The islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1891-1899, 1895-09-26
COLLISION AT SEA.
Spanish Cruiser Sunk and Forty Four
Persons Drowned,

Havana, Sept. 21.-The cruiser Bar
costegui was wrecked at midnight by a
collision with the merchant steamer
Mortera IN the canal at the entrance
OF Port Barcostegui. Admiral Delgado
PareJo, seven other officers and thirty
SIX OF the crew We're drowned. The
cruiser had been employed on govern
ment business between the different
ports of Cuba.
The Barcostegui was a third class
cruiser, carrying five heavy and two
rapld-frlng guns. She was of 1000
tons displacement, built in 1876. The
cruiser left for Barcostegui at mid
night with Admiral Delgardo Parejo
on board. On reaching the mouth of
the harbor, close to Mortera fort, the
Barcostegui came in collision with the
Mortera, steamer engaged in the
coastwise trade. The Mortera struck
the cruiser on the starboard and badly
injured her. She sank at once. The
Mortera, although badly damaged,
stood off to give assistance to those on
board the Barcostegui and saved the
greater part of the crew. Admiral
Parejo, Captain Y'banez, First Lieu
tenant Lopez Aldazjoa, Second Lieu
tenants Junco Soto and Canjo, DR..
Martin, Purser Pueyo, Machinist Ia
ruela and thirty-six of the crew were
drowned. Victor Aroga, another
officer, had leg broken, but was
picked up by boat from the Mortera.
Admiral Delgardo Parejo was COM
mander of the Spanish naval forces in
Cuba. He arrived ON the island June Z.
Captain Vinal, of the steamer Nor
terra, in the course of an interview,
said today:
cat 11:l5 o'clock last night, when
within two miles of the entrance of
the harbor, saw ahead of my star
board a green light, which l presumed
was that of a passing steamer leaving
port. l ordered the engine to slow
down, and proceeded on our course,
hearing two whistles from the cruiser,
to which we replied. Turning into
the harbor, and keeping in sight of our
starboard the green light of the cruiser,
we whistled twice again, thus indicat-
ing that we were turning into the har-
Dor, when suddenly all the lights of
the cruiser were put out. | immedi-
ately ordered the engineer to steam
backward, but it was of no avail, for
the steamers collided. l ordered boats
to be lowered and life-preservers to be
thrown overheard. After the collision
we were entangled with the Barcoste-
gui for while, but this situation en-
dangered the Mortera as well rs the
cruiser, and [ ordered the engines to go
ON ahead, my intention being to try to
run the Barcostegui on shore. soon
found that this could not be done with
safety. Backing off from the cruiser,
she sank almost instantly"
Admiral Delgardo Pareljo was the
last man to leave the cruiser, being in
rowboat. When the rowboat, in
which was Admiral Parejo, was about
to start for shore, the suction occasion
ed by the sinking Barcostegui carried
the boat down, and all on board were
drowned.
The gay streamers and flags which
have decorated the city in welcome of
the soldiers from Spain have been taken
down and replaced by draperies of
black. The city is in mourning
throughout for the admiral and officers
and crew of the Barcostegui.
The cause of the extinguishment of
the lights on board the cruiser, which
was described by Captain Vinal, of the
Mortera, was cocasioned by the stop
ping of the engines to save the life of a
sailor whose arms had been caught in
the dynamo.