The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1889-04-05
CRUISERS WRECKED.

fAree American and Three German yes-
sells Wrecked In . Hurricane 1t Samoa
Many Omcsrs and Men Drowned.
AUCKLAND. N. T., March 3O-Dispatches
from Samoa state that the American mon.
of-war Vandalia, Trenton and Nipsic and
The German men-of-war Olga, Adler and
Eber were driven on a reef during a vio-
lent storm and totally wrecked. OF the
American crews four officers and forty
six men were drowned and OF the German
crews nine officers and eighty-seven men
lost their lives.
THE NEWS IN WASHINGTON.
WASHINGTON, March 3O-When the ter.
rible news concerning the awful disaster
at Samoa reached Washington but few Of
the department officials could be found,
but the information was of SO awful and
startling q nature that reporters were
rushed out to interview the heads
Of departments. Secretary Tracy was
completely overcome when told
Of the reported disaster. The Navy
Department had received nothing officially
and Mr.. Blaine was SO shocked that he
could not speak q word for some moments.
EXCITEMENT IN BERLIN
BERLIN. March 3l-The new. Of the dis
aster at Samoa has created intense ex.
element here, but the general feeling Is
that the report needs substantiation. The
Adler and the Eber were gunboats Of
1880 tons. and the Olga was q corvette Of
1900 tons.
THE VESSELS AND cREws.
NEW YORK, March 30.-Commander
Dennis w. Mullan, the commander Of
the Nipsic, was ordered to that duty o.
tober l, 1881 He entered the service Sep
TENDER 20, 1860, was promoted to Ensign
in October. 1868, to master in October,
1886. to Lieutenant in February, 1867. to
Lieutenant Commander in March in 1853,
and to his present grade in July, 1882
This is his first command in the new
grade as. owing to some trouble with the
Navy Department officials, he was kept
of duty for over four years. While not
regarded as one of the brilliant men Of
the navy, he was a good fighting officer.
He was q native of Massachusetts and
was of Irish parentage.
The executive officer of the Nipsic in the
absence of Lieutenant Hawley was Rich
ard G. Davenport, or. as he is better
known in the service, Dick Davenport
His reputation as a iirst-cI officer in
every respect was YOU ched for by all the
navy people here. He was a son of the
late Captain Davenport of the navy, who
was one of the most distinguished naval
officers of the late war and who COM
handed the Congress during the battle Of
Mobile bay.
The other officers attached to the Nipsic
were Lieutenant John X. Sherman, of New
York; Ensigns w. P. White. John L. Pur-
cell, Harry A. Field and Harry P. Jones;
Passed Assistant Surgeon E. A. Dorr,
Passed Assistant Paymaster John Cor
wine, Chief Engineer George w. Hall.
Passed Assistant Engineer Horace E.
Frick and First Lieutenant Of Marines L.
Clover Fillette.
The complement Of the Nipsic was ia
marines and blue jackets, although some
of her short time men were sent home from
Samoa when the Adams left for San Fran
cisco in January last
The Nipsic was a wooden vessel and was
built in 1873. After two cruises she was
rebuilt at the navy yard, Washington, in
1879. She was bark rugged, 1856 feet long
and 35 feet beam. Her displacement was
/. 375 tons and indicated a speed Of ten
knots. Her battery consisted Of one 10
inch muzzle loading rifle. four 6-inch bore
one 6O-pounds, which was located on the
forecastle. In the secondary battery one
g. inch rified howitzer, one 12-pounder and
one short Calling gun. In addition to
these there were sixty Hotchkiss rifles Of
the latest improved pattern in her armory,
besides the usual number Of pistols and |
side arms allowed by regulation fer vessels |
Of the Nipsic class.
The Trenton and Vandalia were larger |
than the Nipsic. The Trenton was a ship |
rugged wooden cruiser of ten guns and of |
1850 tons displacement The Vandalia |
was bark -rigged wooden cruiser Of 2. 100 |
tons, with a battery of eight guns, mostly |
As far as known the Olga was the most |
of the German vessels at Apia.
She was an unarmed and unprotected
,ingle-decked cruiser of 200 tons dis
placement and was built in 1889. Her
principal battery consisted Of eight six
nch Krupp rifles and a number
If Hotchkiss cannon. 1t is thought |
It the Navy Department that she
carried about half dozen Schwartzkof
.orpedoes which are similar to the White
read torpedoes in that they are projected
speed of the Olga was somewhat superior
10 that of the Vandalia, her maximum
rial speed having been H. The Germans
ilso had in Samoan waters the Adler and
Sber, which were not as large or as strong
Is the Olga. the Adler carrying four and
he Eber three Krupp rifles. The great
strength of the German fleet lay in its
possession of torpedoes.