Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-06-24

ATURDAY, JUNE "a. 1,
time to devise means of safety. The vortex Of
the sinking vessel sucked them all down but
two. In few minutes the sun was shining
more brilliantly than ever, but it only fell on .
few large boxes swept down by the eddies of
the channel In the early part Of 1880 SIM
liar disaster was encountered by the Eurydice's
sister training ship, the Atalanta. She was last
seen at Bermuda on January 26 of that year.
She had on board 800 young seamen and alto
gether about $50 persons.
LOSS OF THE CAPTAIN.
The construction Of the iron-turreted ships
as men-of-war became the subject Of wide criti-
cism in consequence Of the loss Of the Captain,
a British man-of-war, off Finisterre, France, on
September z, 1870. The Captain was vessel Of
4.270 tonnage, with speed Of IA 2-10 knots and
fully plated armor, the important parts being
covered with iron eight inches thick. She
carried four 25-ton guns, which hurled 600
pound shot, and also guns fore and aft Of
nearly equal caliber. Her construction had
been designed by Captain Cowper Coles
mand Of her at the time she foundered.
From the day she was launched the principles
upon which she had been constructed had been
the subject Of animated controversy in England.
The British admiralty, however. had decided to
give Capt. Coles an opportunity to reduce to
practice his views Of what a sea-going turret
cruiser should be- The only conditions imposed
by the admiralty were that the ship should be
constructed with provision against heavy shot,
with due care for the health of the crew and
with evident means OF moving the khip and
manipulating the guns with ease. Capt Coles
was DESTROYS Of commanding this ship in person,
and at the time of the disaster he was quite as
enthusiastic upon the points upon which it had
been constructed as he had ever previously
been. At this very time q controversy In
regard to the construction Of the ship was
waging in very spirited fashion between
structor Reed Of the British navy, Constructor
Reed insisting that the ship was clumsy and
could not be well handled in battle nor could
she stand heavy weather at sea. Laird Brothers
were equally confident that she could do all
that had been promised for her, and. although
they admitted that the weight Of her guns sunk
her two feet deeper than had been intended,
yet that would make no practical difference in
the ease of handling her or in her efficiency
for action. Navy officers and engineers
took sides quite generally in this con-
troversy, and both the builders and
chief constructor were able to array dis
tinguished authority in support Of their re-
spective claims. The Captain was one Of a
squadron OF English ships of Finisterre on the
night Of September Z. A gale arose at o'clock
in the morning, and when daylight came every
ship in the squadron was in sight except the
Captain. Just when she went down or what
may have been the immediate cause Of the wreck
was never ascertained Every one on board per-
ished, including Capt. Coles. Lord Northbrook
and a son Of Mr.. Childers. the first lord Of the
admiralty.
GRossER KURFURsT.
Another great disaster was that which re-
suited in the loss Of the German man-of-war
Grosser Kurfurst of Folkstone near Dover, in
the English channel, on the night Of May 81,
1878. On the afternoon Of May 20 three Of the
finest vessels in the German navy-the Preus-
sen. the Grosser Kurfurst and the KONG Will
helm-left the great German navy yard at Will
helmhaven. bound for Gibraltar. Soon after
passing Calais in daylight, while the weather
was perfectly clear and the sea calm, a
bark, which was fetching of shore, got
directly in the course Of the Grosser Kurfurst,
which ported her helm to avoid it. The
KONG Wilhelm, which was sailing close
behind, pulled hard aport SO suddenly that
she struck the Grosser Kurfurst forward Of her
mizzenmast. Almost Immediately the Grosser
kurfurst went over on her broadside and sank
in fifteen fathoms. Her crew jumped into the
water as she went down. Many must have been
scalded by the escaping steam, for out Of her
complement Of 500 men only % officers and l60
men were rescued. and Of these two died Of ex-
haustion. The KONG Wilhelm also barely es-
capped disaster at this time and was obliged to
put back to Portsmouth for repairs.
LOSS OF THE ROYAL GEORGE.
Few events have ever fallen with more startling
sorrow upon the public mind than the loss of
the Royal George, in August, 1882, while lying
at anchor off Spithead. near Portsmouth She
carried ITO guns. was commanded by Admiral
Kempenfelt, and was deemed the finest ship in the
British navy. Being just ready to go to sea,
she was inclined a little on one side, either to
stop a leak or for some similar object But 50
little risk was anticipated from the operation
that the admiral, with his officers and
men, nearly thousand souls in all,
remained on board. Beside these the
ship was crowded with persons
from the shore. among whom were some 800
women and children. In this state of things
the vessel was struck by sudden flaw Of wind,
and, being probably too much inclined, she
was thrown farther over, the water rushed into
her portfolios. she filed instantly and sunk
About 800 persons were saved, but not less than
a thousand persisted. The effect of so fearful
tragedy may be more fully appreciated when
we bear in mind that the whole British loss in
the great naval battle Of Trafalgar, fought q
few years after-in its consequences the most
important naval battle of modern times-was
less than ZOO.
OTHER DISASTERS.
Among other wrecks, especially OF vessels
belonging to the British navy, which were at
tended with great loss Of life, may be men,
toned the following:
The British sloop-of-war Albany was lost in
West Indian waters in 1858. She is supposed to
have gone down in a cyclone, with every soul
of her crew of 30 officers and men, ms she was
never heard from after she sailed on her last
cruise.
In the same year the British brig -of-war Por-
poise. with 100 people aboard, went down in
the China seas without leaving a trace Of her
end.
The British troop ship Lady Nugent, found
cred in hurricane in May, 1854, and 400 lives
were lost.
In 1858 the British sloop-of-war Levant dis
appeared from the face Of the globe in the
waters of the Pacific. taking some 200 men.
The British sloop-of-war Dotterel was blown
up at Sandy Point. in the Strait of Magellan,
on April 26. 1881, when eight officers and 1876
men were killed. only three officers and four
teen men being saved.
In September. 1887, the British gunboat
Wasp left Singapore for Shanghai, and was
never heard Of again. She was a small vessel
of only go tons, and had on board seven Off
GERS, sixty-three men and three boys.
On September l6, 1889. the British gunboat
Lily was driven on the rocks on the coast of
Labrador with q loss of seven lives.
On the night OF November 10, 1890. the
British torpedo boat Serpent went on the rocks
on the Spanish coast near Cape Finesterre.