The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1890-11-19
IEET DEATH.
STER TO A BRIT
N-OF-WAR.


FL, Mied at the time of the disaster.
<6 the violence of the storm il was
impossible to send assistance from the
shore.
Tremendous seas swept the decks OF
the doomed vessel, carrying away group
after group of the unfortunate men on
beard. The news OF the wreck was con
veyed TO Corunna. distance of sixty
miles over mountain roads The Ser
tents complement was 10 officers and
men. The others on board were going
OUT 20 relieve men now on ships OF the
African station The vessel was lost at
a point twenty miles north OF Cape Fin
isterre.
An official telegram from Corunna says
that the Serpent was wrecked of Cape
Eucy. near the village of Camarinas.
There were 276 persons aboard, OF whom
only three were saved. The bodies Of
three ladies have been washed ashore.
The Governor has ordered the authori-
ties at Camarinas 10 render every assist
ance in their power.
The three persons saved from the
Serpent are sailors. who swan ashore az
Camarinas. They express the belief
that all the others on board were
drowned. brt only four bodies have been
washed ashore as yet. There is no tel
egraph station at Camarnas.
The Serpent was a third-class cruiser
of the type of the Archer, of which the
Concord, Yorktown and bennington are
practically copies. 1t was provided with
whitehead turpcdoeS. tubes. and ap-
paratus for firing. 1t is said by experts
concerning this class Of vessels that in
the construction Of the hull ECONOMY Of
weight has been carried 10 excess. The
plating is too thin for durability. The
armament is overdone. In a scaway the
heavy top weight causes loss of speed
and throws an undue strain upon the
light structure on which il is placed. 4"
OF one of these cruisers it is
stated that its speed "when meet
ing a strong head wind and sea
was reduced 10 five knots, as the
vessel was being buried under water for
ward the forecastle, bending down three
or four feet under the weight Of water
The Serpent was built of steel, 1,770
tons displacement, $500 indicated horse
power. II feet inches draught of water.
225 feet length, 80 feet beam. 1t was
built at Davenport, launched in 1887,
cost (hull and machinery g91, COG. Its
armament comprised six six-inch. five
ton breech-loading rifle guns, eight three
FOUNDER rapid-fring guns, and three
machine guns. 1t sailed from Devon
port, being put in commission June "a
last, under command of Capt. III. l.. Ross,
ordered TO the Cape and the west coast
of Africa.
Lord George Hamilton. First Lord of
the Admiralty, on rising to speak at a
Conservative banquet at Acton this
that just before he came there he re-
ceived telegram that II. NJ. S Serpent
was lost on the coast Of Spain, and he
feared there had been great loss of life
The Serpent, he said was one of our
best cruisers, and was a valuable vessel.
with excellent officers and crew. He
could not tell the cause Of the disaster.
The announcement caused n sensation
and ii was evident that many of those
present would have thought il proper TO
postpone the banquet, but, no action be-
ing taken to that end. the entertainment
proceeded, and after the guests had
eaten and drank heartily, Lord
George Hamilton led off in the
toasts with an unusually jolly speech
his rollicking humor provoking peal upon
peal Of laughter. The news of this affair
soon reached the London clubs and ex-
cited much adverse criticism. II is con-
sidered that Lord Hamilton's conduct
may cause scandal against himself and
the Tories such as was aroused against
Mr.. Gladstone and his political adj
herents by the alleged presence of the
Liberal Premier at a theater on the
evening Of the day when Gordon's death
was announced in the London newspa-
pers.
The Duke of Edinburgh was attending
Patti concert at Plymouth when the
news of the disaster reached that town.
He was Immediately informed of the ca
lamity, and at once left the concert hall
and FASTENED TO the various newspaper
Offices in search of further details. At
ter reading all the dispatches that had
been received concerning the disaster he
went directly home without returning to
the concert hall. He expressed the ut
most sorrow at the fate that had over
taken so many brave men.
Commander Ross is said TO have been
in the habit of treating his men with un-
due severity. The Serpent started last
Saturday on its maiden voyage. 1t was
commissioned for service in Africa last
June. but was detained by several mis-
haps 20 the machinery. 1t and its con-
sorts were cordially dsilSed by the SER
vice. The Serpent has bad record. 1t
broke down more than once in the man
euvers of 1883.
Lloyd's agent at Corunna telegraphs
ait appears that the Serpent was running
for shelter into one Of the bays north.Of
Finisterre, 1t is not known whether it
founded or grounded on the fearful reefs
that are a continuation OF the Galician
Mountains. If IL foundercd nobody need
be surprised but the Admiralty. If it
grounded on the reefs it could not stand
minutes battering in the heavy sea. 4"
Personal Brevities.