, 1890-11-13
F"OUNDERED AT SEA.
A British Cruiser Lost Off the
Coast of Spain.
Ouly Three of the $50 Souls on
Board Saved.
The Vessel Claimed to Have
Been U~nseaworthy.

LONDON, Nov. l2--The British tor.
Dsdo cruiser Serpent foundered off the
ooast of s. pain. The fate Of the crew Is
unknown. The Serpent was a twin
crew vessel of no tons snd carried six
Sups. The Serpent was lost twenty miles
north of Cape Finisterre. Out of a total
1850 souls on board ouly three were
saved. The Serpent went on the rocks
during a storm Monday night. Owing to
ne violence of the storm it was impossi-
N TO send assistance from the shore.
tremendous seas swept the decks OF the
doomed vessel, carrying away group after
noun OF the unfortunate men on board.
The S~erpent's complement was 10 Off
sers and men. The others were going to
relieve the men now on the African sta
ton.
Later dispatches say the three survivors
are Of the opinion that none others got
ashore. -Four bodies have come up on
he beach. three OF them women.
Lord George Hamilton, first lord Of the
.dmirality, on rising TO speak at u
Conservative banquet at Acton this even
ing announced the loss of II. NJ. s.
Serpent. The announcement caused a
sensation, but no action was taken to
postpone the banquet. Lord George
Hamilton led off in the toasts with an I'M
usually jolly speech. The news Of
this affair reached the London clubs and
excited much adverse criticism. 1t is
considered that Hamilton's condutc may
cause a scandal against himself and the
Tories.
The Duke OF Edinburgh was attending
The PATTI concert at Plymouth when the
news Of the disaster reached town. He
was Immediately informed and at once
left the concert hall. After reading all
the dispatches that had been received
concerning the disaster, be went directly
home without returning to the concert
hall. He expressed the utmost sorrow.
The Offices at Plymouth were
besieged by crowds of people anxious to
hear further news of the disaster. Among
these we're the sobbing wives and dsugh-
ters OF many of the lost
The Serpent was built after the ideas of
Admiral Cooper Key. who insisted upon
40 immense horse power, which, accord
ing to previous notions, was out OF all
proportion In her displacement. She
could maintain a speed of seventeen knots
an hour. Lord Bra-sey, 10 the Ndpdl
Annual. adversely criticised the vessel
he said economy Of weight had been car.
ned TO an excess in her construction; that
her plating was too thin and her arma-
near os-rdone- In a sea way her heavy
top weight would be a detriment to speed
and would unduly strain the hull. The
vessel was 225 feet long. while she had a
anught of only l4l feet.
The relatives OF the crew of the Serpent
At Plymouth and the lock ward people
are full of gossip about the lost cruiser.
1t is claimed that she was unseaworthy,
and broke down on all trial trips. The
Serpent has a bad record. She broke
down more thon once 10 m~anoeuvres of
1888. Several admirals condemned the
vessels Of her class.
Lloyds agent at Corunna telegraphed:
1T appearathe Serpent was running for
shelter in one of the bays north of FInis
terre. If she foundered nobody need be
surprised but tho almiralty. If she
grounded on the reefs she could not stand
a minutes battering in the heavy sea"