The Russellville Democrat., 1890-03-06
THE SAMOAN DISASTER,
How the British ship calIiopo Escapes

How the British ship CalEiopo Escaped
 Destruction.
 The Vandalia and Calliope were also in dangerous positions, bearing back towards the reef near the point where lay the wreck of the Adler. Great waves were tossing the two vessels about, and they were coming closer to- gether every minute The Yandalia at tempted to steam away, but in doing so a collision occurred. The iron prov of the Englishman was lifted high in the air and came down with full force upon the port quarter of the yandalia. The jib-boom of the Calliope was carried away and the heavy timbers of the Nandalia were shivered. Every man who stood upon the deck of the Wanda lia near the point of collision was thrown from his feet> by the shock
 X hole was torn below the rail and water rushed into the cabin. It was impossible to ascertain the extent of the damage at the moment, but it her death-blow. Men rushed up the matches in the belief that the steamer was sinking, but they afterward re- turned to their posts. Just after this collision, Captain Kane of the Calliope determined to make an effort to steam out of the harbor, as he saw that to remain in his present position would lead to another collision with the Van dalia or throw his vessel upon the reef. He accordingly gave orders to let go all anchors. The Calliope's head swung yaT Ff. nd worked to their utmost power. The steamer seemed to stand still for mo- ment, and then the rapidly revolving propeller had its effect, for the vessel moved up slowly against the great waves which broke over her bows and flooded her decks from stem to stern. Clouds of black smoke poured from her funnel as more coal was thrown into the fur naces. Every tension was strained in her heroic struggle against the storm. She seemed to make her headway at first inch by inch, but her speed grad ually increased until it became evident that she could clear the harbor.
 This maneuver of the gallant British ship is regarded as one of the most dar-. ing in naval annals. It was the one desperate chance offered her command er to save his vessel and the three hundred lives aboard. An accident to the machinery at this critical moment would have meant certain death to all. Every pound of steam which the Call Hope could possibly carry was crowded on, and down in the fire-rooms the men worked as they never worked before. To clear the harbor, the Calliope had to pass between the Trenton and the reef, and it required the most skillful sea- manship to avoid collision with the Trenton, on the one hand, or total de- struction upon the reef, on the other. The Trentons fires had gone out by that time, and she lay helpless almost in the path of the Calliope. The doom of the American flagship seemed but question of a few hours. Nearly every man aboard felt that his vessel must soon be dashed to pieces, and that he would find a grave under the coral reef. The decks of the flagship were swarm ing with men, but, facing death as they were, they recognized the heroic strug- gle of the British ship, and as the lat ter passed within few yards of them great shout went up from over four hundred men aboard the Trenton. Three cheers for the Calliope" was the sound that reached the ears of the British tars as they passed out of the Iharbor in the teeth of the storm; and the heart of every Englishman went out to the brave American sailors who gave that parting tribute to the Queens ship.
 A well-known London journal after ward remarked: ''The cheer of the Tren- tons men was the expression of an inn mortal courage. It was distressed manhood greeting triumphant manhood, the doomed saluting the saved" The English sailors returned the Trenton's cheer, and the Calliope passed safely tout to sea, returning when the storm had abated. Captain Kane, her com mander, in speaking of the incident afterward, said: Those ringing cheers of the American flagship pierced deep Into my heart, and will ever remember that mighty outburst of fellow-feeling which. felt came from the bottom of the hearts of the gallant Admiral and his men. Every man on board the Cal Hope felt as I did; it made us work to win. l can only say: God bless America and her noble sailorsr "--John P. Dun- ming, in St. Nicholas.