Evening journal., 1890-11-13

Coast During a Severe storm, and Only
Three Men Out OF the Hundreds Aboard
Ever Reached shore to Tell the Terri
BILE story-AlIeged Heartless Conduct
OF One Of the Lords of the British Ad-
miralty-After Announcing the News at
banquet He Made Humorous speech.
wailing Women and Children Hear the
News OF the Disaster.
LONDON, Nov. l3.-Another appalling
horror of the sea has been added to the
long list. News has just reached here that
her majesty's steamer Serpent was wrecked
Monday night twenty miles north of Cape /
Finisterre. Two hundred and seventy |
three men were drowned. Only three es-
capped.
The Serpent went on the rocks during a |
severe storm on the Spanish coast. A |
heavy mist prevailed at the time. 1t was
impossible to obtain assistance from the |
shore. and the vessel remained in her help |
less position until broken to pieces by the
tremendous seas which swept over her.
Drowned or Dashed to Death.
II 4uE GItM NtlG MaaANa VfNAH1AAA a.
groups by the remorseless waves and
drowned or dashed to death amid the
rocks. The news of the disaster was con-
veyed to Corunna, distance of sixty
miles over mountain roads, and when a
relief corps was organized and sent to the
| scene Of the wreck it was too late to be Of
any avail.
The Serpents crew proper consisted of
| 10 men. The remaining victims were re-
1 lief crews, which were being conveyed to
other British men-of-war on the African
station.
A Description of the Serpent.
Her maiesty's steamer Serpent was a
swift light cruiser, one Of the eight vessels
| whose construction was begun in lSSS
when Lord Northbrook was first lord Of
the admiralty, during Mr.. Gladstone's
ministry She was a cruiser OF the third
class, and was built at Devonport, at a
cost Of S605, 900. The admiralty officials
maintain silence and decline TO be inter
viewed on the subject of the disaster.
They possess no organization through
which news Of such occurrences would be
transmitted to them in advance Of press
reports, if the officers Of the i'll fated yes
sci did not survive.
Though the reports Of the almost total
annihilation of the Serpents complement
were at first regarded as too terrible for
belief, the impression has now become
general that the story is true. The news
spread throughout England like wildfre,
causing lamentation in hundreds Of
homes
They Had Feared Disaster.
The newspaper Offices at Plymouth were
besieged By crowds of relatives Of the Ser
pentis crew. The lamentations Of the
women and children were pitifuL II was
said that many of the Serpent's men had
expressed fear Of disaster before leaving
Plymouth, but the cause Of their appre-
hension cannot be learned.
Theadmiralty has wired the British con
sui and Corunna to send full details of the
wreck and loss of life at once. The queen
has sent a message to the Duke of Edin-
burgh asking for particulars, and express
ing her sorrow for the lost men and their
relatives.
Lord HamIItOn's HeartIess Behavior.
Lord George Hamilton, first lord Of the
admiralty, on rising to speak at the Con
servatiye banquet at Acton. said that he
+ was sorry to announce that just before he
came there he received a telegram that
her majesty's steamer Serpent was lost on
the coast Of Spain, and he feared there
had been great loss Of life. The Serpent
e he said was one of our best cruisers and
was valuable vessel, with excellent Off
GERS and crew. He could not tell the cause
of the disaster. The announcement caused
a sensation, and it was evident that many
of those present would have thought i
proper to postpone the banquet, but n,
! action being taken to that end, the enter
tainment proceeded, and after the guests
e. 4 l,,1 a,4d AropE hparti1v ord
Hamilton led off in the toasts with an un
usually jolly speech, his rollicking humol
provoking peal upon peal of laughter
Like the Gordon Gladstone Affair.
The news of this affair soon reached tn
. London clubs and excited much advers
comment. It is considered certain tina
Lord Hamilton's conduct will cause a
much scandal against himself and tn
Tories as was aroused against Mr. Glad
stone and his political adherents by tn
alleged presence of the Liberal premier a
a theatre on the evening of the day whel
Gordon's death was announced in the Lon
don newspapers.
40 The Dukes Respectful Attitude.
When the news Of the disaster to he
t. maiesty's steamer Serpent reached Ply
mouth the Duke Of Edinburgh, who is on
of the admirals of the navy, was attending
a Patti concert. On being informed Q
what had occurred he hastily left the hal
70 and went to the newspaper offices wher
= dispatches in regard to the sad event wer
being received.
The duke was deeply moved and eS
pressed his heartfelt sorrow for the viz
Tins and their unfortunate families. II
did not return to hear the remainder G
rs the concert, but proceeded directly to hi
3 residence The morning papers commen
on his conduct in contrast to that OF hi
y superior officer, Lord George Hamilton.
VI
81 The News Confirmed.
= MADRID, Nov. 13.-Three sailors VIII
: succeeded in swimming ashore from th
N