The weekly tribune., 1894-02-16
KEARSARGE SUNK.
The Historic Old Warslip Wrecked
on ROncadOr Reef Off Central
America.
The News Cabled to the Navy De-
Dartment by Lieutenant Brainard
From Colon.
Believed the Ship Is a Total Wreck.
All the Crew Reported to Have
Been Saved.

WASHINGTON, Feb. l0.--The United
States steamship Kearsarge was wrecked
on Roncadore reef Feb. g The officers
and crew were saved. The news reached
the navy department in dispatch
which came from Colon. 1t was sent
by Lieutenant Brainard of the Kear-
sarge, who reached Colon Feb. =.
The kearsarge sailed from Port AL
Prince, Hayti, for Blueields, Nicaragua,
to protect American interests there, in
view of the invasion of the military
forces of Honduras. She was wrecked
three days out. Roncador reef is little
over 200 miles from the Mosquito coast
OF Central America. Before the coast
and the reef lies Old Providence island,
only 70 OF so miles to leeward of the
reef. 1t is is believed at the navy de-
partment that the officers and crew
would be able to reach Old Providence
without difficulty in case they were i'll
danger of their lives on the reef, and it
is believed that they would be safe Oh
the reef, except i'll the event of rough
weather.
1t is the impression also at the DEPART
ment that the kearsarge has not gone
to pieces, and may not do SO for some
time unless rough weather comes up,
although the tides and currents about
the reef, however, are swift and danger
Gus.
Immediately upon receipt of the news
OF the wreck the navy department sent
Il cable dispatch TO Lieutenant Brainard
at Colon, ordering him to charter Il
steamer and proceed at once to the relief
OF the shipwreckcd crew.
Was a Dangerou. Reef
The Roncadorc reef is well known TO
mariners in those waters as ii dangerous
impeachment to navigation. Efforts have
been recently made to secure the
erection OF Il lighthouse on this
point. Some time ago, when Warner
Miller and officers of the Nicaragua
canal company were on their way to
Nicaragua, they Were wrecked on this
same point.
Admiral Stanton was on the Kear-
sarge. When the New York and De-
troit were dispatched to Rioit was made
the flagship of the North Atlantic squad
ron, and Admiral Stanton, after the sec.
retary Of the navy had acted upon his
report on the salute of Mello in Rio BAY,
- oIutTtu 10 proceed TO Fort au
Prince and transfer his flag to the Kear-
sarge and assume command of the sta
ton.
1t is conjectured that the Kearsarge
went aground on the reef at night and
foundered. Lieutenant Brainard seems
to have gone abaard small boat and
succeeded i'll getting to Colon in six
days. The relief can reach the ship
where the wrecked men are in less time
than that.
The chief of the bureau of navigation
had reply from Lieutenant Brainard
at Colon about noon, saying that the
City of Paris was available to go after
the crew. He was instructed to either
charter 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. lie was in fact given discretion |
to do what is necessary to insure great
est speed i'll getting relief TO the men of .
the Kearsarge