The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-07-25

mans by the Olga. Eber and Adler. The
Americans and English were on hand to try
to preserve the peace and see fair play be-
tween the Germans and the native factions,
who had met in armed conflict. A little di-
plomacy and some patience had about set
tied the squabble, and the foreign sailors,
likewise their distant friends, were thinking
that the false alarm would end in having
given the seadogs a noble westward cruise
and sent them home sounder limbed, rud-
dier and jollier than when they sailed for
adventure I'm the distant seas.
The ships had plenty of room for anchor
age and maneuver. A gale that should
drive them from their moorings aud toss
them against one another or upon the coral
reefs that inclose the anchorage before they
could steam out one by one to the open
main was not to be expected, although it
was hurricane season, and Samoa, and the
harbor OF Apia even, boasted OF their hur-
ricane records. In broad daylight the
doomed vessels might have had warning,
but night closed in on the 18th with a
steady and stiff gale blowing, though with
nothing of hurricanes force. The ships
were barred for the storm. and as the wind
increased steam was used TO lesson the drag
ON the anchor cables. A moderation of the
wind was looked for, but with the coming
of daylight on the 10th this hope was dis
PEELED, for it increased in fury every hour.
The harbor was like boiling caldron, the
immense waves of the sea rolling in and
sending their floods hundred feet above
high mark and the furious wind lashing the
water into mountains divided by yawning
chasms The ships were tossed and dragged
and sucked about in the whirling angry
1tl-a he mi Ixy,, nj ha,
the sailors get q view of the neighboring
ships or of the shore. When they did, they
saw sights to make them tremble The
reefs were lined with wrecks. mostly of the
merchant vessels that had been heavily an
chored and left to the mercy of the storm.
Some warships were near shore, others be-
ing rapidly drawn thither despite their
heavy anchors. The bottom of the harbor
was of sand. and anchors would not hold
under great pressure of wind. The Unit
ed States flagship Trenton lost her wheel In
the heavy seas, and soon afterward the rush
ing waters put out her fires, and she. was
helpless Two of her anchor chains parted,
and then she drifted about, humping on
reef after reef, narrowly missing collision
with other ships until she was whirled into
an eddy of smooth waterwhere her single
anchor held WELL The Calliope steamed
out of the entrance, narrowly missing coll
lision with the Trenton, which could not
follow suit because her fires were out. The
smooth water of the Trenton was the an
chorage of the German Olga. The latter
had control Of her engines and was riding
well, but the vessels were steadily drawn
together, although the Trenton fastened
hawser to an eight inch gun and cast 1t over
for an anchor 1t was of no use and winds
and waves drove her upon the Olga, first on
one side, then the other. The Trenton's
boats, rigging and quarter galleys were car
ried away in the collision.
Meanwhile the reefs on the shore near
the town whittier the Trenton was being
driven were a scene of widest horror. Soon
after daylight the German Eber had been
dashed from the crest of great wave upon
the shoals and completely submerged by
the driving tides. Tossed about like