Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-02-12
RESCUED THE CREW
Only One Man From the Kearsarge
Was Lost.
ENGLANDS SILVER POLICY In INDIA
Minister TeIreIl's Threat With
Turkey Succeeds.
GENERAL FOREIGN MATTERS

GENERAL FOREIGN MATTERS
COLON, Panama, Feb. 12.-The crew of
the United States cruiser Kearsarge was
reached at noon Saturday. Only one man
was drowned. He was a second-class fire
man named Anderson Robbins.
The good old warship was abandoned on
Roncador reef with the stars and stripes
still flying at her peak.
The steamship City of Para, with the crew
or the kearsarge on board. will leave this
port for New York on Wednesday next.
The Navy Depa rtment Informed.
A long-distance telephone message was
received at the Navy Department about IL
O'Clock this morning from the New York
agent of the Panama Railroad Company,
saying that a dispatch was received this
morning from the agent Of the company at
Colon announcing that the City of Para had
arrived there with all the officers and men
OF the wrecked steamer Kearsarge safe and
SOUND This was most welcome intelligence
to officials Of the department, as it enabled
them to allay the fears and apprehensiOns
Of the families of the castaways, and the
news was disseminated to all parts Of the
country as quickly as the telegraph could
convey 1t.
The message said that "all hands were
alive and wel,' and says nothing of possible
hardshps that they may have encountered
on Roncador reef during the ten days that
elapsed since the wreck and the date of
their rescue. The unsubmerged land of Rom
cador, though small in area, Is quite suffi-
Gent to accommodate the entire ships COM
pany. ..
They had plenty of provisions, but were
short Of fresh water and may have suffered
from thirst. There is a we'll of water on
the reef. but 1t is brackish and scarcely fit
to drink. That all hands are well" shows
that they overcame whatever discomforts
they had been subjected to in consequence
of lack of fresh water and shelter. 1t also
disposes of the fear that they may have en-
countered severe weather. The weather
may have been bad at times, but it was
not of character that entailed any perma-
rent suffering.
Owing to the heavy cable tolls 1t is not at
all likely that any attempt will be made to
forward an official report of the disaster
until Admiral Stanton and his party arrives
at New York. 1t is expected, however, that
he or Commander Heyerman will cable
from Colon an official confirmation Of the
unofhcial telephone report of the safe ar
rival OF officers and crew Of the Kearsarge
at Colon.
1t is also probable that the department
will be promptly advised by telegraph of
the condition of the wreck, In order to act
inteiligentiy In taking the necessary meas
ures for the recovery Of any property that
may have survived the ravages Of the
waves.
What Secretary Herbert Says.
A Star reporter saw Secretary Herbert
about noon today and was informed by him
that 1t was true that the officers and men
OF the Kearsarge were safe and sound at
Colon and would come to New York on the
steamer Para.
The Secretary said he had heard from
Admiral Stanton on the subject this morn
ing. and had authorized the ships company
to proceed to New York. He had not asked
for a report of the disaster by telegraph,
and did not expect to get an off1ciai account
of the wreck until the party arrives In this
country
Until that reaches him It would be mani
testify improper for him, he said, to indicate
what he proposed to do in the matter.
The regulations prescribe for an investi-
CATION in such cases and a court of in
quiry to determine the responsibility for the
loss OF the vessel will be convened soon
after the arrival in this country of the
necessary witnesses.
Secretary Herbert gave permission for the
publication of the following two kilograms,
which, he said, were all that have passed
on the subject today:
COLON. Feb Il, 1894.
Secretary Navy, Washington:
Arrived. Shall we proceed New York
by Para, 14th? STANTON.
WASHINGTON. Feb. II. 1904.
Stanton, Colon:
Congratulations. Proceed with crew to
New York by Para. HERBERT.
Report of Death Dfscredited.
1t was rumored that one of the enlisted
men on the Kearsarge had been killed by
the wreck, but in the absence Of informa-
ton on the subject naval officers are in
clined to discredit the report. One officer
said that the fact that Admiral Stanton
made no reference to any casu atty to OFF,
GERS or crew Is accepted at the department
as prima facie evidence that none had oc-
Cured. -
to brevity in all telegraphic messages. and
1t Is an official understanding that the Of
ficers and crew are well when nothing is
said to the contrary.
Cost of Rescue.
The rescue will cost the government about
$1,000, including the services of the vessel
and crew, and the insurance, for the Para
had to be especially insured for this trip
This was done on Friday morning. The
Panama Company placed s2OO.OOO worth of
insurance on her in New York, and $780,
600 in London. at rates running from "a to
1 1-2 per cent. The total cost will be 3d.
721.3S, which the government has agreed to
pay. OF the $3.50 which the government
is to pay for the use Of the vessel, one-half
each will go to the Pacific Mail Company
and to the Panama Railroad Company.
The expenses do not include the cost of
passage from Colon to New York, which
will swell the total considerably.
Extent of the Disaster.
The official news concerning the Kear-
sarge is very meager, but it is sufficient
to satisfy sthe Navy Department that. the
vessel and contents are lost beyond hope
of recovery and that whatever wreckage
may have lodged on the reef is not worth
the expense of fitting out an expedition to
bring them home. Thus, it appears that
the historic ship and the two 11-iEch
smooth-bore guns which contributed so
. materially to her signal victory over the
Alabama off the coast of CherbOurg are
to be abandoned to the mercy of the waves
and the relic hunter. The guns have a
historic value, but otherwise they are prac-
tically worth no more than so much ircn.
AS put by naval officer: They have out
lived their usefulness.
kIMBERLEY'S SILVER POLICY.
No Change to BE Made Regarding the