The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1889-04-04

war Olga winch had hitherto withstood the
gale, although much battered by the heavy
seas which constantly broke upon her, be-
came unmanageable and was driven upon
the beach, where abe lay In tolerably ia
vorable position. -
Mataafe sent . number Of his men to the
assistance of the wrecked ships They rem
dered splendid aid In trying to float the
olga
THE NEWS IN BERLIN.
BERLIN, April 1.-When the loss of the
German and American war vessels was re-
ported to the Emperor he could not conceal
his emotion at the disaster and was v1sibly
affected for some time.
- DISCUSSING THE DISASTER
WASHINGTON, April l. - Captain Sell
fridge, United States navy, was found at
the Navy Department porting over a chart
OF the harbor of Apia, which he visited sew
eral years ago. He said that while it was
. very bad harbor, it was the best
on the island of Upola. Like
all of the Pacific Island harbors. that of
Apia is formed by coral reef encircling
the island at q short distance from the
shore. The anchorage space available for
men-of-war is contracted, being about
1000 feet wide at the mouth of the har-
Dor. The bottom is sandy, affording
slight hold for an anchor, and the,
harbor Is exposed on the north On each
side OF the entrance are coral reefs which
are awash at high water and are surrounded
by sboalC The depth of water ranged from
four to eight fathoms, pretty deep water
being found close in shore, which would en-
cyclones at Apia are usually from the
southwest, and revolving in the harbors
tend to force vessels on the rugged reefs or
rough shores. The last hurricane occurred
at Apia six years ago. Fortunately no me
of war were in the harbor, but eve
merchantmen was driven ashore or
wrecked, houses were destroyed and palm
trees uprooted.
1t is the opinion Of Admiral Harmony,
who is also familiar with the Samoan ISL
ands. that the English man-of-war owed
her escape to the fact that she had steam
up and was enabled to push out to sea-
The number Of vessels lying in the
small harbor was source of danger to
them individually, for if one dragged her
anchors she would probably collide with
and carry away another ship which might
otherwise have held securely.
The news of the disaster created pro-
found sensation at the Navy Depart
ment, and everybody from the Secre-
tary down freely expressed his re-
cause to condemn any one. The
officers in command of the ships were
competent men and had doubtless adopted
all proper precautions against disaster,
but these hurricanes which assumed cy-
clonic proportions were simply irresistible,
as was proved by the extent OF the loss OF
vessels
HOW THE NEWS WAS OBTAINED.
The difficulty of obtaining telegraphic
news from the Samoan islands Is very great.
Dispatches received by the Associated Press
were first taken from Apia to Auckland
New Zealand, about z, 600 miles by steamer
The'newswas then transmitted by cable from
New Zealand, thence to Banjowanjie,
thence to Singapore, thence to Panang,
thence to Madras, thence to Bombay, thence
to Alden, thence to Suez, thence to Alex
andria, thence to Malta, thence to Gibraltar,
thence to Lisbon, thence to London, and
thence to New York.
THE DEVASTATION GENERAL.
AUCKLAND, April Latter adv1ces re-
ceived here regarding the hurricane which
devastated Samoa and wrecked number of
German and American war-ships says the
storm swept the islands on the 10th inst
All the war-ships attempted to put
to sea, but only the English steamer
Caliope succeeded in getting out Mer-
chant vessels suffered severely. The bark
Peter Godeffrey, one other bark and seven
coasters were wrecked and four persons
were drowned. The Caliope sailed for
Sydney. The Peter Godeffrey was Ger
man bark. She had arrived at Som Ga from
Sydney
THE LOST OFFICERS.
captain Schoonmaker entered the navy
from New York as acting midshipman,
September 20 1874. He was made mldship-
man. In June, 1859, and successfully passed
through the grades OF passed midsh,pman,
master, Lieutenant, Lieutenant Commander
and Captain. He was promoted to the last
named position on October z, 1885, and on Oc-
tober s, 1888, was placed in command of the
Vandalia.
Lieutenant Francis E. Sutton, the son OF City
Chamberlain Sutton of Rome, N. Y, was one
OF the brightest men in the Marine Corps. He
entered the Naval Academy as cadet midship.
man on June 81, 1877, graduatedn 1882 and
was made a Second Lieutenant in the Mar ne
Corps on July l, 1883. He was the junior First
Lieutenant of the corps, having been promoted
on March 9, 1889. Lieutenant Sutton was only
engaged as temporary Commander OF Marines
on the Vandalia. He was detailed from the
Mohican to the Vandalia until the regularly
detailed Commandant OF Marines could re-
port. he expected to be transferred to the MO-
hican when the Vandalia fell in with that
vessel.
Paymaster Arms was born in Connecticut.
He was appointed acting assistant paymaster
in 1863. He served on the Tuscarora and Ter
ror, and was commissioned Paymaster in 1871.
The wife and child of Paymaster Arms reside
at the Crawford House in New London, Conn.
Paymaster's Clerk John Roach was the brother
OF james Jeffreys Roach, the poet, who is asso-
ciated with John Boyle O'Rielly on the Boston
Pilot. Mr.. Roach's home was at Hon. n Y.