Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1889-04-03

HE DISASTER AT AFIA.-The destruc-
ton wrought at Apia on the 10Th of March
by the hurricane of that date, says the Bait.
Sur, was signally thorough and complete.
When the storm struck the island of Upolu
seven war ships we're in the harbor of Apia,
besides a number of merchant vessels.
When it was over all We're wrecks, with the
single exception of the English war-ship
Calliope, the commander of which put to
sea in time to prevent his weasel from being
driven ashore. Of the three war-ships The
United States had at Apia two. the 1ren-
ton ADD Vandalia, were total losses, and
the third, the Nipsic, was beached, and in
such plight that, according to Admiral
Kimberly, the chances were all against her
being saved. Besides this destruction of
ships, there was an extraordinary loss of
life, fifty OF the 800 men under Admiral
kimberly's Command having been drown
ed. The Germans Jared even worse, Two
of their war-ships, the Eber and Adler,
were totally destroyed, with a loss of nine
ty-six men drowned, while third, the
Olga, was stranded and in a badly damag
ed condition. AS most of the merchant
vessels in harbor were German, the havoc
~rought by the hurricane tells with excep.
tlonal severity upon the fatherland. The
Caliope's escape may have been due to the
fact that, being the last to arrive at Apia,
she occupied an outside position near the
entrance to the harbor, and was lying with
According to the first dispatches she got to
sea unipjnred, but the telegram sent by
Mr.. Pendleton. our minister at Berlin
states that the Calliope was damaged to
some extent aud had gone to Sydney for
repairs. The cause of the disaster at Apia
is not far to seek. The harbor is formed
by coral reef epcircling the island at a
short distance from the shore. The en-
trance, a break in the reef about 500 yards
wide, is open to the north, and within the
space available for ships is small. The reefs
on each side of the entrance are awash at
high water and are surrounded by shoals.
As for the incosed space, it has sandy
| bottom, affording slight hold for an anchor.
| The depth ranges from four to eight faith
| oms, deep water being found close in shore.
The hurricane of March is came on, it
may be assumed, suddenly, and, blowing
with resistless force, drove the vessels in.
side the reef npon the rugged share. Those
IL L,
| Int the rest were necessarily broken to
pieces. 1t must be said in defense of the
reputation of the Pacific as milder ocean
| than the Atlantic that hurricanes of excep-
tional severity are not frequent in the
Samoan Islands. They occur, however,
occasionally in the months from December
to April In April. 1850. and again in
January. 1870, the islands were visited b.
| terrific hurricanes, (which destroyed the
cocoanut, banana and bread-fruit crops and
reduced the natives to the verge of starva
tion. Again, in March, 1888 there was >
terrible storm, accompanied by tidal
wave, which DESTROYED number of vessels.
| Upon the whole, however, the weather al
+, Apia is favorable compared with that of
onr Atlantic coast, and but for the Da.uie
of the harbor there would be little to fear
when the weather is at its worst. Tbe
value of thu ships and stores destroyed fo1
US on the 18th ult. was about So, 600 coo:
for Germany about $1,000, 600. Add to
the So, 100000 the 100000 Congress has
appropriated for the assertion of our
Samoan rights, and it becomes likely that
our ''entangliug alliance" with Malietoa
is going to cost Us more than it will come
to in money, not to speak of the irreparable
loss of life just incurred. For Germany
the Samoan venture promises to be still
more unprofitabie. To the loss of 40 odd
men IN ba;tle with the Samoans last winter
she must now add a list of 96 drowned, rot
to speak OF ships, stores, &c. All this in
the assertion Of petty claims to FREEDOM :
nance in the affairs of two or three insignif
caut islands III he mid Pacific! The gaa e
Is hardly worth the candle, aud in the con
ference soon to take plaza in Berlin it will
not surprise us if Prince Bismarck announ-
ces willingness 10 make ns present OF
Samoa if we want it.
| --~,----->-e@e-
| A CURIOUS REIIC.-Mr. VIM. NJ. Stroth-
or, of Lycchblrg, Va, has in his pos
session ring which was the property of
General Washington and was worn by him
after the death of his brother, Lawrence
Washington. 1t is cluster diamond, set
10 platina and gold, cuiiously wrought and
inscribed on the outside with the name of