The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-04-07

canes generally sweep mp through the
belt Of ocean between the Tonga group
and She Samoan groups la April, 1850,
and in january. 1870, the Samoan islands
were visited hy terrific hurricanes. which
DESTROYED the cocoanut. banana and
bread fruit crops. reducing the native
f. the verge of starvation for several
weeks. These hurricanes me often ac-
comnanicd by earthquakes and the CON
junction of the two works terrible in
jury.
On March &c, 1883. all vessels in Apia
hafbor except one small schooner were
driven off 10 sea and lost This was at
trihuted at the time To a series of heavy
tidal waves caused by an earthquake.
Considerable damage was done on shore
also. On the whole, however the eli.
mate Of the Samoan islands, though
variable. is very pleasant. bad weather
occurring only during the months
The mercury seldom rises higher than
SO degs. or fails loworthan - dogs Dur
ing the winter months there are ione
and heavy rains. attended sometimes 10y
high winds and noriherly gales.
With the exception Of Capt. Mullani
of the Nipsic, 1t is not known that any
of the American commanding officer
had ever had experience in the Samoan
islands. or knew of the risks attending
an attempt to ride ont hurricane insid,
the reef.
The disaster at Apia was the mosi
severe that hascvcr overtakcn the Amcri
can navy in time Of peace. although
there have been many. la 1888 the Al
bany, sioop of wag, was lost In West ln.
dian waters. She WAS never heard from
after she sailed ON her last cruise. and /.
supposed 10 have zone down IN acyclOn,
with every soul of her crew of 2lO Off.
GERS and men. In the same year tin
brig of war porpoise, witha crew Of 100
went down m the China seas without
leaving "a trace ST her end. Five year.
later another sloop of war. the LeTant
was enguiied in the waters of the Paci
hc, nd DOT one of the Grow of 200 was
saved. The brig of war cambridge met
cyclone oil Cape IIatteras in 1868. y
day or two afterwarl q colored cool
was picked up ON bit of wreckage, and
he told the story OF the loss Of every one
OF his shipnates.
Some years later the old Yorktown was
blown ashore near the Cape y erde island.
ON the African coast. but the crew ="
,.4pcd. buuns the irishtiul earthquake
At AREA. Peru. in 1858. when the entire
town, with the exception Of two honses.
was destroyed the ship oi war Waterce
had curious experience. She was struck
by a series OF immensetidal waves. one OF
which carried her seven or eight miles
inland. dcpositing her in a tropical forest,
where she ended hcr days Is a hotel The
storcship Fredonia. which was anchored
at africa. was caught by the same monster
wave. which rolled hcr over and sunk
her instantly. with every soul on board.
In 1861 the Monongahela. now in active
service. had a peculiar experience. She
vas caught up by a tidal wave, carried
over a number OF large buildings oil the
island Of Santa Cruz. West Indies. knock
Ing down one of them. and deposited III
the streets of city. Workmen were sub
sequcntly sent there, and they blocked
her up and launched her again. About
fifteen years ago the Saginaw was cast
away in the night upon one of the islands
OF the Pacific. Although the wreck Of
the Huron occurred thirteen years ago,
the disaster is still fresh in the minds OF
peopie on the coast The ship was wrecked
on Curriiuck beach. n. g., and very few
OF the crew escaped to tell the story.
The Trenton and Nandalia have both
seen duty in nearly every part Of the
world. The Trenton has been flagship
on the China station, on the European
station, Oh the home station, and last on