The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-02-02
CRUISER BROoKLYN'S CRASH.
CAPT. COOKS OFFICIAL REPORT TO
SECRETARY HERBERT.

Increasing Ice FIOes-TOOk Every
PrecRntiOn to Have a Path Cleared
For Her Through the Ice and Was
Also DOubIy Cautious About Try
ing 40 Keep in the Channel.
Washington, Feb. 1.-Secretary Herbert
has received the following official report
from Capt. Cook:
L. S. 5. Brooklyn, Marcus Hook, DBa-
ware County, Pennsylvania, Jan. 80. 1897
Sir: The Brooklyn anchored off League
Island and was dangerously beset by ice.
I had been quite anxious lest the ship be
carried ashore by foes, that were get
ting heavier and heavier. Upon receiv-
ing the throttle valve chamber on board
yesterday noon, l determined it was best
to put the ship in a safer position, il
one could be found. l learned, upon con-
sultation with Capt. Sargent of Cramp $
shipyard, that safe berth could be had
at that yard. ! decided at once to rec
ommend to Commodore Howell that the
ship with her own engines and assisted by
tugs, should so to Cramps as soon pos
sble Commodore Howell approved of
my recommendation. l made arrange
ments with the tugs and pilots of the
Red Star Line to take me through the ice
to Cramps yard and moor me there to-
day Also with the Philadelphia city ice
boat Nor l to break the ice around the
ship and in the channel through the
Horseshoe"
Three tugs arrived near the ship between
and 10 a. m. The fourth tug was wedged
in the ice at the Horseshoe 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 Wedg-
| ed since the flood tide of the night be
| fore heading down stream l 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
| / could not do so my best resource seemed
| to be to attempt to get out OF the river.
| The pilot, an experienced and apparently
| intelligent man, said the tide was favor
| able. and he advised strongly that / go to
| Marcus Hook" and tie up at the ice piers
and thus be ready to go on favorable
| tide, on down the river. Being convinced
that 1t was my best course L determined
| to go, having previously called second
/ pilot from one of the tug boats to keep
the ranges with him, being desirous to
use every safeguard that could be sug-
! gested The ship steamed readily through
1.-THE ice and handled perfectly. ! was
about to congratulate myself upon the
success of the whole movement when she
| struck while passing Schooner Lodge,
/ and while she was on the range of the best
water and having the assurance of such
| from the pilot, the navigating officer,
| Lieut.. McGrea, and myself also keeping
| the range The grounding of the ship was
most perceptibly felt, and appeared like
passing over loose stones. 1t was soon re-
ported to me that the double bottom COM
partments under the fire rooms and the
/ forward engine room were full of water.
| leaking through the manhoie plates and
| riyets in some places into the bilges and
| forward magazine, which have been read
| .y pumped out and kept free.
| This is a most deplorable accident and
! one that has fallen like pail upon Off
GERS and crew thoroughly interested in
! the ship her welfare and her career.
| From all the facts at present within my
/ knowledge l feel that the accident came
! from no neglect of precaution or Judgment
on my part
! Pilot Wall holds a regular United States
| license as pilot, and insists that he had
! got the best range and cannot account for
the disaster and is entirely sustained in
! this opinion by Pilot Bennett. Recent
| blasting at this ledge, which, | understand
! has been going on may have left some
! loose rock not before in the channel.
] At the time of passing this ledge, the
! tide had dropped not more than one foot
! below high water as determined by the
| water marks on the stone ice piers where
we are now moored at Marcus Hook"
This ship will have to return as soon ss
the river is free of ice and tides permit
| TO League Island, discharge all her
weights and go into the dock.
/ request a court of inquiry to inVesti-
| gate and report. Very respectfully
f. A. Cook,
Captain l.. s. Navy Commanding.
The desired court will be promptly or
dered
The accident to the Brooklyn is so sim
liar to that which injured the Columbia
| i'm the Delaware river three years ago
that naval officers believe the same OBJ
/ struetion caused the damage in each In
| stance The Columbia went down the river
! in May, 1894 but not until August follow
ing was the discovery made that her bot
/ tom plates had been badly scored and dent
! ed, necessitating $4,000 worth of repairs
in the League Island dock A court of
/ inquiry exonerated the officers, as IL was
/ shown that they used every precaution,
and there Is no doubt at the navy depart
ment that the court which will investigate
the Brooklyns misfortune will be unable
10 attach any blame upon Capt. Cook and
| his officers.
| The latest disaster has again started
/ the controversy In the navy over the ad-
visibility Of maintaining the League Is
land yard, which repeated accidents
| have demonstrated TO be difficult of access
for heavy ships and a strong effort will
be made TO close the yard or have congress
/ dredge the channel TO an adequate depth.
Secretary Herbert has accepted an offer
promptly made by the Cramps to-day
i through Lewis Nixon, to make the cruiser
BROOKLYN as good as new In the shortest
| possible time at actual cost. The Cramps
| are deeply concerned In the welfare of the
| vessel. which is OF their own construction
\ and for which they Will not be fully paid
until the vessel has had her final inspec-
/ tion at sea several months hence
/ Mr.. Nixon had visited the ship before
hurrying to Washington with the propo-
/ sltlon and found that about 125 feet Of
/ her outer plating on each side of the keel
! had been bent and torn, rivets being
sheered Off and steel plates ripped away
In many places He says all necessary
tugs and lighters will be alongside the
vessel tonight, getting out the coal am
munltion and heavy stores TO make the
ship light enough to pass over the lodges
on her return trip up the river 10 the
navy yard. where she Will be docked for