The Russellville Democrat. [volume] (Russellville, Ark.) 1875-1898, 1889-04-04
CRUISERS WRECKED.
Three American and Three German YES
sells Wrecked In q Hurricane at Samoa
Many 0nncers and Men Drowned.

sells wrecked In q hurricane at Samoa
Many on,cers and Men Drowned.
AUCKLAND, N. o., March 30.--Dispatches
from Samoa state that the American men
of war Vandalia, Trenton and Nipsic and
the German men-of-war Olga, Adler and
Eber were driven on a reef during q vio-
lent storm and totally wrecked. or the
American crews four officers and forty
six men were drowned and of the German
crews nine officers and eighty-seven men
lost their lives.
THE NEWS IN wAsHINGT0n-
WAsHrSaros, March 80. When the ter
rible Lews concerning the awful disaster
at Samoa reached Washington but few Of
the department officials could be found.
but the information was of so awful and
startling a nature that reporters were
rushed out to interview the heads
of departments. Secretary Tracy was
completely overcome when told
of the reported disaster. The Navy
Department had received nothing officially
and Mr.. Blaine was so shocked that he
could not speak a word for some moments.
EXCITEMENT IN BERLIN.
BERLIN March 30.-The news Of the dis
aster at Samoa has created intense ex-
citement here, but the general feeling Is
that the report needs substantiation. The
Adler and the Eber were gunboats of
1900 TONS and the Olga was a corvette OF
2, 800 tons.
THE VESSELS AND CREWS.
NEW YORK, March 30-Commander
Dennis w. Mullan, the commander OF
the Nipsic, was ordered to that duty Oc-
tober /, 1887 He entered the service Sep
tember 90 1850, was promoted to Ensign
in October, 1868, to master In October,
1866 to Lieutenant in February, 1867, to
Lieutenant Commander in March in 1858,
and to his present grade in July, 1882.
This is his first command in the new
grade as, owing to some trouble with the
Navy Department officials, he was kept
off duty for over four years. While not
regarded as one of the brilliant men Of
the navy, he was a good fighting officer.
He was native of Massachusetts and
was of Irish parentage,
The executive officer of the Nipsio in the
absence of Lieutenant Hawley was Rich
ard G. Davenport, or, as he is better
known in the service, Dick Davenport
His reputation as first class officer In
every respect was vouched for by all the
navy people here. He was a son of the
late Captain Davenport of the navy, who
was one of the most distinguished naval
officers of the late war and who COM
manded the Congress during the battle OF
Mobile bay.
The other officers attached to the Nipsic
were Lieutenant John r. Shearman, of New
York; Ensigns w. p. White, John L. Pur-
cell, Harry A. Field and Harry P. Jones;
Passed Assistant Surgeon e. A. Dorr,
Passed Assistant Paymaster John Cor
wine, Chief Engineer George w. Hall,
Passed Assistant Engineer Horace E.
Frick and First Lieutenant of Marines l..
Glover Fillette.
The complement of the Nipsic was 1T4
marines and blue jackets, although some
of her short time men were sent home from
Samoa when the Adams left for San Fran
cisco in January last
The Nipsic was wooden vessel and was
built in 1873. After two cruises she was
rebuilt at the navy yard, Washington, in
1870 She was bark rugged, 1S5 feet long
and 35 feet beam. Her displacement was
1, 3T5 tons and indicated a speed of ten
knots Her battery consisted of one 10
inch muzzle loading rifle, -four 6-inch bore,
one 60-pounds, which was located on the
forecastle. In the secondary battery one
3-inch rifed howitzer, one 12-pounder and
one short Gatlng gun. In addition to
lilcSe bHtIt "SiS siAtJ iiObthhiSo i'hcs va
the latest improved pattern in her armory,
besides the usual number of pistols and
side arms allowed by regulation for vessels
of the Npsic class.
The Trenton and Vandalia were larger
than the Nipsic. The Trenton was a ship
rugged wooden cruiser of ten guns aud OF
1900 tons displacement. The Vandalia
was bark -rigged wooden cruiser Of 3 100
tons, with battery of eight guns, mostly
smoothbores.
As far as known the Olga was thu most
formidable of the German vessels at Apia.
She was an unarmed and unprotected
single-decked cruiser of 2, 200 tons dis
placement and was built in 1880 Her
principal battery consisted Of eight SIX
inch Krupp rifles and number
of Hotchkiss cannon. 1t is thought
at the Navy Department that she
carried about a half dozen Schwartzkoff
torpedoes which are similar to the White
head torpedoes in that they are projected
from tubes beneath the water line. The
speed of the Olga was somewhat superior
to that of the Vandalia, her maximum
trial speed having been A. The Germans
also had in Samoan waters the Adler and
Eber, which were not as large or as strong
as the Olga, the Adler carrying four and
the Eber three Krupp rifles. Tho great
strength of the German feet lay in its
possession of torpedoes