The times., 1898-11-09

Secretary Long Is not convinced By any
means that the Spanish cruiser Maria
Teresa is again at the bottom of the
ocean. When she was abandoned off San
Salvador Island in northeast gale sew
eral days ago by Commander Harris and
crew. it was believed that she had foun-
dered and gone down. Information was
received at the Navy Depa: tment yester-
day which raised the Secretary's hopes
and caused him to order a prompt inves-
tigation.
The information came In dispatch
stated that a large steamship with two
smokestacks WAS aground off Columbus
Point at the Southern extremity Of Cat
Island. This message came from a re-
liable source. and by consulting tie navy
maps Secretary Long saw that II the
Maria Teresa remained afioat az .er being
abandoned off San Salvador Island the
prevailing heavy northeast gale would
have driven her in direct line from the
spot where she was last seen, thirty-nve
miles to Columbus Point. whe:e The
strange double-smokestacker Was sishted.
Acting upon the probability that the
Maria Teresa was still afioat but grouni-
ed of Cat Island, Secretary Long issued
an order directing Capt. McCaiia, OF the
Norfolk Navy Yard. to at once take COM
mand OF the big repair steamer vulcan
at Norfolk and proceed with all dispatca
to Columbus Point to look for the former
Spanish cruiser
At the same time he sent cable mes
sage TO Capt. Converse, at Guantanamo
Cuba, directing him to man the tug 70
tomac and send her northward under
full head of steam in command Oh Soh
mander ]. e. Craven
II ia expected that the Potomac will
reach the point where the Maria Teresa
may be humping against the sands OF Cat
Island, about 10 o'clock tonight. while the
Vulcan will arrive there about twelve
hours later.
IL the cruiser is on the beach OFF CO.
lumbus Point it is the opinion OF the
department officials and naval oihcers
that she can be saved more easily than
from the position she occupied on the
rocky bottom off the coast of Santiago
Capt. McCalla has had much experience
In the class OF work he has been sent 10
perform. and being man OF energy ana
resources IL Is believed that II the former
Spanish cruiser is not too far gene ne
can save her. The Vulcan was one OF the
vessels which started with the Maria
Teresa for Norfolk.
Several naval officers believe the miss
ing cruiser. after being left to her tate,
took water aboard almost entirely
through the decks and not through her
hull. The wrecking company which
raised the cruiser will take immediate
steps to recover her If she is found afioat.
II Is probable that Secretary Long will
order a court OF inquiry to investigate
the abandonment of the Maria Teresa at
sea, but he will not, IL Is said. court mar
tial Comma nder Harris for leaving the
badly damaged ship at a time when sne
was believed 10 be sinking. Experienced
naval officers declare he did exactly the
right thing. as there was a probability of
the patched cruiser going to the bottom
like shot once she started.
A dispatch from New York states that
when Lieut.. Hobson heard that the Maria
Teresa had been abandoned off San Sal
vador he said: 3"
II cannot venture an opinion. because 1
know absolutely nothing more-than what
have seen in the papers, but when left
Santiago / sub-divided the Maria Teresa
into seven sections. which are ell alright.
with the exception of the magazine sec
ton. which could not be repaired. ! have
no doubt that the remaining six sections
were closed. and if they were 1 am posi-
tive that she would not sink unless the
patch on the port side. under the turret.
was knocked out. or some of her plates.
under the great strain of the great north
easter. fell out. If any of these accidents
happened she would. of course, after
laboring some time in the heavy swell,
have gone to the bottom. But If the
patch held its place and the plates did not
fail, she must be still floating about wa
ter-logged and viii fetch up on some OF
the reefs to the westward of San Saliva
dor"