fighting them behind the closed door
| Of an ayocutiva session An editor