The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-02-14

spOnSibility of the DtSnstcr-Adm u
raI stanton aboard thc III-Fatcd
Ship-Her Officers and Crew.
WASHINGTON, Feb. S-The old
United States steamer Kearsarge is a
wreck on Roncador reef. She struck
there Feb. . Lieut.. Bralnard managed
in some way to reach Colon today and
a cable message from him this morning
announced to the navy department the
fact that the Kearsarge was wrecked
aud that officers and crew We're all
saved.
The Kearsargc sailed from Port-au-
Prince, Hayti. on Jan 80 for Bluefields,
Nicaragua, 10 protect American inter-
ests there in view OF the invasion of
the military forces OF Honduras. She
was wrecked three days out. Roncador
reef is a little over two hundred miles
from the Mosquito coast of Central
America Between the coast and the
reef lies Old Providence island. only sew
enty-ive or eighty miles TO leeward Of
the reef.
1t is believed at the navy department
that the officers and crew would be able
to reach Old Providence without diff
ficulty in case they were i'm danger Of
their lives ON the reef. and it is be
lieved that they will be safe Oil the
reef except in event of rough weather.
Ii is the impression also at the depart
ment that the Kearsarge has not gone to
pieces and may not do 50 for some time
unless rough weather comes UP, although
the tides and currents about the reef
are swift and dangerous. Immediately
upon receiving the news of the wreck
the navy department sent a cable dis
patch to Lieut.. Brainard at Colon order
ing him 10 charter a steamer and pro-
ceed at once 20 the relief of the ship
wrecked crew.
4 Dangerous Reef.
The Roncador reef is we'll known to
mariners in those waters as a dangerous
impediment TO navigation. Efforts have
been recently made to secure the cree
tion of lighthouse on this point Some
time ago, when Warner Miller ana Of
fieers of the Nicaragua canal company
were on their way to Nicaragua, they
were wrecked on this same point Ad-
miral Stanton was on the Kearsarse.
When the New York and Detroit were
AASAeAA%lANA " 1NiO IL MdS lldUe the nag
ship Of the North Atlantic squadron
and Admiral Stanton. after the secre-
tary Of the navy had acted on his report
of the salute of Mello in Rio bay was
ordered 10 proceed 10 Port-au-Prince and
transfer his flag to the Kearsarge and
assume command of the station
The chief of the bureau of navigation
had Il reply from Lieut.. Brainard at
Colon about noon saying that the City
of Para was available 60 so after the
crew. He was instructed to either
charter u steamer or secure one of the
regular mail steamers to New York. or
if one of the latter was to start imme-
diately on her regular trip To secure her
to touch at Roncador and take up the
crew. He was, in fact. given discretion
to do what is necessary To insure great
est speed i'm getting relief TO the men Of
the kearsarge.
stnntOn's MisfOrtunes.
The wreck adds another to the mis-,
fortunes which have of late befalIcn
Rear Admiral Stanton. He was sum
marlly relieved from command of the
south Atlantic station for saluting MelIo.
the insurgent admiral, and ordered 10
Washington. His explanation of his ac-
tlons caused Secretary Herbert to detach
him from command of the south Atlantic
by placing him In command Of the home
Jan. 10 and Joined the Kearsarge at Port
au-PTince the latter part of the month
AS soon as the ships company has
been transported to place Of safety
and the fate of the Kearsarge is definite
~ known, a court of inquiry will be ap-
pointed TO investigate the circumstances
and fix the responsibility. The officials
say that the ships company are i'm no
danger. They will be able to get along
all right until the arrival of relief
The navigation of a naval vessel rests
entirely with her commander and his as
sistants and the admiral never interferes
in the matter. He directs the general
movements of the flagship from place To
place. but leaves the details of routes and
management of the ship entirely to the
commanding officer. Therefore. it would
appear as though Commander Heyer-
man will be held responsible for the loss
Of the vessel and on him will devOlve
was unavoidable He will look to the
officers of the deck at the time of the
wreck for complete explanation of the
circumstances Exactly who was at
fault will not be known here until fuller
details have been received.
COLON. Feb. 12.-The crew of the
United States cruiser Kearsarge was
rescued at noon Saturday. All are well
and healthy, except one man, who was
drowned. He was q second-class fire
man named Anderson Robbins The old
warship was abandoned on Roncador
reef with the stars and stripes still ny-
ing at her peak The steamship CITY of
Paris, with the crew of the Kearsarge
on board will leave this port for New
York Wednesday next.