The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-11-07
AGAIN WENT 10 BOTTOM.
Maria Teresa Sinks Never To Rise
Again.

snanish Cruiser Lost On Her Way North
Her Commanders Thrilling Story.
Washington, November ga thrilling
story of the loss of the cruiser Maria
Teresa is given in the official report of
I,ieutenant Commander Harris to the
Secretary of the Navy, received bytele-
graph at the Navy Department late this
afternoon. It is dated on board the wreck
ing steamer Merritt. fifty miles off
Charleston, November 4. and was sent
from there when the Merritt arrived with
the crew, all of whom were saved. The
report follows:
Secretary of the Navy, Washington:
Sir:-f have the honor. to make the fol-
lowing report of the loss OF the lnfanta
Maria Teresa On November lst, at a.
M. / found that it was blowing hard and
went on the lower bridge. We had left
Watlings Island light abeam at ten
o. clock and up till midnight the weather
wasSpleasant and all went well with the
shin although we had trouble in keeping
the pump in the forward ire room from
being choked with coal. The wind con-
tinued to increase in force until perhaps
"A. M. when it reached its height, al
though there were times all day when it
blew as hard was ever. The direction was
about northeast. The sea continued to
rice until perhaps 6 p. m. There was a
heavy sea ali the following day. Pumps
were reported every hour. Soon after
came on deck I relieved the second mate,
Mr.. johnson, SO that he could go below
to fight the water.
About 8. 80 the first mate, Captain LIE
Cato came up and he also went below to
work. Captain Chittenden, who was on
deck almost as soon as gave his atten-
ton to the pumps and especially to prim-
ing the centrifugal pump in the forward
fire room. There were many new leaks.
When a heavy sea struck the sides the
plates leaked at the butts and seams show
ing that after the fire they had resumed
their former appearance. but were :. not
tight. There was at the mainmast an
inch of thwartship vibration and only
half an inch longitudinal vibration.
While making this examination about
4.3O a. M, Captain Chittenden was
thrown down and fell on the chain hurt
ing his side and back enough to tempo
rarily disable him. He continued to give
us valuable advice. At a. M, we mads
signal to the Vulcan and Merritt to go to
windward which they did as well as they
could Up to one o clock a. M, we were
running the starboard main engines and
had steam on the two central boilers and
three of the short forward boilers, but the
trouble IN the forward fire room caused
the steam to run low. aud we lighted
fires under the starhoard after boiler and
stopped the engine SO as to run the steam
up for the pumps. The pump for keeping
the water from theaforward compartment
was driven by belt and whom the sea
broke over the bows the belt became wet
and slipped. Soon as the5water was up TO
the floor plates in the forward fire room.
the rolling Of the ship swashed it into she
coal bunkers and carried the coal out.
choking the pump and carrying the floor
plates about. which made 1t
DIFFICULT AND DANGERO US
to work there. About eight o'clock
called for volunteers to hoist coal and
water in the ash hoist. Everybody re-
sponded, and the work was continued as
long as it seemed of any use. About $50
a, M, it was reported that water was
coming into one of the starboard forward
coal bunkers and running into the fire
room. Where the water came from we
do not know. About two o'clock the IL
inch gun in the after turret ran out and
in twice. When 1t reooiled the second
time something gave way and it settled
to extreme ELEVATION and remained sta
tionary. We asked the Vulcan to signal
the Leonidas to stay close to us, and the
latter hoisted the flag at the signal yard
arm which was q signal agreed upon to
call the LeOnidas to come within hail.
She was steaming ahead of us and max
ing rather bad weather. 1t seems as II
she feared to turn In the heavy sea, but
eventually she did cross ahead OF the
Merritt and twice passed under the
Maria's stern although at some distance.
think she picked up the life RATS which
the Vulcan threw over. About IL. ~ we
siQnalled the Vulcan to ask the Merritt II
we could be turned safely to run for the
lee of Watling's islam To this Captain
Wolcott replied no and as Cartain Chit
tenden thought we would sink If we tried
to turn, this idea was given up. Both the
Vulcan and the Merritt could with diff
Guilty keep up head to the wind and the
sea was running SO high that thesVul-
cams bits started or the tow lines parted.
The ship would fall into the trough of
the sea. -
At In. M, Captain Chittepden asked
me to signal the Vulcan to cast off the
Merritt s towlines and have the Merritt
come alongside. then assumed the com
mand, told the men what was to be done
and assigned them stations. told the
chief engineer to start the engine to aid
the Vulcan in keeping our head up. He
did so, but it could run but a short time
with the steam we had. We signalled the
Vulcan 1--WE are
ABOUT TO ABANDON SHIP
try to keep us head,to wind. !"
I ordered Captain LIE Cato to take
charge of the lee surf boat and when it
was lowered to the rail, ordered Captain
Chlttenden into it against his repeated
protests. He was placed in the boat with
his son. This boat was unable to reach
the lines We had astern but ,the Merritt
picked it up, and after taking Captain
Chittenden aboard, towed the boat TO our
lee quarter and repeated this manoeuyre
each trip. forming lee for the boats to
come here and then towing them baok.She
was splendidly handled. From two.until
five the work of transferring the crew
continued. Captain LIE Cato made two
more trips when, his arm being disabled,
his place was taken by Mr.. Johnson, who
also took two boat loads. The life raft
was gotten over and capsized. but was
righted. 1t was put in charge OF James
Bashford, ordinary seaman OF the Illinois
naval militia. He and his crew took SIX