The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-03-19
Cruisers Mass Sticking Out Of the Water Not Far From
Straits of Gibraltar.
Ships Her Glass and Well Appointed
Every Way.
HarboThe
Towed Santa Maria Country

CADIz, March 19.-The Spanish cruiser
AlfonZo XII has returned here after
search for the missing cruiser Reina Re-
gente, and reports having found the lat
ter vessel sunk near Bajo Aceitanos, not
far from the Straits of Gibraltar. Only
20 inches of the Reina Regente's masts
were above water.
The Afonzo XII has returned to the
scene OF the wreck with a number OF
divers and diving appliances in order to
recover the bodies OF the crew OF the
sunken warship.
The Reina Regente was reported mis-
sing on March 10. She had just conveyed
from Cadiz to Tangier the Moorish
mission to Spain. The cruiser
left Tangier on March 10, for Cadiz,
and her hereabouts has not been definitely
ascertained until today. Pieces OF one of
her boats and sea-map and flags were
reported TO have been picked up
along the shore near Ceuta and
Tarifia. She carried crew OF 42o officers
and men and all hands are believed TO
have perished.
As soon as the reports of the disaster
became current number OF Span
ish and British warships put
to sea in search of her. A
French steamship, on March IA, arrived
at Gibraltar and reported having seen
big vessel. supposed to have been the
Reina Regente, as hore in Aceitunos bay,
probably Bajo Aceitanos.) The COM
mander of the French craft added that he
was unable to assist the, warship on ac-
count of heavy weather.
On Mach Is the steamer Mayfair ar
rived at Barcelona and reported sighting
cruiser on the morning Of March 10, be-
tween Tarifia and Cape Espantel.
The warship had lost her tunnels and
bridge, and was laboring heavily in the
high seas and fierce gale which prevailed.
Although she was apparently unmanage-
able, the cruiser did not ask for assistance,
and therefore the Mayfair did not offer
her any. But the captain of the Mayfair
added that he was of the opinion that she
did not long survive the storm in the con-
dition in which she appeared TO be at the
time he saw her.
Later the Spanish cruisers Issal de Luzon
and Alfonzo XII, returned to Cadiz after
having searched the Spanish and African
coasts and the straits without any news
of the missing warship.
Deputy Diaz Moreu, who was formerly
an officer in the Spanish navy, in the
Chamber of Deputies, during the evening
of March Ia, read the statement of
former commander of the Refine Regente
in which the writer described the cruiser
as vessel unable to weather heavy
storm. owing to the increased weight of
her armament.
in the Senate Admiral Bergando, for
merly minister of marine, said that the
Refine Regente was one of the best ships
in her class. She was we'll appointed in
every way, he added, and IL she was lost
he believed she must have collided with
another vessel or have gone ashore.
In an interview in regard to the. state
ment made by Deputy Diaz Moreu, in
which former commander OF the
Rena Regente alleged that she
was top heavy, Admiral Bergando
said that the overweight OF the cruisers
deck guns was rectified two years ago,
by his orders, when ne was minister of
marine.
The uncertainty as to the fate OF the
Reina caused great public excitement in
Madrid and the government was accused
OF keeping back news of the ship and of
having ordered the detention by the GEN.
sors of all kilograms giving information
about her.
But when number of flags, a compass
box and other wreckage known o have
belonged to the Reina Regente was
washed ashore at Tarifa, she was given
up for lost.
In Cadiz and Cartagena, where most OF
the 420 officers and men of the lost cruiser
belonged, there has been great anxiety
and excitement from the moment she was
reported missing.
The Refine Regente about two years ago
came to New York as one Of tie Spanish
squadron which escorted across the At
lantic tho Columbus caravels. The
Infanta Isabel, now reported to have
sunk an American schooner off the coast
OF Cuba. and the Neuva Espana, were the
other ships OF the Spanish squadron. The
latter arrived at Fortress Monroe
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