Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1889-04-15
The Hurricane at Samoa.

AS stated in the GAZETTE the steamer |
arrived at San Francisco on Satur.
day, bringing advices from Apia up to March
80. The steamer stopped at the Samoan
capital and took off many Of the shipwrecked
sailors. The following facts with regard to
the hurricane are cleaned from the ship
wrecked men.
The most violent and destructive hurri-
cane ever known in the south Pacific ocean
passed over these islands on the 10Th and
18th of March, and as result fleet OF war
ships and ten other vessels were ground 10
atoms on the coral reefs In the harOor or
thrown on the beach in front OF the little
CITY of Apis, and 142 officers and men of the
American and German navies were drowned
and three million dollars worth of property
destroyed. The storm commenced at about
2 o'clock on Saturday morning Of the 10th
and lasted until Sunday at little after
o'clock in the morning. The German steam
er Eber was driven on the shore. she
broke up ia o few minutes, only one officer
aud four men being saved. When she struck
the reef she keeled over into deep water and
probably her gnns, which were OF great
weight, assisted in smashing the vessel 20
quickly. The officers and the men immed-
ately went to the American consulate,
where ell assistance possible WAS rendered
them.
Shortly afterward the German ship Adler
also drift ed on he same reef further west
ward II would hardly be credited by any
person who had not seen it that such
heavy ship ss the Adler could be lifted go
high on the reef which is uncovered at low
weter. She is now lying on ner port side
high and dry, only few feet of her side be
ing under water at high tide. Twenty off
GERS and men were lost from the Adler.
Early on Sunday morning the work Of
rescue commented. Boats manned by par
| ties from shore were engaged in saving the
| lives of the officers and crew who were out
| on the wreck nearly twenty four hours.
Capt. Fritz and some Of the crew suffered
| some Injuries. II is surprising from the
| force with which the vessel went to the reef
that more accidents did not occur. The
l shock must have been fearful and the Adler
must have been strongly built vessel TO
stand it so well.
The u. S. steamer Nipsic was the next on
the list Of the casualties. She was drifting
towards the reef, and at about 8 o'clock she
headed for the shore. and just touched the
point of the reef with her rudder, which was
carried away together with her stern post,
but by skillful management she was beached
on the sand Seven men were drowned, but
all would have been saved if they had stuck
to the ship. While the storm was raging,
and the vessels fighting for their lives, the
German ship Olga came into collision with
nearly every other man of-war in the barbor
and was badly damaged above her water
line.
NIL =; tho ,oo-r;nc 4ha Oino ooIi;6 ad
with the Nipsic doing the latter considera
BILE damage carrying away her smoke stack,
steam launch, whale boat aud part Of her
bulwarks. On account of the smoke stack
being broken off the furnaces would not
draw to keep full head of steam on. Elk
cepting for this accident the Nipsic, which
has powerful engines, might have rode cut
the gale in safety. In the morning the
Nipslc was successfully hoated out to her
old anchorage. Her propeller ia too much
Injured to be repaired in Samoa. 1t is the
intention of the admiral to get new rudder
and send the Nipsc under sail to either Auc
land or Sydney.
The Vandslia was the most unfortunate
OF the United States squadron. She drifted
about o'clock near to the Calliope and the
Olga and came into collision with both.
The Calliope struck her with great force
on the port side, doing considerable dam
age. The Calliope was nearer the shore,
and her bow was close to the stern of the
| Vandalia. Great waves were tossing the
vessels about, and they were coming closer
| together every minute. Suddenly the great
iron PROV of the Engiehman arose high in
the air on the crest OF an enormous wave
and came down with full force upon the
port quarter of the Vandalia. The crash
| Il 4 L. hale N1.N
| rail through which the water rushed into
The cabin The Vandalia still continued drift
ing almost in company with the Calliope.
Just after the collision, Captain Kane Of
the Caliope, determined 10 make an effort
to steam out of the harbor, as he saw that
to remain In bis present position would lead
to another collision with the VaEdalis or
throw his vessel on the reef. He according
| ly gave orders to slip the cables. The
Calliope's head was swung around to the
wind, and her powerful engines were work.
ed to their utmost capacity. TWAS an aDx
ious moment or board the corvette, As, with
her anchors gone, she had nothing but her
engines to depend or to keep her oil the
reef. As she passed abreast of the Trenton, e
great shout went up from over four hundred
aboard the fl ,gshp, and three h srty cheers
were given for the Calliope. Three cheers
for the Trenton and the American flag WAS
the answer thar came back across the angry
waters. The Trenton's band then struck
up "Tbe Star Spangled Banner" and the
Americans on shore answered the patriot
| ic air with wild shouts of encouragement.
The Calliope passed safely out OF the
harbor and steamed far out to sea. she
returned to port on Tuesday and had suffer
ed very little damage except the loss of her
bowsprit and some boats.
The captain of the Vandalia. seeing no
hope of saving his ship, headed her for the
shore, and in endeavoring to reach the san
dy beach unfortunately struck the reefs and
| filled with water before she could be beached
within about fifty yards from the stern of
the Nipsic The captain, paymaster, pay
clerk, Lieutenant of marines and many men