Telegram-herald., 1890-11-14
or THE ROCKS.
TIE British Cruiser Serpent Has
FouadsFed.
Shs Gees Dc~a or the Coast of
Spsip-On4 Three S&seo OF
of iT6 Persons

psdo cr1iser Serpent has foandsrea 81
tle coast q Spain. olt ~ . total
o. 10 so2ls On bozra only three we're
saved
Ire Serpent Vas tsin-screN vessel
of l,7Te sons and A. so HORSEPOWER and
carried six guns II weEt on tAe rocks
daring a storn Monday night A heavy
mist prevailed a. the tine Of the diszs-
ter Owing % the violence Of The storm
it Wzs impossible 70 send assistance
from she shore.
MADKID. Nov la-An or1ci2l tele-
grsm from Corunna says that lhe Ser
peRt MAS wrecked OF Cape Ruey. near
the village OF Camarinss. There we're
ZT5 persons aboard. Of whom only three
were saved The bodies OF three ladies
have been washed ashore. The Govern
OF las ordered the authorities al Cam
aFinas 70 render every assistance in
their power.
The three persons saved from the
Serpent are sailors, who swan ashore
a. Camariaas They express the belief
that al the others on board were
drowned. but only four bodies have
bFrA WA-lt4 ashore 40 fNL nero -
no telegraph station at CamarinaS
The newspaper Offices AZ Plymouth
were besieged by crowds OF people
anxious 20 hear further news OF the
disaster. Among these were the sob
bing wives aud daughters Of many Of
the lost se4men IL is stated that many
OF the crew OF the Serpent, before the
vessel started on what proved
10 be its last voyage, expressed the
fear that some misfortune would be-
fan the ship The relatives Of the
crew OF the Serpent at Plymouth and
the dock-yard people there are full of
gossip about the lost cruiser. 1t is
claimed that IL was unseaworthy and
that it broke down on all its trial trips
Commander Ross is said TO have been
in the habit of treating his men with
undue severity. The Serpent started
last Saturday on its maiden voyage. 1t
was commissioned for service in Africa
/ last June but was detained by several
mishaps 10 the machinery. II and it's
\ consorts were cordially disliked by the
service The Serpent had bad record.
/ IL broke down more than once in the
| manouvers OF 1883.
Lloyd's agent at Corunna telegraphs:
at appears that the Serpent was run
ming for shelter into one OF the bays
north of Finisterre. 1t is not known
whether it foundered or grounded on
the fearful reefs that are a continuation
of the Galician mountains. II it foun-
dered nobody need be surprised but the
Admiralty. II it grounded on the reefs
1t could not stand a minutes battering
in heavy sea-"
The disaster occurred at II o'clock
Monday night. A heavy storm was
prevailing and the night was dense
ly black. When the vessel struck
her keel was torn of and great hole
was stove in her bottom. She slipped
OF the rocks into deep water and
Immediately foundered, tons OF water
rushing through the hole in her hull
A majority of the officers and crew were
below when the vessel strucl
and she sank so quickly after
ward that none of them had time
to reach the deck. The disaster
was so sudden and complete that it wa
impossible for those who were on decl
TO get a boat into the water. The
sinking OF the vessel was so shor
that nearly all on board wen
down without making a sign. Th
three sailors who managed 10 reach the
shore near Camarinas were badly Gu
and bruised by being thrown by th'
seas against the rocks, and when thel
reached land they were exhausted
by their struggles. They wer
taken to hospital, whore they yet re
main. Orders have been sent to then
from London TO proceed 70 England a
soon as they are in condition to do sc
The Admiralty will head an investiga
tion into the circumstances attendin
the loss OF the Serpent. and the thre
survivors viii be called upon to Civ
their evidence.
The Queen has telegraphed asking 70
information regarding the disaster, an
expressed her sympathy with tn
families of the officers and ere
who lost their lives. 1t is o
fcially stated that the serpen
had become partially disabled
a hurricane, and that 10 was necessar
for her 10 repair before proceeding o
her voyage. Her comm anding Office
therefore, decided to put into Corunn
or Vigo. and while attempting to max
port the vessel was lost
An official statement regarding th
loss OF the Serpent has been issued.
shows that the vessel had ITO men o
board, % which number only three sci
men we're saved The Spanish Covers
ment has been asked 20 assist in reco'
eriug the bodies OF the lost. the Britis
Government Offering a reward for esc
body.
fThs Serpent vas a third class cruiser a =
tvpe ~ the Archer of which the Concord Yor
/ fovn and Bsnufnston sre practically copies.
vas provided vita whitehead tcrpedoss. tub
ard apparatus for fring The serpent ~
huit q steel fT7O tons displacement. As
Indicated horse pover. "a feet inca
GrsuFht of rster. S25 feet length
feet beam Tt vss bgiH a. Devonp0T
launched iu fss7 cost thuH snd machinsr
Eslss Its armament conprieed AK s-E inc
Ave ton bra~chlosfirE rife guns eight thre
pouader rapid arinr rHns and taree mschi1
-nns It saHe5 from fsVorport being puf
slnHission June - ssst. undeE command
Ca1-sin r. L Rose crsersd 20 ne Cape q
tas Esst cozst ~ Afrcs
medal for the Fresidest-
vssHIxerov Nov l3-A Brazilis
squadron. consisting Of the srmors