The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-09-20
Struck by the Steamer Mortera
off the Harbor of
Havana.
TWENTY-FIVE MEN DROWNED
Admiral Delgado PareJo Was Among
the Victims Of the Terrible
Disaster.

/ HAN ANA, CUBA, sept. I9.-Ine Spanish
warship Sanchez Barcaiztegui was sunk
about midnight by collision in front oi
Moro Castle, which stands at the entrance
to the harbor. The warship was struck by
the coasting steamer Mortera and so badly
| injured that she sank almost instantly.
Admiral Delgado Parejo, who was on
board at the time, was drowned, with
thirty-four of the crew, including CAPTAIN
Ybanez and three other officers. The re-
mainder of the crew. numb bering 49, were
| saved.
Efforts were promptly made to recover
| the bodies oil the drowned, and soon the
| bodies of Admiral Parejo and Captain
| Y Ybanez were found. The body of Captain
Ybanez had been so horribly mutilated by
| sharks that it could be recognized only by
the uniform. The head and arms had been
almost eaten Off
| The Sanchez Barcaiztegui was leaving
port when the disaster occurred. The
usual signals were exchanged between the
warship and the Mortera, but at that mo-
ment the cruisers electric lights were ex-
tinguished, when the collision took place.
The cruisers bowsprit struck the Nor
terra on the starboard bow, making large
hole above the water line. The sound of
an explosion, which was probably a result
of the concussion, was heard, and the
cruiser was found to be gradually sinking.
Boats from both vessels were lowered.
Admiral Parejo and the other officers and
the greater number of the crew embarked
in the boats, but the immersion CT the war
ship was so sudden that the boats along
side were engulfed by the suction. When
the disaster happened there was no panic
on either ship.
The latest shows that the missing are as
follows: The ensign, purser, doctor, first
and third engineers, twelve marines, eight
tiremen and nine sailors.
| The Sanchez Barcaiztegui was third
rate cruiser. She was built about six years
ago in Spain. The vessel had been in
Cuban waters about four months When
the instruction broke out last February
the first vessel to be sent to Cuba by the
| Spanish Government was the Conde del
Venaditio and the other vessel followed
soon after her.
The sinking of the cruiser Sanchez Bar
caisetegui. with the loss of Admiral Pareio,
Captain Ybanez and thirty-three others of
her crew, has thrown the city into mourn
| ing.
SWAMPSCOTT. MASS, Sept. 19-Senor
| Dupuy de LONE, the Spanish Minister, has
received official confirmation of the disas-
ter to the Spanish cruiser off the harbor of
Havana last night. A cablegram to the
Minister states that the ill-fated cruiser
Sanchez Barcaiztegnl was foundered by a
merchant steamer in the channel at the
entrance to the port of Havana
MADRID, SPAIN, Sept. 19.-The Impair
cial has dispatch from Havana, giving
giving the following particulars of the loss
of the warship Barcaiztegui:
Admiral Delgado Parejo was on board
the warship when she steamed out of the
harbor at midnight last night, intending
to make circular tour ana visit the vari-
Gus ports of the island.
AS the warship rounded the promontory
at the entrance of the bay she sighted the
Mortera. which was just entering the
harbor. The warship gave the regular
whistle to notify the Mortera that she
would keep to starboard. The Mortera
mistook the signal to mean that warship
would go on the port side and she herself
would go to starboard. A few minutes
later came the collision.
A sailor on the warship imm ediateIv be-
fore the collision accidentally stopped the
electric current and the lights went out
This added to the confusion, but the crew
of the warship showed no signs of panic
and kept manfully at their post. Admiral
Parejo, with Adjutant CASTOR d'Areca,
ascended the bridge, where they were
joined by Captain Ybanez.
A few moments later, however, the war
ship began to sink, and there was hardly
time to get out the boats before the vessel
settled by the head. plunging bow first
into the sea. Some of the boats were car
ried by the suction under the sinking yes
sci and some of the occupants drowned,
while others managed to swim to shore or
succeeded in climbing up the sides of the
Mortera.
Admiral Parejo and Adjutant d'Areca
got places in one of the boats, but it was
drawn under the ship as the Sanchez sank.
D'Areca was rescued with one of his legs
broken. Captain Ybanez remained at his
post on the bridge and went down with
his ship.
The Mortera was badly damaged by the
collision, but she stood by and gave all the
assistance in her power to the crew of the
sinking warship. After picking up all the
survivors that could be found the Morte ra
proceeded into port.
AS soon as the news of the disaster
reached the port officials a search for the
bodies of the lost began. The lost in
cluded: Admiral Parejo, Captain Ybanez,
DIR. Martin (the ships doctor), eight sailors,
eight engineers and stokers and two petty
officers, besides the purser, clerk, second
carpenter and Admiral Parejo's servant
The funeral of Admiral Parejo will take
place tomorrow.
Buildings throughout Havana which had
been gaylv decorated in honor of the
arrival of the additional troops from Spain, |
displayed enblems of mourning for the
lost officers and men of the Sanchez Bar
caiztegui.
The Imparcial's dispatch says that the
body of the admiral had been horribly
mutilated by sharks.
A dispatch from Santa Clara says that