The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1896-11-18
LOST WARSHIPS.
United States Vessels That Van
ished Myster'"usly.
Swallowed UP by the Sea With
out Leaving a Trace.

ships that have met with sad endings,
but none more so than the brief ac-
counts OF six different ones summed
up terscly in these words: "Never
heard from" This laconic expression
is familiar to all sea followers, and it
contains a world Of meaning If rightly
understood. There have been ships
that have gone down in battle with
the flags flying defautly at the mast
head, and others that have battled
bravely against the adverse elements
until, water-logged, they have sunk
within sight of land; but to be lost at
sea, with no official mention of the
disaster because of lack OF all detail,
is to meet fate hardly deserved.
Early in the history OF our navy
such n mystery closed about one of
the first vessels flying the new Stars
and Stripes. The ill-fated Saratoga,
an eighteen-gun ship, after perform.
ing brilliant service on the high seas
sailed forth upon the great ocean and
disappeared forever from all human
knowledge. What we know of her
is briefly summed up in few SEN
tences. After capturing three Eng
lish prizes she was intercepted on her
way to Philadelphia with them by the
British seventy-four-gun ship of the
line Intrepid, and after long fight she
escaped from her heavier adversary.
No further word from the Saratoga
was ever received, and no signs of her
wreckage we're ever discovered. She
probably foundered at sea in gale,
but che never left any one behind to
tell the tale.
This was in 1880, and the next loss
OF similar character occurred twenty
years later. The thirty y-six- gun frigate
Insurgent, commanded by Captain
Patrick Fletcher, was originally under
the French flag, but after she was cap
tured by the Constellation off the
Island of Nevis, she sailed under the
American flag until the end of her
short career. She had sealed orders
to snil from the Chesapeake capes out
! to sen, but after she started on her
easterly course she went forth to her
mysterious doom. No word from any
ship brought tidings of tho Insurgent.
She disappeared as completely from
the world as il swallowed up by a
whale. No one on board Of her was
ever saved to give official confirmation
of the story OF her loss.
About month after this sad occur
renee the fourteen.gun brig Pickering
met with a similar fato. She was
cruising off Guadaloupe, with Master
Commandant Benjamin Hitler in
charge, when severe storm arose and
swept tho seas. 1t is generally sup
posed that the vessel succumbed to the
heavy waves, for she was an unsea-
worthy tub, and foundered with all
on board. Pieces of wreckage were
| picked up along the coast, but as so
many vessels were lost during this
gale there was no certainty of identi-
flying them. 1t is thought also that
the same storm might have caused the
loss of the Insurgent, although as to
this no trustworthy account can be
found.
The next vessel in our navy to dis.
appear in this mysterious fashion was
known as guuboat No. 7, commanded
by Lieutenant Ogelvie. She sailed
from New York May IA, 1903, to in.
crease our naval force then engaged in
the war with Tripoli. She returned
to this port after being out for few
days, and then she sailed on June 20
the second time. But she never
reached her destination, and no word
was ever received from any of the off.
GERS or crew.
The loss of the Wasp followed this
disaster. The mystery about this
handsome naval fighter is generally
familiar to all readers of American
history. Her exploits on the water
after her first launching before the
time of her strange disappearance
were so brilliant that every schoolboy
knows about them. Within 9
period of five months the Wasp
took fifteen English merchant
men, valued at nearly quarter oi
q million of dollars, and fought sew
eral stubborn battles with naval yes.
sells OF her own size and strength. On
October l, 1914. the Wasp hailed the
Swe1ish bark Adonia and took oy