New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-04-21
REPORTS OF THE COMMANDERS.
THE wARsHIrs WERE LOST ONLY AFTER EVERY

TUE VI, , y ks1Irpa WERE LOST ONLY AFTER EVERY
EFFORT HAD BEEN MADE TO SAVE THEM
Washington, April 2O-Commandcr Mullan' OF tno
NIpsc begins his official report 10 Al
miral Kimberly Of the Samoan disaster "
expressing regret that he was comrehea 10
besch his vessel to her from total desr"ouon
end to save the lives Of his command He says that
tho vessel had three anchors down and vcered TO their
full scope Is far as possible In order not TO come INTO
collision with either Olga the Eber the iorhier
on the port beam, tho latter close aboard aS'ern
During the height Of the hurricane, and at about
A m March lO the Olga fouled the Nipsic. carrying
away the wha!eboa dIngy and port railing OF the poop
deck bending davits etc. About O a. m inc oIBA
again ouled carrying away tho hammock rail, part OF
the smolestack the steam launch and second cutter
Having lost the smokcsack and there being no draft
Commander Mllan says he found II necessary 10 use
pork I'm the furnaces During the morning watch thTco
men were washed overheard, and swan ashore. Tho
sea was breaking over the vessel 50 rapidly mat some
of the gun ports wero Let down and tho water baled
overload through them. When an effort was being
made IN Get tho forecastle gun overheard as an addl'
tional anchor the siarboard hawscr chain parcd ana
the shin continued 10 drag toward tho reef Finding
It impossible to keep up steam. tho COMMANDER decided
10 beach the Nipslc in order 10 save life. 30
the chains were slipped and the ship beached in front
of the United states Consulate. All OF tho SICK were
sent ashore The gig was capsizcd when being
| lowered and seven men lost Lines were then
| got ashore and all hands escaped. Tho samoans
| did excellent work.
! The Commander then gives in detail most formid-
allie and technical list OF the injuries sus tanned by
the Npsc Io says that the engines arc out OF iino
and cannot be rcvolved, three blades OF the propeller
are bent and a part of the fourth gone as well as
mart OF the stern post and the false keel, the rudder
and ruddcr post. In conclusion the commander says
that everything was done that could have been done 10
save the vessel from total wreck ana tho hVes OF
| those attached to the ship.
In his official report to Admiral Kimberly, relative
| TO the loss Of the Trenton, Captain Farquhar tho
commander, states that in his opinion the ship has
| broken In two places, abreast the miZZenmaSt ana
| near the smokestack. lie states that II Is possible
| that the ship might be foaed 10 dock with inc as
| slstance OF powerful pumps used by wrechhg com
panles but as there facilities Of the knd al
| hand, she VIII DO total lOSs' Nap'a'n f@iHu
says:
al attribute the loss of the ship primarily eayyerS 10
the location Of the hawse pipes. nave i seVoi a.
the Navy Department"
Through them. he further states, tho water poured
and extngushcd the fires, Notwithstanding tho pro
cautions that were taken.
! After detailing the action of the storm on his
vessel. CAPTAIN Farquhar thanks Admiral Kimberly
for his earnest counsel and for keeping us IN good
| cheer particularly when in our greatest danger, Dyy
| his good example" During these Trying uays,
that our Navy is proud Of the crew generay %oie
| wen Lieutenant X. Nj. G. Brown, the h avlgaa,oi,
Wa by nv side the whole time, and 10 his excellent
Judgment one time at least the ship was cleared Oi
reef; had struck 1t fear lew Oh INC iouI nuHi no
and fifty souls on board OF the trenton "ouu D'
alive to-day , T., ~ 1ouo,rs
Captain Farquhars last paragraph IS as ioio"S
| g rrsuectfully demand court Of inquiry"
| Lieutenant j. ". Carin, commanding the SURVIVOR
Of the Vandala. in his report 10 hear Adisi d I'M
berry says that the gale was OF long uuIaon anu I'LL! o
Vandalia was prepared for heavy weather, haVlns
sent lower yards housed oga' ,b ad sSs ~
When the strength OF the gale reached the vanaalla
the ship directly In the ha"Se Oh inc 1aopT
rendering II injudicious 10 Neer' az en-, no 49, a.,
~ hari0r were leewaTd Of the Vandalia except tit
trenton. About midnight o. MaiTn no. ~. bpt Gov,
began 10 drag and began TO steam up VIII Du' -, -,
iniernissOns until she struck; the SRed VARYING loiL
eighteen to forytwo revolutions Inc eng whsn bS
VOL. with The exception OF snur, u'.o va 10 aS
steam ran down - twenty five pounds, cauSed by AZ
accident 10 one Of the boilers The yandalla haa 3L
seven boilers Of the eight ana toy rurhishsu al l'
team the engine could use The vessel had put on
sheet anchor and the stock OF mat was Dro9n ~
innc as possible I'm expectation OF the wilma comlnt
out Cn the nothwara ana ges." nro , gp catbc
let 20 about q. m, OF March 10 a. near me We4tc
RET az possible. At daylight Lieutenant Carllh say
the vessels were seen In the inner hsfDor 10 DO ~
a. Adler struck the reef. the seas hoaving her OF
Tp oS It and capsizng her. ,...,o, o. ,ho v,r
The Calllope the nearest vesSel 10 INC van van
dalia From daylight until a. m, Lieutenant Cariii
saws the Vandalla In imminent danger OF getlnl
f0a OF yh Within y sset of it, and sometimes within
twenty feet of It, The current was SO STRONG ina ina
spanker, helm, and the three anchors on the woathe
bow were not sufficient TO bring tho ships hea"
| wind. ,,... ,,.,,, ..,,
one obstacle was removed from their path, and feel
ing that the vessel must go on the reef II remaine'
where n vas every exertOn was made to get into IN
inner harbor, hoping 10 escape tho extraomlnarl
| current before encountered: Tho engines were hep
going until Lieutenant Caglin says that he was con
WINGED that the ship hard and fast They weN
then stopped safiy valves oPened ana me soy
starboard she began to III and settle, and the raj
was awash: til seas sweeping over her ~ the hegn
: says be found the Nipslc beached and abandoned
Hammer seaman, IN attempting 20 nd ca LiI.
Many attempted 70 swim, but 50 many we're brownies