Evening star., 1898-11-05
MARIA TERESA LOST
Captured Spanish Cruiser Abandoned
in the Bahamas.
CAUGHT In A TERRIFIC GALE
Crew Reaches Charleston and Re-
ports to Navy Department.
FEW DETAILS OF LOSS

CHARLESTON. S. c.. November 5-The
ocean tug Merritt put into Charleston this
morning for supplies. She reported the loss
of the cruiser Maria Teresa, raised III Con-
structor Hobsou recently. of San Salvador,
Bahamas November l. in the midst of a
furious storm
The cruiser left Caimanera, Cuba. on
the morning of October 80. in tow for New
York. She had already passed Cape Maysi
and started northeast around the Bananas
A furious storm. warning OF which had
already been sent out. overlook her, and
in her condition she was unable to weather
the gale.
The strain opened rents in her hull which
had been patched TO enable her to make
the journey and she began to fill rapidly.
The Merritt took eff Capt. Harris and the
crew from the sinking ship and she soon
went down.
The Merritt brought the captain and 1876
men. who will proceed north by rail. No
lives were lost, far as known.
The Merritt is now at quarantine six
miles from the city, communication with
her being difficult.
News in New York.
NEW YORK November 5.-A special
from Charleston. S. c., to the Journal says:
says:
The former Spanish cruiser Maria Ter
esa has gone to the bottom OF the sea.
DIR. Lebby, quarantine officer at this
port, has just sent word that the crew OF
the Teresa has arrived at his station with
news of the sinking.
Full particulars are not yet obtainable,
but the wreck has already been officially
reported"
Private Information received in this city
this afternoon from Charleston says that
the Infanta Maria Teresa was abandoned
thirty miles north of Waiting Island, one
OF the Bahamas.
Regret in OmcfaI CircIe.
The greatest regret was expressed in
official circles regarding the loss OF the
Maria Teresa Secretary OF State Hay
said that he was indeed sorry to hear that
it mad been found impossible tc bring the
vessel to the United States. when every
boGy was so much interested in her. He
expressed qualification that no loss of life
was reported in consequence of the dis
aster.
Acting Secretary Allen of the navy said
the loss was much greater than any intrin-
sic value represented In the ship She was
the link that connected the great naNaf
victory With the United States. IL was a
sentiment bred in this country that sue
ceeded In raising her, and ii was the wish
Of tie whole people that she should be
brought to the United States
1t was the general impression that the
loss of the Maria Teresa would prevent any
further attempt to bring any of the other
vessels to this country.
Report to the Navy Department..
The news of the loss of the Spanish
cruiser came to the Navy Department in a
telegraph dispatch from Lieutenant Com
maEder Harris, received at about 10 O'Clock
this morning. Seer etary Long being tenn
porarily absent from the department, the
officials of the navigation bureau, acting
under a strict construction Of official eti-
Quette, refused TO make the dispatch pub
lie until the Secretary had given his con-
sent Consequently, the publication of lhs
news was delayed until the afternoon.
When finally published the dispatch read
as follows:
CHARLESTON, S. c. November 3.
Secretary of the Navy Washington;
Arrived here last night in steamer Mer-
ritt with all of the crew of the Infanta
Maria Teresa, abandoned In heavy north
easter November l, thirty miles north Of
San Salvador. Have fifty-eight enlisted
men.
osigned) HARRIS"
The Scene of the Disaster.
Upon the receipt of the news the naval
officers attached to the navigation bureau
Immediately consulted the charts to locate
the scene of the disaster. The first glance
satisfied them that the last had been seen
of the Inflated Maria Teresa. As naa: as
they could calculate the vessel lies in about
1900 fathoms of water, or nearly th-ea
miles. The location is "A degrees north
latitude bN al. ~ west longitude al y
miles distant from Nassau. Al the time
the Teresa sank she was about 3lu mics
distant from Caimanera. the port from
which she started a little over two days
before.
Looking at the chart ii was not difficult
for the officers at the department to see
how the ship had foundered under the in.
iuence OF heavy gale reported. She had
just emerged from the Crooked Passage.
and TO make her course was obliged to lay.
with her head about northwest. This would
bring the heavy fairly over her forward
side, and under such severe pounding tho
vessel must have soon succumbed. There
was no alternative.
On her lee lay the rocky Bahamas and
nnumerable shoals with shadows between
and with shallow water in every direction
except straight ahead or directly astern.
To have turned about and sought another
passage would have been an extremely per-
lous undertaking to begin with, and even
ifter getting safely about the vessel would
nave been obliged to have Travelled MANY
hundred miles more in order to have picked
Up another course, this time closer TO the
North American continent, and with the
ldded dangers that proximity to the Flor
da shoals might bring.
1t is said at the Navy Department that
Lieutenant Commander Harris will be or
Tered at once to Norfolk. where the rescued
'eamen will be placed aboard a receiving
hip.
--% <-
Death of Contract Nurse.
A dispatch from Gen. Brooke at San