The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-02-02
WAS NOT HIS FAULT.
Captain Of Cruiser Brooklyn Reports
Accident to Secretary Herbert.
An Official Investigation Will
Soon Be Made.
Vessels Bottom Torn For Distance OF 125
Feet---Cramp's Offer.

washington, ftD S.-Sdptdin tooh w |
the cruiser Brooklyn sent the following
report of the accident to that vessel
to the navy department.
u. S. s. Brooklyn. Marcus Hook. Dela-'
ware county, Jan. 80, 1897.
Sir-The Brooklyn, anchored on
League island, was dangerously beset |
by ice. 1 had been quite anxious lest |
the ship be carried ashore by floes that |
were getting heavier and heavier.
Upon receiving the throttle valve cham-
ber on board yesterday noon, L deter
mined II was best to put the ship In a
safer position, If one could be founo.
learned. upon consultation with Captain
Sargent of Cramps shipyard, that
safe berth could be had at that yard.
decided at once to recommend 10 COM
modore Howell that the ship, with her
own engines and assisted by tugs
should go to Cramps as soon as POSSIBLE.
Commodore Howell approved of my
recommendation.
Three tugs arrived near the ship be-
tween s and 10 a. m. The fourth tug
was wedged in the ice at the Horse
Shoe" and did not arrive until we
reached Marcus Hook. The Ice boat NO.
1 broke the thicker ice around the ship
where we had been wedged since the
flood tide of the night before heading
down stream. 1 weighed anchor and,
with our own engines and the assistance
| of the tugs in breaking the Ice, tried In
vain to turn the ship. Finding l could
| not do so, my best resource seemed to
| be to make an attempt to get out or the
river The pilot, an experienced ana ap-
parently intelligent man, said the tide
was favorable, and he advised strongly
| that / go to Marcus Hook ana tie up al
| the ice piers, and thus be ready to go, on
| a favorable tide on down the river. Be
! ing convinced that 1t was my best
| course, determined to go, having pre-
| viously called a second pilot from one
| of the tugs to keep the ranges with him.
being desirous to use every safeguard
| that could be suggested. This snip
steamed readily through the Ice and
| handled perfectly. j was about to con-
| gratulate myself upon the success OF
the whole movement when she struck
while passing Schooner ledge" and
while she was on the range or the best
water and having the assurance or sucE
from the pilot, the navigating officer
Lieutenant McCrea and myself also
keeping the range.
The grounding of the ship was most
perceptibly felt, and appeared like pass
ing over loose stones 1t was soon re-
ported to me that The double bottom
compartments under the firerooms and
the forward engineroom were full of wa
| ter leaking through the manhole plates
and rivets, in some places. into the bilges
and forward magazine, which have been
|
This is a most deplorable accident
and one that has fallen like pail upoI
officers and crew thoroughly intereste
in the ships welfare and her care ei
From all the facts at present within
, my knowledge, l feel that the &C ciden
: came from no neglect or precantion O
, | Judgment on my part.
Pilot Wall holds regular license q
pilot and insists that he had got th
best range, and cannot accoun. ,or tn
c:-arter, end Is entirely sustained in thi
, ] n. .nion Dy Pilot Bennett. Recen
blasting at this ledge. which. l under
stand. has been going on. may have lef
some loose rock not before in the chan
mel.
At the time OF passing this ledge, tn
tide had dropped not more than one foo
below high water, as determined by thu
watermarks on the stone ice piers
where we are now moored at March,!
Hook.
This ship will have to return, as soor
as the river is free of ice and tides per
NIT to League island. discharge all he
: weights and go ON the dock.
request court OF inquiry to inves
tigate and report.
Very respectfully.
F. A. Cook, Captain, u. S. ~, Command
ing.
Il The captains request for court o
| inquiry has been granted 1t is believed
at the navy department that the acci
3 dent was unavoidable, under the ad
, verse conditions surrounding the Brook
lyn's movements. but Captain Cook
record will stand better after such
court of inquiry has formally made sucl
a declaration.
. Secretary Herbert has taken steps t,
. have the Brooklyn removed at one,
from the somewhat dangerous position
7 she now occupies in the Delaware rive
. behind the ice piers at Marcus Hook ant
thoroughly repaired. Lewis Nixon, rep
I resenting the Cramps, called to see th'
; secretary. He explained that the firm
naturally felt an interest in the mag
nificent ship, and. therefore, had in
structed him to offer to repair the shil
with all possible speed at the actual cos
of the material and labor necessary. TIL,
secretary gladly accepted the offer, ant
work on the ship will begin ut once
Mr. Nixon says that the Indications ar
that the bottom Of the bit cruiser Il
torn. dented or sheared of the rive
heads for distance of about 125 feet