The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-11-26
A BRITISH WARSHIP LOST.
4he Serpent Founders Off the
Spanish Coast.
Over Two Hundred Perish and
Only Three Saved.

The British torpedo cruiser Serpent has
foundered off The coast of Spain. Out OF
total Of 25o persons on board only three were
saved.
The disaster occurred at point twenty
miles north of Cape Finisterre. The Ser
nent went on the rocks during storm
at night. A heavy mist prevai!ed
at the time Of the disaster. Owing
to the violence Of the storm, it was I'M
possible to send assistance from the shore.
Tremendous seas swept the decks OF the YES
sci, carrying away group after group OF the
men on board.
The news of the wreck was conveyed to
Corunna, a distance Of sixty miles, over
mountain roads.
The Serpent's complement was lIO ofhcerS
and men. The others on board were gong
ont to relieve men now on ships on the Afri-
can station. ,r,.
, Iloyd's agent at Corunna telegraphs: 1T
appears that the Serpent was running for
shelter in one of the bays north of F1nlsterre.
It is not known whether she foundered or
grounded on the fearful reefs that are con.
finuation of the Galician Mountains. If she
foundered. nobody need be surprised but the
Admiralty. If she grounded on the reefs,
she could not stand q minutes batterlng III
heavy sea-" - ,o.
The Serpent had just started on her
maiden voyage. She was commissioned lot
service in Africa last June, but was detained
by several mishaps to her machinery. Sne
and her consorts were cordially dlsllked by
ithe service. The Serpent has bad record.
She broke down more than once in the
manoeuyres of 1888. Several Admlrals
Condemned the whole class as crank.
An official telegram from Corunna says
tho Ssrnent was wrecked off Cape Buoy, near
fbe VILLAGE of Camarinas. There were 2I6
nersons aboard, of whom only three were
saved. The bodies of three ladies have been
washed ashore.
The Governor has ordered the authorities
at Cemarinas to render every assistance In
their power.
The three persons saved from the Serpent
are sailors who swan ashore at CamarinaS.
They express the belief tnat all tne otners on
board were drowned.
The newspaper offices at Plymouth, Eng
land, were besieged by crowds OF people
anxious to hear further news Of the disaster.
Among these were the sobbing wives and
daughters of many of the lost seamep.
It is stated that many Of the crew of the
Serpent, before the vessel started on what
proved to be her last voyage expressed the
fear that some misfortune would befall the
snip.
The lost man-of-war was a twiu-screw
yessel of ITO tors and 1900 horsepower, and
carried six guns She was swift, light
cruiser, one Of eight begun during the ad-
minist'ation of Lord Northbrook. She was
launched in 1887.
The Serpent was built after the ideas of
Admiral Cooper Key, who insisted upon an
immense horsepower, which, according to
previous notions. was out OF all proportion
to her displacement. She could maintain
a speed Of seventeen knots an hour.
Lord Brassey, in his naval manual.
adversely criticised the vessel. He said
that economy Of weight had been carried to
excess in the construction of the ship that
her plating was too thin. and that her arma-
ment was overdone. In seaway, he said,
her heavy top-weight would be a detriment
10 her speed, and would unduly strain the
hull. The vessel was 225 feet long, while she
had draught of only Az feet.