, 1889-04-25

admiral Kimberly's Report
y Reaches the Capital.
Capt. Farquhar Demands a
Court of Inquiry.
Several Prominent Persons Pass Away
There IN sim Hope for tho
Denmark People.

WARRINGTON. April 20-This morn.
ing's mail to the navy depart ment broneh'
two letters from Admiral. Kimberly refer.
ring to the wreckin9 Of the American fleet
at Apia. 1t is understoo they were nc
companied by long detailed report, but
this has not yet reached the department
The frat letter, dated Apia, March l9,
reads:
Secretary Of the Navy. Sir;-I have to
commend to the government of the United
States the very great assistance we received
in saving public property from
our wrecked vessels at this
place from Mataafa Msliteoa, who
without q request on my part called on me
personally and sent some hundreds or his
men to assist our people in saving the
stores and materials from the wrecked ves
sells. Also when the Nipsic and Vandalia
went on shore the natives risked their
lives to save those OF our men who endeav.
ored to reach the shore by swimming and
two Of them lost their lives in these at
tempts. II some recognition of these ser.
vices could be made think il would be
appreciated very highly by the Samoans.
particularly AZ they have 80 generously
given their services. and in two cases
their lives, to b-fr,eBd us.
The letter from Commander d. W.
Mullan, of the Nipsic, dated Apia.
March 23, addressed to the secretary Of
the navy, reads: 10 compliance with
paragraph 20. page rs of the United
Stutes navy regulations. b We the honor
to report that all the boiler power was
used on the 18th day Of March during he
violent hurricane which occurred In this
harbor. d. w. MULLAN, Com manoer.
KIMBERLY's SECOND LETTER.
Under date of Apa, March 81. Admiral
Kimberly writes; The Nipsic was got off
last night and Is nov ahoat without rud-
der or rudder post. Her crew is engaged
in trying to get up her chains. The Trrn
ton is sunk. the water coming over the
port side OF the gun deck ut high water.
thiuh her back il broken Sne might
possibly be freed from water if we had the
proper Appliances. powerful steam pumps,
etc. She has no rudder, rudder post or
propeller and lies with her deck slight.
ly inclined to seuwurd. She lies
alonpside of the wrece of the Vandpiia
which is shoreward of her. The latter
vessel is "a total wreck, being broken IN
two. At high tide the water rises over
her top.galldnt forecaste. and only ner
fcremast is standing. We are engaged
In SECURING moorings for the NipsIc. and
on the wrecks OF the Trenton snS N1a-
dalia A good deal of what we save
might bp sold at public auction 90 saws
expense of storing and transportation.
Our sick and Injured are doing we'll. II
would perhaps be well TO SEND u wrecsiDg
v. ssei here later in the season to save the
Trenton's heavy guns. ammunition, e'c.
have received from Captain Henry q.
<G.une a royal navy diving suit and appa-
(ratus and will use it for all it's worth, out
ought to have another in case of AN acci-
dent to this ] hope the department will not
forget Capt. kdne's kindness to us In our
distress, He commands II. NJ. s. Caliope
which vessel had but one boat. ] gave to
her one of our ten. cared cutters but he aid
not consider it safe to lie there at this sea-
sop of the year She sailed this morning
for SYDNEY where she will be repaired.
She IL considerably damaged oy the O'Ra
colliding with her.
Almost every v ssel was at one time or
another in collision with some other yes.
sci and a great deal of the damage that
occurred is owing to this cause. III can
save the Nipsic which can be done II the
weather permits | will send her under con
ycy to Auckland to be docked and re-
paired Another ship should be sent here
for the purpose OF conveying her, as the
risk of an irpprovised rudder is too great
10 send her there alone. have still to
learn of the condition of her machinery
and propeller, but shall be informed in the
course of a few days. Very respt ctfully.
your obedient servant.
l.. A. KIMBERLY, X. A. u. s. N.
THE OFFICIAL REPORT.
Kimberly's a official report is qnite long.
IL gives the DEF ails of the disaster in sub
stance as already related by the Associated
press correspondent In his full report from
Apia. though much less fully. Tue fol-
lowing points of interest were taken from
the admirai's report:
Kimberly said the indications of bad
weather appeared 5u' ing the forenoon ofFri
day. Mar ID Is and ut clock he commenc
preparations to meet the gale, by sending
down the lower yards, housing the top
masts, lighting the fires and raising steam
He refers to the fact that most of the
water came into the flagship through the
hawse pipes as related In the Associated
press report. The admiral says all efforts
to prevent this failed, owing to the force
of the waves driving out everything used
to atop them. The admiral then gives Q
list of the killed which does not differ
from that sent out by the Associated Presi
last week. He then continues: DuriDG
the excitement Captain Fareuhar showed
great care and good Judgment i
Handling the ship through this terrific
Gale and never left the bridge. He WA
ably seconded by his executive and navi
eating officers and did all in his power Z
save the ship. 10 fact as far as observed
all officers behaved extremely well unde
the trying circumstances, and performed
E..l. AAs AVS savxx