Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-11-13
HOW THE SERPENT SANK.
The Cruiser Hurled on the Sharp Rocks
and Her Keel Stove In.

LONDON, Nov 13.-Later advicess from Cape
Buey in the province of Coruna, Spain. the
scene OF the wreck Of the British torpedo
cruiser Serpent, state that at IL o'clock Mon
day night, in the midst Of an impenetrable
darkness the war ship struck the reefs bows on
She was hurled upon the rocks with such tre-
mendous force that their jagged edges tore
her keel as readily as a match might be split
by the sharpest knife. A moment later mann
moth wave lifted the cruiser high above the
reef only to dash her back upon its stony face
the next instant with great hole stove in her
bottom. With the next sea the unfortunate
vessel slipped from the rocks into deep water.
Through the awful gap in her hull the water
rushed in by the hundreds Of tons and then, in
the midst of awful biackness of the night, the
bowling of the wind and the boarse roar Of
waters beating against the fatal reefs. the
cruiser Serpent with nearly three huhdre d
men plunged to the bottom Of the Atlantic
ocean.
DROWNED BELOW DRcKs.
At the moment Of the fearful catastrophe the
great majority Of the ships company were be-
low decks. unconscious that death was all
around them. They never reached the deck
On deck those whose duties kept them there
found themselves so suddenly confronted with
the deadly peril that it was impossible for
whelming, SO sudden and complete was the
disaster, that OF the great ships company no
human being made a sign or uttered cry as
they were swallowed up by the waters.
THE THREE SURVIVORS.
The three wretched survivors Of the calam-
ity. torn by the cruel rocks, to which they
marvelously chung until rescued have been re-
moved to the hospital, where they are now be-
ing cared for. They will be ordered home TO
England as soon as their condition will permit
of their removal. to testify before the INQUIRY
which will be held by the board of admiralty.
The queen is full of solicitude and has again
telegraphed the expression Of her sympathy
and request that she be furnished all the in
formation obtainable bearing on the disaster.
The officials at the admiralty Office state that
when tho loss Of the serpent occurred she was
trying to make either Corunna or the Bay of
Vigo for repairs. The cruiser had passed
through q hurricane and was partially dis
abled.
STORIES ABOUT THE VESSEL.
Strange stories are afoat in regard to the ILL.,
fated cruiser Serpent. 1t is alleged that she
was bungled in building and that her test trials
under steam were farces. These allegations
are now said to have been matters Of common
gossip among the sailors ever since the vessel
was launched, but il SO they never reached
the general public in print Il is known that
the men complained Of the brutality of the
captain, who threatened to repay them by Sc
we're chastisement There were several deser-
tions from the vessel during her last voyage
The admiralty are suppressing all details of
this kind az far as possible, and the complete
story will probably not be made public until
the report Of board Of inquiry into the dis
aster 10 made and perhaps not then
AN OFFICIAL STATEMENT.
An official statement regarding the loss of
the Serpent has been issued. 1t shows that the
vessel had 176 men on board, of which number
only three seamen were saved. The Spanish
government has been asked to assist in recover
ing the bodies Of the lost, the British govern
ment Offering q reward for each body. The
British vice consul at Corunna has gone to
Camarinas to make inquiries OF the survivors
regarding the disaster.
Senator ingalls, May BE REFLECTED. -
ArcHIsox, KAN, Nov. 1a-W. J. buchanan,
chairman Of the republican state central COM
mittee, in an interview yesterday said: II have
no donbt that Senator Ingalls, will be reelected.
could, wereI 90 inclined, give the names of
men who will vote for and elect him"
American Embex<lers Caught In Canada.
ToRoxTo, Orr, Nov. 1a-The police last
night arrested Tony CaioxEa and Michael Sui
Hvan Hho srA vzuted In Altocna D. n~ !.