St. Paul daily globe., 1889-05-13
The Nipsic Breaks Her Steer
ing Apparatus at Starting
for Aukland,
And Narrowly Escapes Being
Driven on the Reefs by
a Squall.
She Is Swung Around by Sails
and Is Rapidly Steamed
Two Miles to Sea.
The Mawhera TOWs Her Back
--She Is Sound and Will
Sail Again Soon.

AP1A, Samoa, April 27.-The little
town of Apia has had the appearance of
a camping ground during the last few
weeks. Since the hurricane occurred
on the 10th of March, in which six men-
of-war and ten other vessels were
wrecked OF driven ashore, there have
been more people living here than was
ever before known in the history of the
place. Nearly all the survivors of the
three German war ships have gone to
Sydney, and the 600 American sailors
who composed the crews of the Trenton
and Vandalia have been waiting for
steamer to be sent to Apia to take them
to San Francisco. The great confusion
which was so apparent Immediately
after the storm, subsidized in few days.
The tents, which had been hastily con-
structed out of sails and light spars,
were made as comfortable as possible
and the officers and men settled down
to the daily routine work OF saving
every thing that could be taken off the
the wrecked vessels. The quarters of
the Trenton and V andalia men are sit
uated about 200 yards apart. The
officers and men of the Vandalia are in
a more destitute condition than those of
any other vessel. They lost everything
when the ship went down, and were
PROVIDED WITH CLOTHING
and other necessaries from the stores
saved from the Trenton and Nipsic and
also from such articles as could be pur-
chased ashore. By the death of Capt.
Schoonmaker the command of the Van
dalia crew devOlved upon Lieut.. j. W.
Carlin. He has had but three watch
officers to assist him, Lieuts. Cul-
yer and Heath and Ensign Gibbons.
Past Assistant Engineer Wasler has
been appointed acting paymaster to fill
the vacancy caused by the death of
Paymaster F. FL. Arms. The condition
of the Trenton and Vandalia has not
changed much during the last month.
Both vessels are complete wrecks. The
hull of the Trenton is several feet above
the water. and her masts and rigging
are still standing, but she is hard and
fast on the bottom, with her stern rest
ing against the reef. The Vandalia is
entirely under water, with the excep-
tion of her forecastle and few feet of
rail around the poop deck. The Ger
man cruiser Adler is still upon her beam
end on the reef, with an immense hole
torn in her bottom. The Eber lies at
the bottom of the bay, with few loose
spars floating on the surface. A con-
siderable quantity of clothing and pro-
visions was saved from the Trenton dur
ing the first few days after the storm,
and all the machine guns on the spar
deck were also taken ashore.
DIVERS WENT DOWN
to examine the hull of the flagship, but
they were not able to ascertain the full
extent of her injury. One or two great
holes have been found below the water
line, however, which render it impossi-
BILE to float the vessel. Admiral Kim
berly decided to remove her heavy bat
terry, not only to save the guns, but
also in the hope of Tightening the YES
sci and pumping her out. The work of
removing the battery occupied four
weeks. Mataafa sent hundred natives
from his camp and required them to
render whatever assistance they were
able. The TrentOn's band was Oh the
ground every day accompanying the
men in their work. Finally the
entire battery was placed in
vacant lot on piece of masonry,
which was the original foundation
of the government building erected in
the time Of King Malietoa, and which
the Germans afterwards carried to
Mulinnn when they made Tamasese
king. The removal of the guns. which,
with the carriages. weighed over hum
dred tons, did not seem to tighten the
Trenton in the least, and no effort was
made to pump her out. 1t is the inten-
tion to remove the Vandalia battery.
Her guns are several feet under water.
were recovered. Half dozen native
divers have worked faithfully OH the
Vandalia every day during the six
weeks, and hundreds of dollars worth
of stores have been saved by them.
When the Nipsic was hauled off few
days after the storm, it was found that
she had been damaged considerably by
POUNDING ON THE BEACH
and boilers had been sprung and she
leaked little. Admiral kimberly
ordered temporary repairs made at
once, his intention being to send the
vessel to Auckland. One or two officers
made considerable objection about
going to sea in the Nipsic, and declared
ope My that she was unsafe. Admiral
Kimberly then ordered Capt. Mullan to
instruct his officers not to say anthing
more about the unsafe condition of the
Nipsic. About the time that the tenn
porary repairs were completed the
steamer Mawhera, belonging to the
Union Steamship company of New Zea-
land, arrived at Apia from Auckland,
and Admiral Kimberly made con-
tract with the agent of the
company to convey the Nip.
sic. 1t was thought that it
would take twelve or fifteen days to
make the trip. Capt. Mnllan. was ac-
land and have the Nipsic repaired, and
then return with the vessel to Pago-
Page. The rudder which had been made
for the Nipsic was large blade, which
dragged astern OF the vessel and moved
from side to side by means of tackle
fastened to the two ends of the spar laid
across the afterpart of the poop deck
extending out several feet on each side
of the ship. The British man-of-war
Rapid had arrived from New Zealand a
few days before, and the Nipsic passed
close to her bows as she went out of the
harbor. The men on the Rapid ~
RETURNED 4 CHEER IS
which the American flagship had given
the Calliope as the latter vessel steamed
out to sea in the face Of the hurricane
month before. The band on the En-
glish man-of-war played "Auld Lang
Syne." while the Nipsic men returned
the cheer. The Nipsic had not cleared
the mouth of the harbOr when the star
board end of the spar, to which was at
To alaad tho ctaQrinr tackle 1upqEpnQd