The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-10-14
NO NEWS OF THE ATLANTA.
PROBABLY AWAITING CLEARER SKIES
AND CALMER SEAS.
Much Anxiety Felt by Relatives OF Members
OF the Crew. hut Naval OAclals Say
There IL No Ground for Alarm-The
Yautic Seen Near the Wrecked Despatch.

Much Anxiety Felt by Relatives OF Members
OF the Crew. but Naval Onclals Say
There IL No Ground for Alarm-The
Yantic Seen Near the Wrecked Despatch.
WASHINGTON. Oct. 13.--Commodore Ramsay
acting Secretary OF the Navy. received the fol-
lowing telegram this morning from Lieut..
Wadsworth. inspector OF life-saving service
dated Assateague; Despatch is broken up
forward OF engine; upper works are washed
of. But little material IL coming ashore here
officers and crew are well and being made
comfortable at station. VIII remain until
weather abates. Yantic was off station Sum
day night. but has not been seen since. Thick
weather, heavy gale. very high surf"
It Is said at the Lighthouse Board that It Ia
unfair to say that the loss of the United States
ship Despatch Ia In any way due to the
absence Of tho. regular lightship at Winter
Quarter Shoal for needed repairs for the rea-
son TINT relief ship. tho schooner Drift. show
ing tho same kind OF light. has been stationed
there ever since. ample notice OF the change
having been given six weeks ago.
The following extract is from private letter
which has been received here from man who
visited the scene Of the wreck Of the Despatch
Oh Sunday afternoon:
The whole beach for over three miles Is
strown with wreckagc. Two bright collie dogs
are saved. while on tho wreck tho last living
thing is cat. At nightfall she still clinEs to
the shin. apparently unconcerncd. and this
fact Is a remarkable coincidence In connection
with tho supcrstitions Of the average sailor.
All attest TINT on starting ont from the Navy
Yard at Brooklyn Il black cat jumped
overbourt, and swan ashore. which was looked
upon as an evil omen among the men. and so
remarked throughout the ship. 1t is some-
thing strange to stand and hear their COM
ments on tho solitary cat In view upon the
highest part Of the wreck near the stcrn,where
the waves have not yet reached with wild force.
This disaster Is accounted for by the alb
scnce Of IL lightship at Winter Quarter Shoals.
which was taken away short time ago to DO
overhauled. and tho steersman. supposng
the Assatrasue light was that lightship's bea-
con. was msled. This lightship. am told. is
now ut Wilmington. Del. undergoing repairs.
The officers are all comfortably uunrtered
at the life-saving station. and the crew are
pretty comfortably sheltered, in improyised
tents to the lea of tho sand hills within hun
dfS y "sss Il tyr Ssvy Department feel no
anxiety about the fate of the Atlanta. which
LETT New York sunday to go to the relief Of the
the Prevailing hlct Weather IS a safiricisnt eS.
PLANTATION why the Atlanta has not been seen
that the Yantic. which was anchored Oh shore
account Of the fog: Commodore Ramsay says
Assateasse iiis.sayins stat jon Waiting for
Is tho navy her
Friends Of Lieut; Cowles. who, was in com;
when the WasS
defence Several members Of Congress have
behalf, and an additional factor in HIS favor ia
that he Is a son-in- law OF the. ."Old Roman
s. sn n eut %Ro
as one Of the most capable officers in the navy.
sa s Ss tRe
made ss sSncs a sh tss aSsf to sns
The failure TO receive such information start
the
Navy Yard received letters from relatives Of
IF
heard word" said the commandment How
do people think we can hear from her? She
Tse c s ana esps %se of the
sd II %as SO b rough sa
to put out to to- sea and ride out the gale f' Or
possibly she got around the Delaware capes.
and is waiting for the rough weather to pass
just before the Atlanta put to sea a reporter
boarded her. and talked with Capt John W.
Philip. the commanding officer.
The orders we received were great sur
prise to me" said the Captain. had not ex..
least. We we're ordered here for repairs. and at
locked up in the Shops. But got the men to
work.and my engineers arc trying tho machines
now. We usually allow the Joints to harden
for twenty-four hours before using them. but
this time they have not had chance to harden
an hour. should not he surprised u we blew
out out all our joints as soon as fuIl head OF
wreck to the list instead of saving one"
How long do you expect to be gone 7" asked
I'VE have only coal enough on board for five
days. We can't stay out longer than That"
20 y?n expect TO be able to help the De-
Not in the least" sald tho Captain. Tho
Atlanta tt draws top much water, We shall not
consider. our GRAND II useless one. IT may
even be foolhardy. Tho weather is bad now.
and Will DO for several days i! We should be
driven ashore. there would be no help for u.s."
An engineer Of the Petrol said that the At
lnntas forward and aft hamper are so low that
the soas wash completely over them and mako
1t most, uncomfortable for the crew. WHO are
Tho iantic left the Navy Yard on Friday
morning witt, orders to proceed to MontcvideO. I
She passed Sandy HOOK outward bound. at
BOO o'clock OH Saturday aftornoon. She |
would haze been sent to the DeSrntch's as |
II she had not sailed before tho news |
q the Despatch,s mishap reached the Navy |
Department. She may have seen the De-
and hovered in the neighhorhood OF the wreck |
10 render Dss stanpe If OUSSible.