The morning news., 1889-03-10
FRISCO HAS AWAR SCARE
TIE NIPsIC REPORTED SUNK AND
A MERCHANTMAN SEIZED.


NO Confirmation Of the Highly
Innpro bable Assertions.
SAN FRANCISCO, March 9.-The Chroni-
,le has bulletin up that the United States
ynan-of-war Nipsic is sunk, and that the
Charleston has been ordered in immediate
readiness.
The E5camiter reports that the steamship
Alameda has been captured by the Ger
mans.
The excitement here in consequence is
tremendous. The Alameda is one of the
line of steamers plying between San Fran
cisco and Australian ports
DIsCREDITED AT WASHINGTON.
WASHINGTON, March 9, z P. M.-The
San Francisco dispatch, quoting the sub
stance of the bulletins of the Chronicle
and Examiner, do not give any authority
for their statements. There is still dearth
of news from Samoa in the state and navy
departments. In the state department the
feet that they have not been officially ad-
vlsed Of the blowing up of the Nipsic is
regarded as sufficient evidence thai no such
thing has happened. They have not tele-
graphed the acting consul for the reason
that it is not to be supposed that he has
neglected his duty and failed to inform his
government of an event of such import
ance.
HE MAY BE PRISONER
In answer to a suggestion that the Ger
mans would control every avenue by which
news could reach the United States, it is
said that they could not prevent informa-
ton from reaching England through some
Of he English vessels at Samoa, even sup
posing that the rep rted engagement had
been followed by a declaration Of war,
which might have resulted in cutting off
Consul Blackjack from the cable at
Auckland. Naval officers here without ex-
cepti n also. discredit the story, although
they admit that the NiDsic would have been
ovormatched by the Olga in sea fight.
They are r ther inclined to accept the view
taken by certain of the English papers that
the publication in German newspapers was
thrown out as fesler to learn how an at
tempt to chastise Mataafas forces for the
killing Of Germans would have been re-
ceived in Germany and America.
DESCRIPTION OF THE VESSEL.
The Nipsic has been at Apia four months,
relieving the Adams. She was put in com
mission Oct. 10, 1887, at New York, and
sailed from that port for the Pacific Jan.
Is. 1883. She finally sailed from Callao for
Samoa Sept. %, 1888, arriving at Apia
Nov. T. In the naval register the Nipsic
described as a second-rate vessel
wooden hull, bark rugged She carries
six guns (mostly smooth bore) iu her main
battery, and has a displacement OF 1875
tons. 7 q Trenton and Vandalia, which it
is believed, have already reached Apia,
though second-rate ships, are larger than
the Nipsic. The Trenton is a ship rugged
wooden cruiser Of ten guns, of 2. 800 tons dis
placement. The Vandalia is also q bark
rugged wooden cruiser of 2l00 tons, with a
man battery of eight guns, mostly smooth
bore.
THE OLGA
As far as known the Olga is the most
formid ible of the German vessels at Apia
She is an unarmored and unprotected single
de,ked cruiser Of 1900 tons displacement,
and was built in 1880. Her rincipal bat.
terry consists Of eight 6-inch Krupp rifles and
numbe- of H5tchkiss revolving cannon
1t IS thought at the navy department that
she carries about half dozen SchwertzkoR
tOrpe5oes, which are similar TO Whitehead
torpedoc7, in that they are pr jected from
tubes benz ath the water line. Tie speed of
the Oga IS somewhat superior to that Of
the Nandalla, her maximum trial speed
having been fourteen knots. The Germans
ais have IN Samoan waters the Adler and
hoer, which are not as large, or as strong
Is the Olga, the Adler carrying four and
the Eber three Krupp rifles.
COMPARISON OF OUR NAvIEs.
H The great strength of the German feet
les IN ITS possession Of torpedoes In the
United States navy there is not a torpedo
except few Of the variety known as ''spar
lorpedoes," which are regarded by naval
experts as practically useless. The Ger
man navy consists Of about seventy five
vessels, while twenty-five more are in
course Of construction. These are all YES
sels Of the most TO midable type, heavily
med, many of them aTmor-
tated and carrying superior tor
edo outfits About twenty-five an
c.e vessels and few modern cruisers not
ready Tor service represent the American
laval strength. They are generally armed
Wltn smooth bores, are slow, and widely
distributed over the face of the globe. The
monitors are incomplete. In the event Of
ar tn4y must form our chief reliance, but
IL would take many months to put on their
'urrets and make their guns.
sAO ORETARY TRACY GOES TO NEW YORK.
a Secretary Tracy left Washington for
NeW YORK this afternoon. Commodore
"A "aiKef, who acts as Secretary of the Navy
ing the absence Of the head of the de-
Onelt, was tonight shown the latest.
n" FRANCISCO bulletin respecting the
H'esed blowing up of the Nipsic. He
-o4 no hesitation in stamping it as
an ABSURD fabrication, and he denies
EaVFly orders have been sent to San
r.enclsco looking to the immediate equip
L-enV ot the new cruiser Charleston. 10
Iy" the utter improbability Of the story,
ouiInodore Walker says that telegraphic
"s reaching San Francisco from Samoa
I1 cross from Auckland to Australia.
-eace across the Dutch East Indian Islands
" A,sia, up through Europe to England
aNu across the Atlantic ocean to the eastern
,,' 1s. oi Tie United States, where it is t. ken
w. the land lines and transmitted to
California.
COULDN'T REACH FRISCO FIRST.
,,. 90 said the commodore, at is evident
81, Igch news could not possibly reach
.s-. ~. trar cisco before it is known in the
a'V' as the navy department has an officer
GoAed at Auckland for the verv purpose
.or"ardnig information respecting Sa-
an events and il is not to be supposed
.1 11, ne would overlook a matter like the
'iailg Of the Nipsic.n
,ios ~ ~ armed that the reported destruc-
i'u oi The Nipsic was not even mentioned
Ftico CABINET meeting this afternoon,
NJ fu ~ Iact IS an additional proof that none
NE executive departments are in posses
Ie ~ u. information which would confirm
''uIh9r. y