Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-10-15
WAR SHIPS IN THE GALE.
Turrets of the Indiana Shake Loose and She
Had to Slow Down-An Of
fcer In ured.

New York, Oct. 4.-Admiral Bunce's
fleet arrived in this port from Hampton
Roads today and dropped anchor off
Tompkinsville a. $3.50 p. m.
The fleet, consisting of the battleships
Indiana, Maine and Texas, and the cruis-
ers New York, Columbia, Montgomery
and Raleigh, started on Monday morning
from Fort Monroe, Va, for this port.
Soon after the fleet got under Roadway
the lightship Cape Charles, which was
drifting at sea, was picked up by the
Montgomery and handed over to the Raj
eigh. There were five men aboard, and
they had been adrift since the early
morning in the heavy sea. AS soon as
the Raleigh got under way with her the
cables parted. 1t was evident that the
Raleigh could not take care of her, ana
Admiral Bunee decided to send the pow
erful Columbia to their assistance. The
Columbia took the lightship in tow for
port, expecting soon to overtake the rest
of the squadron, but the fleet reached
here without her.
1t was nightfall when the squadron got
fairly under way again. Great waves
were threatening and the gale was con-
stantly increasing. 1t was the first Sc
we're strain the Indiana had been subject
ed to- and her turrets began to snake
loose At first this was not considered
serious, but the trouble began to grow
worse. The big clamps were seen to De
inadequate for holding them in the storm
The New York signaled to her, but the
Indiana answered that she was all right
She slowed down to a speed of a bout hNe
knots and repaired her damage, While
the New York lay by. Then the two
ships overhauled the rest of the fleet ear
ly Tuesday morning -,
When Ensign Gilbert Smith Galbraith
of the Indiana was asleep on Tuesday
night he was thrown out of his berth by
the rolling ship. AT the same time a big
5-inch steel armor door leading to the
junior officers quarters aft, was slammed
shut His left leg was caught by 1t ana
broken AS soon as the Indiana reached
here he was taken ashore to the Presby-
terrain hospital. The fracture Is bad
one and it is feared that he may lose his
leg.
All day Tuesday severe gales and
very rough sea were encountered, put
the fleet kept together But for the rough
weather it is supposed the Columbia
would have made up her lost time. She
Is expected here tomorrow.
The Indiana will probably be Obliged
to go to the navy yard to fix the turrets.
Rescued from the Wreck.
New York Oct 14.--Capt. w. w. Gheen
and six men, the crew of the schooner
Luther M. Reynolds of Frederica, Del,
were picked up a sea from their dismast-
ed and waterlogged vessel by the Morgan
| liner El Mar and were brought TO THIS
| city.
The Reynolds left Brunswick, Ga, on
| September 30, with cargo of railroad
ties for Eizabethport, N. j. On October
10, when off Cape Romano, they met with
a northerly gale, but managed to beat up
to Winter quarter lightship, when the
gale increased to a hurricane. On the 18th
the vessel heeled over until the topmasts
touched water. On the twelfth the crew
were rescued. Two of the crew are near
ly insane from their sufferings. The Rey-
nolds is drifting towards the gulf stream
and will probably not sink for months.
The Ell Mar had terrific tussle her
self with the gale. The steps leading to
her pilot house were washed away Mon
day morning, the checks under the life
boat were smashed and the port life boat
amdships was crushed by coming into
| contact with the iron deck house. The
| Ell Mar was buffeted by the waves from
| the time that she was twenty-five miles
north of Jupiter light off the Florida
coast until yesterday afternoon, when
she was due east of the Delaware capes. .