St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-04-01
Additional Particulars of the
Great Storm Off the Sa-
moan Islands.
The Loss of Life on the Men
of-War Foots Up Over
$50 Persons.
Mataafa's Soldiers Do ALI in
Their Power to Save Ger
man Sailors.
Sympathy Expressed by the
Queen--P ensions for the
Widows.

LONDON, March 31.-Further particu-
lars of the disastrous storm at Apia have
just been received. The hurricane
burst upon the harbor suddenly. The
German man-of-war Eber was the first
vessel to drag her anchor. She became
unmanageable and was driven he
lessly on the reef which runs around
the harbor. She struck, broadSide on,
at o'clock in the morning. The shock
caused her to lurch and to stagger back,
and she sank liz a moment in deep
water. Most of her men were under
matches, and scarcely soul of them es-
capped. The German war ship Adler
was the next to succumb. She was
lifted bodily by gigantic wave and
cast on her beam ends on the reef. A
terrible struggle for life ensued among
the officers and sailors aboard. Many
plunged into the raging surf and struck
out, some reaching the shore in safety.
Others clung to the rigging until the
maStS fell. OF those in the rigging
only two gained the shore. The cap
tain of the Adler and several other Off
GERS were saved. Meantime the
United States steamer Nipsic had been
dragging her anchors and drifting to-
ward the shore. The captain, however.
managed to keep control and ran her
OH sandbank. Boats were lmmedi-
ately lowered and the whole company
saved, with the exception of six men.
These were drowned by the capsizing
of a boat. The United States steamer
right upon the reef. She struck with a
terrible shock, hurting the captain
against Gatling gun. and he fell
stunned. Before he could recover
great wave
SWEPT THE DECK
and washed him ana others away into
the sea. The vessel sank fifty yards
from the Nipsic, and several of the Of
fcerS and men went down with her.
Others perished while making desper-
ate efforts to swim to the shore. Some
of the ships company tried to save
themselves by clinging to the rigging,
but heavy and swift-running waves
dashed over them, and one by one they
were swept away. BY this time night
had set in. Many natives and Euro
peans had gathered on the shore, all
anxious to render assistance to the UNI
fortunate crews, but owing to darkness
they were wholly unable to be of serv-
ice. Soon after the Vandalia had sunk,
the American war ship Trenton broke
from her anchorage and was driven
upon the wreck of the Fandalia, whence
she drifted to the shore. The bottom
of the Trenton was completely stove
and her hold was half full Of water. As
morning broke the German man-of-war
Olga, which had hitherto withstood the
gale, although much battered by the
heavy seas that constantly broke upon
her, became unmanageable, and was
driven upon the beach, where she lay
in tolerably favorable position. The
following is record of the officers and
men lost: Eber, the captain and all
other officers, except one, and seventy
six men; Vandalia, the captain, four
officers and forty men; Nipsic, seven
men; Adler, altogether fifteen persons.
Mataafa sent a number of his men to
the assistance of the wrecked ships.
They rendered splendid aid in trying to
float the Olga.
BERLIN, March 31.-Emperor William
was deeply moved by the news of the
Samoan disaster. He Immediately tele-
phOned to Prince Henry and afterward
conferred with Count Won iMoltke,
Prince Bismarck and others.