The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-05-30

New York. May 2s-When the United
States cruiser Columbia, in command
of Captain Sands, anchored off Tomp-
kinsville, S. L, this afternoon, it was
seen that she had large Jagged hole
stove in her starboard side, immedi-
ately forward of the after barbette
Above the water line the hole eX-
tended about ten feet high and six
feet wide. Just how far below the
water line the cruiser was damaged
could not be ascertained and none of
the naval officers would give any in
formation in regard to the accident.
AS soon as the vessel came to anchor,
the captain ard crew, 81 in all, of the
British steamer Foscolia, which left
this port yesterday with a cargo of
machinery and general merchandise
for Bordeaux, went ashore. Neither
the captain nor any of his crew would
talk when they landed, and left at
once for New York to report to the
agents of the company to which the
vessel belonged. No one was allowed
to go on board the Columbia, but to
a representative of the Associated
Press who rowed out to the cruiser, the
officers of the deck made the follow
Ing Dr1eI statement.
DAMAGED BY COLLISION
about 7:4O D. m. yesterday, the
British steamship Foscolia, in COM
mand of Captain John Evans. collided
with our vessel during a dense fog.
We were then about eight miles
southwest of Fire island. We lowered
two life boats, and rescued the captain
and crew, numbering q all told. We
stood nv until tho EOScOlia sank .
o'clock this morning. AS soon as we
arrived here, we sent the rescued men
ashore. Further information in refer
ence to the accident l cannot give
you"
About o'clock one of the navy yard
tugs steamed alongside the cruiser
and delivered some messages from
Rear Admiral Bunce, commander of
the navy yard at Brooklyn. A few
minutes later the Columbia headed for
the Brooklyn navy yard, where it is
supposed she will be dry locked in
order to ascertain the full extent of
her injuries.
CAPTAIN EVANS STORY.
Captain ]. Evans of the Foscolia, af-
ter reaching this city, said, regarding
the collision:
1.-The Foscolia cleared from this port
at noon on Saturday with a general
cargo of about 2,200 tons. All went well
until evening, when a heavy fog set in.
1 was on the bridge and ordered the
lights up and the fog whistles kept go
ing. AS the fog grew denser the speed
of the ship was reduced to one-half
About o'clock the lookout, john
son, on the forecaStle, and Thompson,
on the bridge, spied a steamer on the
port bow. Our lights were burning
brightly, and the fog signal was whist
ling. looked up and saw big steamer
with four tunnels dead ahead. AS the
steamers were not 200 yards apart, I
saw that a collision was inevitable. /
blew three whistles and the approach
ing vessel answered with one blast.
That was the first time l heard the
Columbias whistles. Instantly l or
dered our engines full speed astern.
The vessels came together, however,
with a terrible crash, and the bow of
the Foscolia ran up on the cruisers
armor belt and then cut through her
sponsor. They remained locked for
couple of seconds, but the backing OF
the Foscolia's engines tore off her bow
as far back as the first water-tight
bulkhead. The wreckage stuck in the
cruisers side, above and below the
water line. and caused the Columbia
to list considerably. Had it not been
for the bulging of the sponsor from the
side of the warship, the Foscolia would
only have struck the Columbia glanc
ing blow. The bow of the Foscolia be-
came wedged between the sponsor and
hull of the cruiser and the bow of my
boat was completely wrenched off.
1T was dead calm at the time of the
collision. After backing away I saw
that the injury to the Foscolia was
serious, and instantly ordered the life
boats launched. They were in the water
in just four minutes, and my crew were
ordered into them. l remained aboard
the wreck with my five officers. Ny
engineers, after trying the engines, re-
ported them to be so badly damaged
by the collision as to be incapable of
working the ship. The Foscolia was
leaking badly, and the pumps were
started. The crew was sent aboard the
cruiser. which had a hole in her star
board side large enough TO drive a
team and carriage through. The
pumps were kept working until 1920 p.
m, but the Foscolia was getting lower
and lower in the water. Two boats from
the Columbia were standing for me, and
Williams asked me at that
hour what 1 intended doing. I replied
that / would stand by my ship until
she went down. Then 1 ordered the
officers into the life boat and 1 re-
manned at the main rigging while the
steamship continued to sink. 1 got into
the small boat and remained with my
officers about 80 yards from the sinking
ship. Exactly at 3 a. m. the Foscolia !
went down, head first, in about 10
fathoms of water. 1t reappeared again /,
4 few minutes later, and then disap- |
Deared forever, stern first. None of my
men were hurt. but 1 cannot tell if any
IF the men of the Columbia were in
ured. / think not
THE Foscolia, which I commanded |
,or II months, was an iron vessel of |
$50 tons net, and 1,536 tons gross, |
aunched at Low, England, in 1879, and |
ler hailing port is London. She was |
,52 feet long. 34-foot beam and % feet |
inches deep. She was schooner rugged, |
had two maSts, a double deck, four |
compound engines and car
led water ballast"
Military Service In Mexico.