The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-01-14
BATTLE WITH 4 TYPHOON,
Lieutenant Hortralto of the Balti.
more Writes of His
Experience.
Prophetic Foresight of Captain Day
Probably Prevented a Great
Marine Disaster.

PORTLAND, Or, Jan. ia letter
given to Captain Hartman of the Asiatic
liner Rhosina at Honolulu gives vivid
account OF the recent perils undergone by
the cruiser Baltimore during her recent
voyage from Yokohama, an account of
which has already been published in THE
CALL. The letter was written by Lieuten-
ant Hortralto, and gives some facts not
published heretofore. 1t follows;
United States Steamer Baltimore, Homo
lulu, Dec. 26.-The United States stea mer
Baltimore arrived in this port on Deem
Der %, after a long and eventful passage
from Yokohama. The news of the Olym-
pia's arrival on the Asiatic station reached
us in Shanghai, just when the admiral
despairing of ever hearing from the relief
ship, had decided to sail for Hongkong
and South China. Had the telegram been
one day later we would have headed
south, and perhaps might have escaped
our subsequent misfortunes. On Decem-
Der we LETT Yokohama and the Asiatic
station.
With a foresight that seems almost pro-
phetic, and that no doubt most materially
assisted the ship in her hour of trial,
Captain Day had all movab BILE weights in
the ship disposed so as to increase the sta
bility, laying great stress on having bulky
things put as low as possible. The yards
were sent down and topmast struck, SO
that all was made snug for whatever
weather we might encounter.
On the 9Th the gale was upon US, the
barometer falling fast and heavy sea run
ming, with the wind from east northeast
The engines had to be slowed down to keep
the seas from boarding the cruiser. Next
day the weather grew even worse, Heavy
seas swept the decks, doing much damage
IN al cfe ld PXrr ia icrf1S ho 10
had reached most unusual violence, the
ship barely crawling through the water.
About A. NJ. on the tin the forestry
parted. Two men, ?. lessen, boatswains
mate, second class, and J. Shehan, ordi-
nary seaman, ventured out on the
forecastle TO secure this gear, when
an enormous sea boarded the Ship, sweep
ing over the forecastle. lessen was washed
overheard in spite of frantic efforts to hold
on to the breakwater, gun-Carriage and
rail. He could be clearly seen riding on
high comber past the stern. Life buoys
were thrown to him, but it would have
been suicidal to lower boat so this brave
man was lost.
Shehan, who saw the sea coming, had
secured hold on the foreyard, lowered on
deck, but was wrenched from this position
by the sea and washed forward, then aft
again, striking in various places, and
finally landed on the lower deck, where
he was picked up unconscious. His leg
was badly confused, but he is doing nicely
now.
This sea was but one of many. In the
morning of the 8th the gale reached its
height; the sea was tremendous. Obser-
vations taken show that the water reached
the wholly unprecedented height of rs
feet, the barometer still falling, reaching
its lowest point on the morning of the 9th :,
28.5. During the height of the gale chest
was washed against the quarterback
wheel, caromed against the quartermaster
doing duty named Goodman, and carry
ing away the wheel. Goodman was in
jured, but not fatally. We then changed
to steer by the forward wheel, and in the
interval the ship was skillfully steered by
use of the twin screws