The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1898-11-10
LOSS Ct TIE hB2|A TERESA.
The Prize Ship Foundered in Three
Miles of Water.
WAY OPEN COMPROMISE
Two Hundred Millions for the Philippines -
A Defiant Turkish 3sfcer Brought to
Terms-2sp2-t on Nicaragua Canal.

WASHINGTON (Special) The Infanta
Maria Teresa was lost during heavy
gale, 80 miles north OF NatllnSs Island
in the Bahamas. She sunk ii >, TOO
fathoms OF water. All the crew were
saved 4 thrilling stor; of the loss OF
the cruiser Marie Teresa Is given In
the official report Of Lieutenant Com
mander Harris, to the Secretary OF the
Navy, received by telegraph NJ the Ma
w Department Ii Is dated on board
the working steamer, Merritt E;ty
miles off Charleston, November /, aud
says:
Secretary of the Navy. Washington, D. G.:
Sir: havc The honor 10 r:aE" I'll" .Di-
lowing repo:t 0f Ike loss OF the lntanti' Ma
ria Teresa or November lSt. 1T l g. III. l
found that il was blowing hard ana We, on
the lower bridge We had left Waiting Is
land light abeanI at 10 O'Clock, aud up till
midnight the weather was pleasant and all
went well with the ship. although We had
trouble in keeping the pump III the forward
fire room from being choEed with coal. The
wind continued TO increase Ill force until per-
hapS O'Clock Il. H., when II reached Us
height. Captain Ch.ttenden, who was on
deck. almost as soon as l was. gave his attcn-
tion 10 the pumps aud especially TO printing
the centrifugal pump III the forward lire
room. There were manv new leaks When
a heavy sea struck the sides the plates leaked
at the butts and seams, showing that after
the fire tkev had resumed their former ap-
pearance but were not tight. There was az
the main mast an inch OF thwartship vI0ra-
ton and only half al inch of longitudinal VI
bration.
while making this examination, about
4:S0 a. m. Captain Chittenden was thrown
down aud fell on the chain, hurting his side
and back enough TO temporarily disable him.
He continued to give US valuable advice. At
3a. M, we made signal to the Vulcan and
Merritt to 90 to windward. which they did as
well as they could. The pump for keeping
the water from the forward compartment
was driven by belt, and when the sea broke
over the bows the belt became wet and slip
ped AS soon as the water was up to the
floor place in the forward fire room the
rolling Of the ship swashed Tito the coal
bunkers and carried the coal oct, choking
the pump and carrying the floor plates about,
which made it difficult and dangerous work
there. About 3:30a. M, it was reported that
water was coming into one OF the Starboard
forward coal bunkers and running into the
fire rooms Where the water came from we
do not know.
About . o'clock the 11-inch gun in the af-
ter turret ran ont and in twice. When II re-
coiled the second time something gave way
and il settled TO extreme elevation and re-
manned stationary. At l ?. N. Capt. Chit
tenden asked me 10 signal the Vulcan to east
of the Merritt's tow lines and have tie Mer-
ritt come alongside. l then assumed tn"
command told the men wha, was TO be done
aud assigned them stations. told the chief
engineer to start the engine 10 aid the Nul-
can in keeping our head up. He did so, but
it could run but short time with the steam
we had We sicnallcd the Vulcan. We are
about TO abandon ship; trytO keep Us head
to wind l ordered Capt. Lecato to take
charge of the lee surf boat and when II was
lowered TO the rail, ordered Capt. Chitteu-
den into it. Against bis repeated protests he
was placed in the boa. with his son. This
boat was unable tC reach the lines we had
astern, but the Merritt picked it up, and af-
ter taking Capt. Chittenden aboard, towed
the boat to our lee quarter and repeated this
manoeuvre each trip, forming lee for the
boat to come here and then towing them
back She was splendidly handled. From 2
until 5 the work of transferring the crew
continued.
.With the exception Of three men who got
drunk and and gave much trouble. all the
crew behaved well. Every man did his duty
and my orders were Instantly navy. Willard
CrosSett, buglar, was signalman, and was as
cool as possible. He mate no mistakes and
was very useful to me aS a messenger. About
430 he made signal: Hang On TO the wreck
until YOU are sure she is sinking, TO which
the Vulcan replied. We will hold on until
she silks or parts the tow line The last
sigGal he made was: These two boats will
take all After that had to so aft 10 force
the drunken men overheard and about ;
O'Clock we were all of. 1t was perhaps $50
O'Clock when We reached the Merritt. While
she was getting in the surf boats the Vulcan
slipped the hawser OF the Infanta Maria
Teresa. l expect that the wreck
dragging of to port brought all the
the strain on the port bridge and started
the bits. When the boats were in, the Me--
ritt. at my request. started to speak to the
Vulcan, but was unable 10 reach her, and
she apparently did not hear our whistle.
The Merritt then returned tC find the wreck,
bu, could not do so. The search continued
until p. m. the following day, when she
headed for Charleston.
Very respectfully,
IRA HARRIS, Lieut. Com"
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