The herald., 1897-02-01
!. THE LATEST PRIDE
Of A PEERLESS NAVY
Lies Helpless as a Whale
on Shore
The CRUISER BROOKLYN Is STOVE
And Narrowly Escaped Utter
Destruction
THREATENED BY ICE FLOES
An Attempt Was Made to Find Safer
.
THREATENED BY ICE FL0Es
An Attempt Was Made to Find Safer
Berth
The Pilots MlscaIculated and She Struck the
Rocks
Saved From Foundering by the Merest
Good Fortune-A Court of Inquiry
Is Asked for to Determine
the Blame
Associated Press Special wire


8. Brooklyn. the latest pride of a peerless
navy. calculated to Withstand the fierc-
est onslaughts OF shot and shell, today
hes almost entirely helpless because of
q narrow ledge Of sunken rocks in the
Delaware river. above Marcus Hook,
Pa, on which she struck heavily yester-
day afternoon. Her lower double COM
partmente forward were closely stove,
and 1t was by the merest good fortune
that the big vessel did not sink. This
would undoubtedly have been the result
had not her inner compartments sue
cessfully withstood the shock. As 1t
and Ii now tied to the big stone ice
breakers at Marcus Hook. protected
from the heavy ice gorges in mid river.
The big vessel Is seriously damaged,
ana 1t IL impossible to say when she will
be able to go into active service. At
present she Is in no danger of further
damage, being fully protected in the safe
anchorage afforded by the ice breakers.
How the accident occurred can only be
established by a court Of inquiry. and
this Captain Cook of the Brooklyn has
already asked for.
The exact place where the vessel struck
was on Schooner Ledge rock, between
Chester and Marcus Hook, at about I 40
o'clock. What makes the accident even
moro deplorable is the fact that 1t was
the frst time the ship had been handled
by the present officers and crew since
going into commission in the early part
Of December.
Since then she has been lying at League
Island navy yard and certain small re-
pairs had delayed her sailing. BY the
early part of the present month. how
ever, all arrangements had been COM
pleted for her going to sea, when the
cold snap set in and was followed by
the piling up of ice in the river and par
ticularly at the bend in the river imme-
diately below the navy yard known as
the Horshoe. The city iceboat man
aged to keep the channel clear Of ice,
but on the sides it piled UP from two to
six feet.
The Brooklyn, lying at League island,
with her prov facing seaward, was held
in tight and fast by the freezing wealth
er, and 1t was deemed advisable to post
pone sailing until a clearer sea- This
did not come. and the cold weather con-
tinued and the Ice began piling until 1t
was believed the position of the big
boat was perilous. The ice was surging
around and about her and her officers
felt che must be moved or the heavy foes
woul force her ashore.
1t was evident. by the tugging at her
anchor chains, that safer berth should
be given her. and SO 1t was decided to
take her to Cramps yard yesterday.
where one had been provided for her.
One OF the city ice boats was brought
into reQuisition and broke the ice around
the ship, while four big tugs stood by
ready to Lend hand to tow her to her
destination. At the last moment it was
seen that to go through the ice in the
Horse Shoe was fraught with great diff
'ficulty and perhaps danger. Then it
was that Capt Cook asked the pilots,
Capts. Will and Bennett, two OF the
most careful and experienced men on
the river, It the ship could be taken
down the river They replied In the af-
hrmative. and said that safe anchorage
could be obtained at Marcus Hook. The
Brooklyn, under her own steam, got ur.
der way and kept straight down the
river. the ice boat breaking way for
her ana two of the tugs following In her
wake. Both pilots were on the cruiser,
and she made her way easily enough
through the masses of floating ice. Fol-
lowing the ranges closely, she had
reached opposite and close to Schooner
Ledge. when the pilots sent her sliphtly
to starboard, where they considered it
better water. Almost instantly the YES
sci struck the rocks with a lar that
shook her from stem to stern For a
moment all was confusion, but for
moment only; the next her cool-headed
ohicers and men were at work. The en-
gines responded beautifully, and she
was quickly backed off, The quick set
Ting OF her PROV showed that damage
had resulted A hasty examination. fol-
lowed BY a. closer one, showed that her
inner compartments were but silently
II at all damaged, and that the bulk ff
the injury had been done to the outer
compartments, directly under the engine
and fire rooma At first many on hoard
feared that the splendid ship would sink
but this fear was soon dissipated. The
city Ice boats and tugs lent a hand
passed lines to the vessel and toweti her
to Marcus Hook, where she was made
fast to the ice breakers.
Here she lay today when an Associated
Press reporter boarded her. Her bow
had settled over a foot in the river. but
otherwise nothing seemed out OF the or.
dinary order OF things. On board, how
ever. q general feeling Of gloom pervad-
ed the officers and men, and although
none could be prevailed upon to talk
about the matter, 1t was evident thew
felt deeply the accident to their ship.
Capt. Cook was seen, but politely ana
firmly declined to discuss the situation.
He contented himself by saying that
ne had notified the department and had
asked for the appointment Of a court Of
inquiry. He was unable to say when
~ weasel would be able to leave her