The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-04-14
Strive to Encourage the Despairing Sailors of
the vandalia with Three Rousing Cheers
and the "Star-Spangled Banner"
Thrilling Story of Heroism that Recalls
the Best Days of Americas Navy,
And Proves Anew that in Battling with the
Elements, as with the Republics Foes, the
American Sailor Is a Full.Grown Man.

APIA, Samoa, March 30.-The little group
of Samoan OF Navigators islands, which, a
few months ago, attracted the attention of
the civilized world by a fierce civil combat
between two native factions, and the con-
sequent possibility of serious complications
between the great powers of the United
States and Germany has been visited by a
q disaster moro appalling than all of the
wars ever waged here. In attempting to
effect solution of the Samoan difficulty
and to protect their respective interests on
the islands, the United States and Germany
have lost nearly 80 lives and S3,0O0,000
worth of property. The most violent and
destructive hurricane ever known in the
south Pacific ocean passed over these
islands on the 10th and nth of March, and,
as a result, feet of six war ships and ten
other vessels were ground to atoms on the
coral reefs in the harbor. or thrown on the
beach in front of the little city of Apia, and
142 officers and men of the American and
German navies sleep forever under the
reefs or lie buried in unmarked graves,
thousands of miles from their native lands.
The United States frigate Trenton. Gag
ship of the Pacific squadron, which arrived
here from Panama, March IL. lies within a
stones throw of the American consulate, a
total wreck. The great hull of the mag
nifcent vess ell which steamed into the har-
Dor few weeks ago rests on the bottom,
fast going to pieces.
The United States steamer Vandalia
which arrived from San Francisco Feb. %,
is buried out of sight between the Trenton
and the shore. Her shattered foremost and
smoke-stack rise from the water to mark
and lay for twelve hours before the awful
torrent of water which swept four officers
and thirty mine men from her decks and
rigging. Her commander, Capt. G. NJ.
! perished in the waves. The other officers
| who met their deaths were Paymaster
Frank H. Arms, Lieut.. Frank Sutton, of
the Marine Corps. and pay-clerk John
lay for several days alongside the Vandalia,
| with her bow high on the beach, and within
| five feet of the waters edge. The vessel
though badly damaged, was hauled
off a few days after the storm, and is the
| only war ship afoat in the harbor
Several of the officers and crew are living
| aboard. All of the Nipsic's officers are safe,
| but she lost five men by the swamping of a
boat. and two others who jumped over
board were also drowned. The three Ameri-
| at the same point.
WHERE THE MOST LIVES WERE LOST.
| 1t was on the little German gun-boat
Eber that the greatest loss of life occurred.
The Eber had complement of six officers
and seventy-six men. Five men were
ashore during the storm. When the vessel
struck the reef she sank completely out of
sight, and a minute later there was not a
vestige of her to be seen, and all on board
were lost except one officer, Lieutenant
Gaedeke and four sailors The other five
| officers and Sixty-six men were either IN
stantly killed when the vessel crashed to
| pieces, or were drowned in the roaring tor
rent of water that broke upon the reef.
small part of the Ebers prov was after
ward washed ashore near an American yes
sci. This and a few pieces of broken
wreckage near the point where she
struck, are the only portions of her
that have even been seen since the moment
she went down. Just on the edge of the
| reef, about five hundred yards west of the
Trenton, is all that remains of the Adler
the flagship of the German squadron in Sa-
moan waters. The Adler was washed on
top of the reef and turned completely over
sitiOn since, and is almost entirely out OF
| water. Nearly every man aboard was
thrown into the water when the Adler
struck, but only twenty sailors. were
| QTOWneQ, anu all ner O1DccrS were saved
The German corvette Olga is fast upon q
windfiat, about quarter of mile east OF
the American vessel. While the storm was
raging and the vessels fighting for then
lives, the Olga came into collision with
| nearly every other man-of- war in the har
Dor, and was badly damaged above hel
water-line. 1t is thought that she can be
| towed off. No lives were lost on the Olga
The only other man-of-war in the harbol
was the British corvette Calliope, which
arrived here in February and relieved
the Royalist. Her machinery was very
powerful, and she was capable of steamine
at the rate of sixteen knots an hour
but she narrowly escaped going ashore al
the same place with the Adler, but lust as
she was about to strike the reef she let 90
her anchors, and in the face of terrible
wind, steamed out of the harbor and put &c
| sea.
The merchant vessels which wer,
wrecked were principally small craft
Nearly all of them were thrown on the
reef near the wreck of the Adler, but one
or two of them escaped with slight damage
| One of these was schooner belonging IL
the German Trading Company and she wa.
made ready at once to send to Tutila Il
meet the Oceanic Steamship Company
steamer Mariposa from San Francisco. &
| that news of the disaster could be for
warded TO Auckland and from there cablet
to Europe and America.
The beach is strewn with wreckage from
one end of the town to the other. Over 90,
| American and German sailors are uuartere,
In Apia, and for a few days afte
the storm subsidized the greatest confusion
existed everywhere. A large number O
men on the Vandalia, and several on othe
vessels, were badly injured by falling fron
the rigging and being throws about tn,
4 be hut {.o fAv Ia. \ -