Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-05-30
STEAMSHIP SUNK At SEA.
Accident Occurs In Fog--Ai tho british
Crew Savcd-Columbia is Sc
verely Injured.

New York, May 29.-When the Unit
ed States cruiser Columbia. in COM
mand of Capt. Sands, anchored off
Tompkinsville, $. l., this afternoon 1t
was seen that she had n large Jagged
hole stove in her starboard. abreast
and Immediately forward of the after
barbette. Above the water line the hole
extended 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 and crew, twenty-one in
all, Of the British steamer Foscolia
which left this port yesterday with a
cargo of machinery and general mer-
chandise 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
lowed to 20 on board the Columbia.
but TO n representative of the Asso-
slated Press, who rowed out to the
cruiser. the officer of the deck made
the following brief statement:
about 7:i0 pm. yesterday the Brit
lsh steamship Foscolia, in command
of Capt. John Evans, colllded with our
vessel during dense fog. We were
then about eight miles southwest of
Fire Island. We lowered two llfeboats
and rescued the captain and crew,
numbering twenty-one all told. We
stood by until the Foscolia sank at 3
O'Clock this morning. AS soon as we
arrived here we sent the rescued men
ashore. Further information in refer
ence to the accident cannot give"
About o'clock one OF the navy yard
tugs steamed alongside the cruiser and
delivered some message from Rear
Admiral Bunce commander of the navy
yard at Brooklyn. a few minutes later
the Columbia headed for the Brook
lyn navy yard, where it is supposed she
will be dry-docked in order to ascertain
the full extent OF her injuries.
Capt j. Evans OF the Foscolia. at
ter reaching this city, said regarding
the collision: 1.-THE Boscolin cleared
from this port at noon on Saturday
tons. All went well until evening, when
a heavy fog set In, was on the bridge
and ordered the lights up and the fog
whistles kept going. AS the fog rev
dcnser the speed of the ship was re-
duced to one-half.
AT abo" o'clock the lookout, John
son on the Forecastle and Thompson on
the bridge, spled steamer on the por,
bow. our lights We're burning brightly
and the fog signpI was whistling.
looked up and saw 4 big steamer with
four tunnels dead ahead. As the steam
crs We're not 200 yards apart, ! saw that
q collision was Inevitable. ] blew three
whistles and the approaching vessel
answered with II blast. That was the
first time ] heard the Columbias
whistle Instantly l ordered our en-
gines full speed astern. The Vessels
came together however, with u terrible
crash and the bow of the Foscolia ran
up on the cruisers armor belt and then
cut through her sponsor. They ie-
manned locked for couple of seconds
but the backing of the Foscolia's en-
glnes tore on 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 considera-
bly,. Had It not been for the bulging
of the SPONSOR from the side of the
warshlp the FoscolLn would only have
struck the Columbia glancing blow.
The bow Of the Fuscolia became
wedged between the sponsor and hull
Of the cruiser and the bow of my boat
was completely wrcnched on
at was dead calm at the time OF the
collision. After backing away saw
that the injury to the Foscolla was
seriously and instantly ordered the life