Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-04-02
SHIPS FOR SAMOA.
They Will Not Compare With
Those Wrecked.
A TRIBUTE BY ENGLISH TARs.
The Question Suggested Whether or
Not Admiral Kimberly Was
to be Blamed.

WASHINGTON, April mo decision
has yet been reached Of the Navy Depart
ment in regard to sending vessels to take
the place of the ships lost at Apia. Sec
retary Tracy said the matter was one
which offered serious difficulties. The
vessels now at Panama and other sta
tions, which might be otherwise availa-
BILE, cannot we'll be spared from their
present posts of duty. The Pensacola is
undergoing repairs at the Norfolk Navy
Yard, and can be ready for sea in about
four months, and like period will be
required to complete repairs and fit for
sea the Adams and Iroquois, now az
Mare leland Navy Yard. The Charles
ton, if accepted by the Government, can
be made ready for service by the 1st of
June.
Secretary Tracy fortunately ordered
that the battery intended for the York
town be shipped to San Francisco and
placed on board the Charleston. The
order was issued March Goth, and the
guns will soon be on the way.
WAS KIMBERLY TO BLAME?
While no doubt is entertained here that
Admiral Kimberly did everything possi-
BILE to avert the dreadful disaster ut Sa-
moa, the receipt of his detailed report is
awaited with interest. When that is re-
ceived it will be decided whether it is
necessary to make any further investiga-
tion.
Colonel W. B. Remy, Judge Advocate
of the Navy, says on the subject "The
usual course was followed in a case of
this kind. Admiral Kimberly will make
his report to the Secretary, giving in de-
tail all the facts in connection with the
loss of the ships and men in this squad
ron, of which he had command. That
report will, in the natural order of things,
be referred to me, and If in my judgment
it eeems to me there was any negli-
gence displayed or the Admiral failed to
take all proper precautions, [ shall recon-
mend to the Secretary that court of in
quiry be held.
"The functions OF court of inquiry
are very similar to those of grand jury.
If, after thorough investigation, the
court is convinced that the Admiral was
remiss, or did not display the seaman
ship which ought to have been expected
of him under the circumstances, the
court recommends to the Secretary of the
Navy that he be tried by court MARTIAL
and | should have to prefer charges. /
do not believe any court will be con-
vened."
SHIPS FOR SAMOA.
The Navy Department is making every
effort to secure adequate representation
at Samoa. Orders were sent to-day to |
have the Richmond, Alert and Adams |
sent to Apia at thesearliest possible mo-
ment, The Alert is at Honolulu and can |
reach Samoa in month or forty days |
The Richmond is in the Rio de La Plata
river, en- the east coast of South America, |
and must go around Cape Horn. The
Adams is under repair at the Mare Island
Navy Yard. Ten days or two weeks
will serve to complete the repairs and
and after the few days additional are
consumed in taking in stores and coal
she may sail on the voyage, which will
take about month. The Yantic, now
at Brooklyn, will be ready the 10th
inst, probably to relieve the Richmond.
While the vessels ordered to Samoa to.
day are fair vessels of their kind, yet
they are by no means equal to the three
vessels which were wrecked, and are of
an antique type compared with the ves-
sells of the German East African fleet
which have been ordered to Samoa.
The old Richmond is the largest vessel
that will go down. She was built in Nor
folk in 1858, and is of 2,700 tons burden,
225 feet long, 421a feet broad, and 17.4
draft. Her speed is set down as 1917
knots when in trim, but she is doubtless
foul, and consequently much reduced
in speed by her stay in South
Atlantic waters. She is commanded by
Captain A. V. Reed, with Lieutenant
Commander and Lieutenants w. H. |
Everett, ]. Fl. @. Coffin, F. II. Crosby,
]. N. Robinson and J. o. Nicholson.
Her complement is 2S officers and 32I
men. The battery is headed by twelve
ten-inch smooth-bores, one eight inch |
muzzle-loading rife and one sixty-pound
breech-loading rife, two twenty-pound
breech-loaders and some smaller secon.
dary guns. The Alert is one of the yes
sells built by John Roach in 1875. She |
carries 21 officers and 127 men. She is
rated at ten knots, is 175 feet
long by 80 feet beam, draws
1234 of water, and carries battery of
one eleven-inch and one nine-inch
smooth bores, one sixty-pound rifle and
four small guns in the secondary battery.
Her officers are Commander James D. |
Graham and Lieutenants John Garvid,
F. E. Greene, J. 7. Moore, J. Parker, G. |
d. Bostice and w. G. Hannum.
The Adams is rated at 1875 tons. She
was built in 1876 at Boston by Donald
Mckay. Her length is 185 feet, by 35
feet beam and 143 draft. She is set
down as a 9.knot ship, with battery Of
four 9-inch smooth boree, one 8-inch
muzzle-loading rifle, one 60.pound
muzzle-loading rifle and five guns
in the secondary battery. The de-
tail for the Adams was almost
completed this afternoon. She will
be under the direction of Commander
Edwin T. Woodward. There will be no
new orders in regard to Samoan affairs
given to the commanders of the vessels.
Admiral Kimberly will remain at Apia,
and will continue in command of the
squadron. The Admiral has considerable
discretion vested in him, and may, to
considerable extent, exercise his own
Judgment in regard to what shall be done.
Should anything occur to render new in
structions advisable, they can be pre-
pared and sent to Samoa long before the
war vessels get there.
ESCAPED WITH THEIR LIVES.
The Secretary OF the Navy has cabled
to Samoa that the men of the wrecked
naval vessels sent home are to come to
San Francisco.