Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-03-06
A SEAMAN'S PERILS.
SOME OF THE AWFUL MARINE CA
TAsTROPHEs OF RECENT YEARS.
Death Always Threatens Our Brave
Sailors, Even I'm Times of Peace
Lost.
Correspondence Of the Dlsnatch.


Whatever the outcome of the testimony
before the court of inquiry regarding the
cause OF the terrible catastrophe in Ha-
bana harbor. one thing will remain I'M
disputed-that when Jack goes to sleep
at night even in times of peace, he does
so with no certainty that he will not be
blown into fragments by the explosion OF
the terrible mine that Is stored In the
ship, and which the merest accident
would spring. to send perhaps every soul
on board into eternity. If the comforta-
bic landsmen will put themselves in the
sailors position for moment they will
acknowledge, especially in view of re-
cent events, that the life Of the blue jack
ct on one Of our modern fighting machines
is by no means an enviable one. Here
are a few Of the marine disasters that
have sent brave sailors suddenly to the
bottom of the sea. and caused nations to
mourn.
SOME MARINE DISASTERS.
The Trenton, Vandalia, and Nipsic. of
the United States Pacific Coast
squadron, were anchored in the
harbor OF Apia, in Samoa, on
March 16, 1899 No one had a thought
OF danger. Who could have when the
vessels, together with those of Great
Britain and Germany. were riding at an
Choir In a supposedly safe harbor, at
peace with the world and with each
other. They were prepared for most
dangers, but the unexpected happened in
the shape Of a mighty tidal wave, that
came sweeping up in the night, and made
chaos where peace and order had been
q short time before. All night the vessels
wrestled Cor life with the angry waves.
rhe fancied security proved to be the very
worst peril of the night. for In the harbor
the ships had not room 70 manoeuvre,
and much damage was done by the
vessels running into each other. in the
blind struggle for an anchorage that
would hold.
Where the sun went down on a peace
ful harbor. with the vessels of the various
nations riding calmly at anchor, morning
dawned on scene Of wreck and desola-
ton that made the hearts of the sur
vivors sink within them. The Trenton
and Vandalia were wrecks, and the Nip
sic had been driven ashore. Four officers
and forty-seven men Of the United States
ships had persisted during the terrible
struggle of the night.
GERMAN SHIPS JARED BADLY.
The German ships Adler, Olga, and Eber
had been swept upon reef, and the
whole fleet looked as though the ships had
been engaged In combat with each other
during the night, as inded they had, for
the elements made them mere playthings,
impossible OF guidance. The British ship
Calliope managed TO escape the general
ruin. She passed the struggling vessels
headed out TO sea, and her captain call
ed out as he passed one OF the United
States ships that he preferred to fight Il
out on the broad ocean to trusting his
vessel 10 the doubtful protection of the
harbor. After the narrowest escapes he
reached the open sea, and rode out the
storm until morning
Another disaster that was even OF larger
magnitude than that of the Maine was
The loss OF the Victoria. through being
rammed by companion ship OF the
British navy, the Camperdown. Sir George
Tryon, commander OF the Victoria, was
responsible for the accident. In causing
the vessels TO turn inward he allowed too
little room for the manoeuvye, with the
result that they collided. and the Victoria
went 10 the bottom with Jagged hole in |
her side. where tho sharp steel beak OF |
the Camperdown had rammed her.
Twenty-Five officers and s3G OF the creu |
went down with the Victoria, the man |
who made tha mistake that had caused |
the collision paying penance for the sin |
with his life. This catastrophe plunged |
the whole British empire into mourning,
ana was 50 far as the loss OF life was
concerned. OF greater magnitude than
that Of the Maine.
X M. S. DoTEREL BLOWN UP.
only one catastrophe has occurred that
was similar to that of the Maine. This
was the blowing up OF II. NJ. s. DoteraI
"a the Straits Of Magellan. Two dlstjnct
explosions were heard A court-marfisi
'@Nansd that Il resulted from eoaI-rsS !