The national leader., 1889-04-20

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waves which broke over her bows and
flooded her deck, but she finally suc-
ceeded III getting out of the harbor
through the superior power of her en-
gives.
When the excitement on the Van
1alia, which followed the collision with
the Calliope, had subsided a lltt1a II
was found necessary to act QUICKLY to
| SO We the ship. Lieutenant ]. w 1,ar.
| lin. executive officer, was practically in
charge of the vessel, as Captain
SchoOnmaker had been thrown across
the cabin the light before and severely
injured. His head had been badly cut
and one ear almost torn away by strIk-
ing violently against chair, Not
wlthsi anding his injuries he faced the
storm like a hero and stood by the side
of his first officer until the sea finally
swept him off 70 his death. He was in
such dazed and weakened condition.
however, that he was able to do but
little toward directing the movements
of the ship. Of all the officers who
stood by their posts and did their duty
nobly in the tace of danger, none have
received more commentator than
Lieutenant CaIlin.
THE TRENToN'S STRUGGLE TO KEEP
OFF THE REEF.
While the people on shore were look
ing out for the survivors from the Van
dalia; the Trenton and Olga were drift
ing. Early i'll the day the flagship had
lost her rudder and propeller and when
she became unmanageable the water
began pouring through the hawse- pipes,
flooding the lower decks and fire room.
From 10 O'Clock in the morning until 6
in the evening, when she grounded,
the Trenton held out against the
storm without steam or rudder, and her
escape from total destruction on the
reef was miraculous. The skilful man
agemeut of Lieutenant Z. M. G. Brown,
was all that saved the lives OF every
man on board. Admiral Kimberly.
Captain Farquhar and Lieutenant
Brown stood upon the bridge the whole
day and directed the movements of the
ship. AS soon as the steam gave out
the mizzen stormsall was set with the
greatest difficulty. Oil was also
poured overheard but it had no effect
in stilIIng the waves. The Trenton
was man2uvred in this way all the
| time and succeeded in keeping clear of
the reef until the middle of the after
noon, when the force OF the wind and
waves bore her down almost upon it.
She came broadside on toward the
reef, and it seemed as If the great
vessel with her 450 men was lost. She
drifted away, but later on cOllided with
the Olga. The latter was then beached
! without losing man.
DRIFTING TO DESTRUCTION.
The Trenton drifted toward the
shoal.
In half an hour the Trenton had
drifted on to within a few yards of the
Vandalia's bow, and the men who were
in the rigging Of the latter vessel trem-
bled with Tear as they saw the Trenton
approach. Feelings hard to describe
came over the hundreds who watched
the vessels from the shore Presently
the last faint ray OF daylight faded
away and night came down upon the
awful scene. The storm was still rag
ing as furiously as at any time during
the day. The poor creatures who had
been clinging for hours to the
rigging of the Vandalia were
bruised and bleeding but they
held on with the desperation OF
men who hang by a thread between life
and death. The ropes had cut the flesh
on their arms and legs and their eyes
were blinded by the salt spray which
swept over them. Weak and exhausted
as they were, they would be unable to
stand the terrible strain much longer.
They looked down upon the angry
water below them and knew that they
had no strength left to battle with the
waves. Their final hour seemed to be
upon them as the great black hull OF
the Trenton could be seen through the
darkness almost ready to crash into the
stranded Vandalia and grind her 10
atoms.
DEATH AND SUFFERING.
During the remainder Of the after.
noon there followed a succession 0f
awful scenes Of death and suffering.
Ihe storm had not abated in the least.
The wind continued to blow with ter
rible force. Waves that seemed like
mountains of water rolled in from the
ocean and broke upon the reef and over
The ill-fated Vandalia. Sheets OF
water which fell from the clouds ana
sand which was beaten UP from The
shore. struck ag 'inst the houses Ike
hail. The Vandalia continued to SET
tie, and the few men who had nG1
already taken to the rigging stood upon
the poop deck, as the vessel was almost
entirely under water amidships.
Men were now being swept from the
decks and rigging half a dozen at
time, and few, who felt themselves
growing too weak to hold On much
'onger. jumped into the water, de-