New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-03-16
A TORPEDO BOAT WRECKED.
THE TRIANA STRIKES A LEDGE OFF Guilty.
HUNK
SHE WAS TAKING PROVISIONS FROM NEWPORT
TO THE CREWS OF THE STRANDED GOV.
ERNMENT VESSELS GALENA AND NINA
THE SITUATION AT GAY HEAD.

ERNMENT VESSELS GAIENA AND NINA
THE SITUATION AT GAY HEAD.
New.Bedford, March l5 CSpecial.-The torpedo
boat Triana, which left Newport last evening
for Gay Head with provisions and other articles
for The seventy-seven men belonging to the
wrecked vessels Galena and Nina at that place,
had an exceedingly rough experience. but got
along well until off Cuttyhunk, when she struck
on Schooner Ledge, on the south side OF the
rast end of the island, and is now full of water.
She is one of the largest boats OF the kind owned
by the Government, is made of iron, and the
provisions and everything aboard are total loss.
Her crew of seven men were rescued with di'i-
Guilty by the Cuttyhunk life-savin8 crew. once
the lifeboat was caps7ed, and two of tie crew,
John A. Jones and William a. Charles were nearly
exhausted before reaching shore. The Triana lies
about 800 yards from shore. and the opinion Is
expressed that she will prove total loss. Hhe
has large hole on the starboard side 1t IS saio
that the captain mistook the lights. Lieutenant
Marshall of the Trisna, came to this CITY IN
the Nellie and telegraphed Commander Jeweil at
Newport for instructions. The Commander H.
structed him to make arrangements to get 'he
Triana off. lie consequently arranged with 'he
Boston Towboat Company, and it will SEND heip
10 Cuttyhnnk tomorrow morning. Lieutenant
Marshall has returned to the stranded vessel
GAY Head. Mass, March ia cold and tedious
drive of twenty miles from Vineyard Haven thS
morning brought the Associated Press repre-
sentative to Cav Head shore The beach pre-
sented lonely appearance, TO say the least Inc
United States steamship Galena lay nigh up on
The beach, broadsde on. She was full OF water,
her hull badly hogged, her mainmast head sprung,
her lib and mansal flying and fresh north
west wind. Her rigging was covered with ice,
which extended to the mastheads The sea broke
over the ship constantly from l0:l5 Friday night
until midnight last night when the heavy west;
southwest wind changed to northwest, moderatlpg
somewhat and making the sea comparatively
smooth where the wrecked vessels lay. The steam
tug Nina lies, head on, south, upon the beach, 50
that persons can walk aboard her at low tide.
She lies perfectly quiet, the only water in her
being little i'll her fireroom aft. II is thought
that she will be saved The Galenas starboard
boats were washed from the davits and thrown
upon the beach, where they were broken in pieces
and burned by the sailors in their efforts TO
keep themselves warm. The officers and crew
are distributed among the few dwellng-hOuses OH
Gay Head, which are all filed to their utmost
capacity. The only church in the place is APP
propriated for temporary clearinghouse
The sevcnty-seven United States seamcn
forcing themselves upon the Gay Head
Indians makes il necessary TO scour the
locality for provisions. Arrangements arc
being made TO transfer the men, and the United
States revenue cutter Dexter is expected TO arrive
here roon Dr Hiatt purpose. The generous
hearted natives are doing all in their power 10
make the shipwrecked men comfortable, and
neither officers nor sailors have suffered since
landing They were got ashore with difficulty,
on account of the terribly rough sea, seven and
a half hours being consumed in the operation
Lieutenant Commander George A. Biclncll, of
the Galena told the following story AT 3 p. M.
Of the 10th inst, when oil Eastons Neck, the
vessel encountered dense fog, with heavy wind
When Block Island was reached the fog lifted
SO that Block Island Lighthouse could be dis
tinguishcd, and we were enabled TO get our
bearings and shape the vessels course for Vine
yard Sound Lghtship and Gay Head, which
course was given to the tug Nina-east by south
Soon after the fog shut down as dense as before.
We saw Just a red glimmer of Gay Head Light, oil
the starboard bow, about thirty minutes before
the vessel struck We supposed it TO he about
ten miles distant. We neither saw nor heard
ANYTHING of the Vineyard Sound LiGhtship When
we supposed that the ship was between NmeSard.
Sound LightsLp and Gay Head the tug was
stopped by signal and another course given 10
the tug, which northeast, three-fourths north,
10 take the tow out by Gay Head into Vineyard
Sound, but before the tow could be Strengthened
out again the vessel strnck.
Il was on deck when the ship struck,
with Ensign ii. a. Field. The breakers
were reported Immediately before the snip struck,
but because of the strong southerly current ana
the violent south-southwest wind which was
blowing the ship could not be turned quickly
enough TO avoid the disaster. a line was hoa'cd
ashore from the Gacna by means Of large DoX-
By means of this line the whole crew was got
ashore. with the assistance of the Massachusetts
Humane SocictyS crew ana the Gay Ie"" lc'f
dents" 1890
IIeutenant- { commander Bicknell furhes states
that the Gay Head people well sustained intIi
reputation in regard TO hospitality TO shlpwTecKcd
Captain r. ". Seth, of the tug Nina, states
that he received his orders and courses from the
commander in charge of the Galena and acted ac-
cOrdngly. Commander Bckncll has made arrange
ments with the Boston JOwboat Company WIrrK
ing agent at Vineyard Haven 10 save cvcrythlhG
possible from tIe wreck. The steam tug Mercury
and the steam lighter Oak, with divers, steam
pumps etc, arrived at Gay Head this afternoon
for that purpose. IL IS thought th"t the steam
tug Nina will be saved, if the weather becomes
moderate for a few days. Everything OF value
will be taken from the Gacna, but the prospects
of floating her are considered poor She has con
siderable ammunition on board, deslgheu i'r 'h'
Lancaster, now fitting out NJ Portsmouth.
Many SpafaTinC men, well acquHlnlPu viii 'Hc
locality and tides betwccn-GaY Head and Vine
yard Sound Lightship, attribute the disaster to
the strong southerly cnrrcnt which NJ the uhe
tbe shins wcre i'm that vicinity. must have set
them from proper course. The tug Nina was
not of sufficient power 10 tow the heavy snip
straight course against thc current. HOW
ever correct the theory may be, the two vessels
now lay about four miles of their proper coarse.
The United States steam ting 1riana. Whch
went ashore on the south side OF Cut'yhuhk 70
day. has two holes in her bottom, and probably
lies on the rocks.
WHOM WILL GOvERNOR ALBEIT APP0iNT'
Trenton n j. March i (Specal.-Thcrc Is con
Siderable speculation as TO why Governor Abbct mas