The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1895-10-02
WRECKED ON A REEF
A SPANISH WARSHTP DRIVEN
ASHORE IN A HEAVY
STORM.
BUT ALL THE CREW WAS SAVED


Total Loss-She Formed Part of
Fleet of Spanish Ships Detailed to
Watch the Coast OF Cuba I'm Order TO
Prevent the Landing of Filibnster-
ers-AnOther Report is that the Ves-
sci was Sunk by the Insurgents.
HAVANA, Oct. l. Following close
upon the loss of the Spanish cruiser
Barcaste gui, which was sunk in collision
with the Spanish merchant steamer
Mortera, off Mora Castle, at the entrance
of this harbor, at midnight on Septem
Der 18, resulting in the drowning of Ad-
miral Dslgado Parejo, Commander-in-
Chief of the Spanish naval forces in
Cuban waters. and sixty-six men, comes
the news Of the wreck and probably the
total loss of the Spanish Warship, Girls
tobal Colon, second class cruiser OF
about 1900 tons displacement and 1900
horse power.
The Orist0bal Colon formed part of
the feet of Spanish war5hips detailed to
watch the coast of Cuba in order to pre-
vent the landing of filibustering expedi
tions from the United States and else
where. The cruiser carried four 10 cen
timetre HOntoria guns. two 7-centimetre
guns aud two rapid fire guns Her crew
Is es s5imated to have numbered about two
hundred officers and men, but the
at present, IS she had on board
men intended for the smaller patrol
vessels of the Spanish feet, and
may have detailed men ashore. The
station OF the Cr;st0sai Colon was the
waters about Cape AutOhio, of the west
extremity of the Island of Cuba, her
commander having particular instruc
tions to watch the Calf of Porreat and
Guadiana, south and north of Cape An
tonic The disaster occurred off Colo
rado Point, in the Calf Of Gu2iiana,
south of the town Of Mantua, in tha
Province Of Pinar D5l Rio, near which
territory Havana is ituaJed.
The exact details of the disaster have
not yes been made known; but, so far as
can be gathered, the facts are as follows:
The Cristobal Colon appears to have
encountered the severe weather off Cape
Antonio and to have put into the Gulf
of Guadiana for shelter. There she tried
to ride out Of the fierce gale and heavy
seas; but, was slowly driven towards
Colorado Point, off which jutting there
is a dangerous reef, known as the
Colorado reef When the commander
of the cruiser saw that he could not
make headway against the storm, he at
tempted to anchor according to the
stories told here; but the ancnors would
not hold and the cruiser was driven
ashore.
Another report has it that the Cristo-
bal Colon ran on the reef at night time
when her commander believed her to be
far enohgh off shore to continue steam
ing against the force of the cyclone. In
any case, she ran ashore last night or
early this morning in most dangerous
position and with heavy sea running
Everything possible seems TO have been
done to save the cruiser, but all efforts
in that direction were useless and she
was finally abandoned this morning, a
helpless wreck, pounding herself slowly
TO pieces on the Colorado reef. Some of
the crew swan ashore, others reached
land by means of pieces of wreckage aud
in the boats; all the crew and officers
AID men were saved by some means or
anothe4
The above are all the facts obtainable
here at present, aad owing to the reti
c3nce OF the authorities some inaccura-
cies may have crept into the story. But
the main facts are correct, aud the
wreck of this fi1e war ship, so soon
after the sinking of the B2rcastegui,
has cast a feeling of intense gloom over
the government officials here. There
are none too many Spanish vessels ia
these waters at present, and the loss OF
the Cristobal Colon will be keenly felt
by the government at this crisis.
OF course, the friends of the insur-
gents are circulating the usual sensation
al stories regarding this, the latest
disaster to the Spanish government,
claiming that the cruiser was sunk by
torpedo exploded by insurgents. In of
feial circles, however. this report is
classed as being nothing more than an
invention of the rebels.
In spite of this official assertion, there
is no doubt that the government has not
thought it proper to make public all the
facts in the case and this may not be
done until the official report of the com
mander of the wrecked cruiser has been
received and passed upon.
A German Mail Steamship Wrecked
LONDON, Oct. IA despatch received
here by Lloyds from Rio De Janeiro,
Brazil, this afternoon, announces the
wreck and total loss Of the German mail
steamship Uruguay of AGO tons The
Uruguay left Hamburg on August for
kontevideo and arrived there on Sep
tanber 8 She was on her homeward
passage when she ran ashore off Cape
Frio, not far from Rio De Janeiro, aud
all efforts to float her proved fruitless.
Her crew aud all her passengers were
rescued.