The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-12-19
NEUs From THE 1MERTCI.
Details OF the Accident to Her Engine
Doubt About the Dynamite Gun.

Doubt About the Dynamite Gun.
According to advices received by The SuS
yesterday from st. Pierre. Martinique. the
accident to the valve Of the air pump OF the
Brazilian cruiser America Is still UNEXPLAINED.
Among the crow there were two men against
whom vague suspicious were directed. These
suspicious were created by the stories they
told about themselves. There was nothing.
SO far as was known, to connect them with
the accident
The America left st. Thomas on Sunday.
Dec. 3. at ! 40 o'clock In the afternoon and
steamed at full speed 20 the southeast. The
accident occurred on the following day. Mon
day. at IL 30 !. NJ. The ship was then about
loo miles north OF Barbadoes, with the island
OF Santa Lucia to the right and Martinique to
the left. with Fort de France as It's nearest
port. The ship was rendered he'll lcss by tho
break down Lnd tossed about NJ tho mercy Of
I'll" waves There was not much excitement
among the officers or crew and REPAIRS were
Instantly begun.
While the ship was rolling heavily Cart
Crossman went on the bridge to give instrIc-
tions to the officer III charge. Al the captain
descended The bridge ladder the shin lurche
His heel caught in ono Of tho lower steps and
lie fell and broke the smaller hone in tho lower
Fart OF his lett leg, Drs Hanford aud Randall
placed the leg In a plaster OF Paris handago.
Can't. Crossman cablel news THE accident
to the air,pumr and To his leg to &. Il. Flint in
tblS city, i he cNrtntss q. inc information re-
garung tho latter gave rise to surrises in this
city that the fracture OF the leg was in some
way connected with the disabling uf the chin.
Sufficient repairs to the air pump were
completed about . o'clock on Tuesday morn
ing, Engines were started and found to TO
able to rropel the ship slowly. Capt tr0ssman
consulted with Assistant Navigator Dillon aud
Chief Engineer Coleman about putting In at u
near port. 81. Here offered the hest facilities
Tor permanently rrpai'in,; the Iump, and tho
harbor was reached A. =. 30 o'clock that after
neon. after s'eamng an average Of three miles
Atthn time Of the a,cidcnt the Nictheroy was
some distance e. tn" south. Not sighting tho
America ut daylight shs put back and drew
alongside at II u'clncE. 4 XII: containing tho
officer Of the deck was sent from the America
with explanations to Capt, ahrr Of tho Nir-
theroy. Can't Baker Went aboard tn" Am cri-
ca at once to consult with Cant. trn-smAn. II
was decided that the Nicthrroy should pro-
coed to Cera to receive th' represent alive Of
the brazilian GoNernment, through whom tho
ship was to be turned over t Brazil. Iron
examination Mt St Pierre. tho accident 700 tho
machinery was found to be more serious than
WAS at first thought.
1t was intended that Cant. Crossman should
remain aboard until repairs were completed
lie was then To 60 HshpiC ana remain until he
could return 10 the nltcd states g." was
much disappointed 1T not being ale to pro.
coed with th" tme!ira. t..o event % apt
shin would dsYoive uTon Mr.. DILLON. aSsistaut
navigator, who WAS at one time an officer In
When tia Nictherov lof, 81. Thomos shs
made several EXPERIMENTAL shots with her
dynamite gun, Two blank .nclis and ,un
anil aim were excellent ut the !Uadel ,'Tll
failoI to explode. That WAS tn second failu,r
OF the dynamite gun in this resi- Get and ir,rS
were expressed hy the OliCors tunt WHOM tho
test Of actual warfare came the shells Wu.It
be a failure absolutely.
II Ia said that great dinrulty Il experienced
by those desiring to get letters u~hu'c from
the Arerica. All letters are Inspected by tie
Captain and executive onicet.