Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-03-09
NO TRUTH In 1T.
The Blowing Up Of the Nipsic
Discredited.
MR.. BLAINE DIsBELIEVEs 1T.
Probability that Captain Mullan and
His Gallant Tars are Still
to the Fore.

inence is given by the papers to the
rumor that an American man-of-war wal
sunk in Samoan waters in fight with
the German corvette Olga. While nc
credence is given to the report, the pub
lication has occasioned a sensation, fol
lowing the report from Kiel. few days
ago, of reported engagement. The
fact that the name OF the vessel, alleged
to have been sunk, is omitted, adds tC
the disbelief in the report, but it il
assumed that the vessel is the Nipsic
Captain Mullan, commanding. Captain
Schenck, Quartermaster of the United
States Marine Corps, verifes the state
ment that the Olga was supplied with
torpedoes, which is not the case with the
three American war vessels dispatc he'd
to Samoa.
The steamship Alameda, of the
Oceanic line, which left here for Aus.
tralia February 9th, touched at Tutuila,
the southern island Of the Samoan
group, February 25th, and arrived at
Auckland March Sd. Had any engage
ment occurred at Apia she would prob
ably have learned the fact at Tutuila and
carried the news to Auckland, where the
fact would have been cableG. 1t is con-
Ceded that the information might not
have reached Tutuila, as Apia is seventy
miles distant, in time for the Alameda
to carry the news to Auckland.
The steamship Zeslandia is due at this
port March 10th, with ne VS. from Samoa
down to March I'd.
WASHINGTON, March S.-The story Of
an engagement between the German
man-of-w war Olga and an American man.
of-war in the harbor of Apia is generally
discredited at the Navy Department. No
information upon the subject has been
received at the Department of State. 1t
was said that news of an event of such
importance would surely have reached
the United States at least as soon as
German sea coast city.
New YORK, March S--No credence is
given to the Schlessische Zeitung's story
cabled from Breslau to the Herald about
a fight between American and German
men-of-war. Even the Herald character
izes it as sensational.
WASHINGTON, March S.-The Nipsic,
which is supposed to be the American
vessel referred to in the German publica-
tion, is rated as wooden vessel of the
third class, with six guns. The Vandalia
and Trenton, which have, doubtless,
reached Samoa by this time, are also
wooden vessels, carrying eight and ten
guns, respectively, and their main bat
teries. Most of these guns are smooth
bore, but naval officers say that, at short
range and against an unarmored vessel,
such as the German vessel now in Sa-
moan waters is, these cannon are Just as
efficient as rified ordnance. Unless
the German gunboats have also been re-
inforced, the American fleet now at Apia
is regarded as superior in offensive power,
as it's vessels are fresh from the repairers
and the crews are strong in number.
WASHINGTON, March 8.-Sscretary
Blaine, this evening, in answer to an in
quiry, said that the report of conflict
between the German and United States
war vessels was, in his opinion, un-
worthy of credence. He regarded it as
mere stock -jobbing rumor, having no
foundation whatever.
Commodore Walker, of the Navy
Depart ment, held similar views.
New YORK, March 8.-The Herald
of this morning printed three columns of
comment relative to the reported blow
ing up OF the United States ship Nipsic
at Samoa by the German cruiser Olga.
This report was printed in the Herald of
March as a dispatch from Breslau,
where the information of the encounter
was first printed, is the basis of much
comment, according to the Herald, in
Washington, where its correspondent in
terviewed naval officers with the re-
suits printed in the Herald this morning,
and from which the following epitomiza-
tion is made:
Commodore Scard has no knowledge
of the Nipsic having been sunk by
German torpedo, save such as is fur
nished by the Herald'S Breslau dispatch.
Referring to the torpedo armament OF
the German gunboats, Commodore
Sicard said: "The working range of
these torpedoes, to be fired with accuracy,
is about 400 yards. The German navy
uses the Schwartzkopff torpedo, which
is made in Germany and nowhere else.
1t contains about 93 pounds of gun cotton,
equal in force to 800 pounds of gun
powder. They are launched from the
side of the ship and after being properly
aimed are shot into the water. They
travel at q rate of 25 knots per hour, and
if the Nipsic was within a short distance
Of the Olga it would have been impossi-
BILE for her to have gotten out of the
way"
Commodore Sicsrd said the Nipsic
might have been in such position that
it was impossible for her to get out of
torpedo range, promising that the re-
ported engagement actually took place.
II such was the case it would fare very
badly with her. Concluding, the Com
modore added: "The Trenton and Van
dalia must be there by this time and if
anything should have happened to the
Nipsc, you may rest assured they will
be heard from. Admiral Kimberly is a
courageous officer. He will stand no non
sense, and if there is any trouble will
give an excellent account of himself"
Commodore Harmony, Assistant Sec
retary of the Navy Department, was dis
posed to doubt the correctness OF the re-
ported sinking of the Nipsic. He said !;
"Of course l do not think there is any
truth in the report, but upon the state
ment of the possible condition | make
my comments. If the Olga did bonn.
bard the town and injure American
property and American citizens, the
commander of the Nipsic would protest
first, and then, failing to secure protec.
ton to our interests, would open fire. A
naval officer has all the discretion any
one has. He can make war without
orders, if in his judgment the circum'
stances demand it."
To the Herald correspondent Admira
Porter said! "As | understand it, the