Evening star., 1898-11-11
The Maria Teresa Lying Off Cat
Island.
FACT ESTABLISHED BY WRECKERS
They Have Brought Stores to
Nassau.
NAVY DEPARTMENTS VIEW

NASSAU New Providence. November H.
-Wrcckars who have arrived here brought
with them stores from the stranded vessel
off Cat Island which establish beyond
,iaubt that she is the Infanta Maria Teresa
A. the vessel is looked upon as being
Gerelict the wreckers claim the righI to
se.ze the stores which can be saved. They
report taat the water is up to her hetveen-
decks that she has a list to starboard
which 81 is GS maged. and that she is dis
n:ested. Tha vessel lies between two reefs.
on smooth bottom. and has her anchor
out.
Title to the Vessel.
The officials at the Navy Department
we're interested in today's news from Mas
<au Identifying clearly the steamship iyins
off Cat ISLAND as the Maria Teresa The
Il gal status Of the vessel has been cOHsif
cred cursorily. and in the opinion of the
department the title of the United States
- her IS Un.mpaired. Notwithstanding the
fact that ii vas necessary to abandon her
Tor time. There may be some question in
Nclved as to the payment Of salvage to the
Bahamas tishtI men. but that depends in
large me tS'Ire on what they have done. If
tfey have simply been looting the vessel.
then not only are they not entitled to sal
ESSe. but ne goods stolen may he recover
ed On The other hand. if it was the fisher
men who anchored the ship in smooth WI
Tel, anu II tNtN mace any pNqEdNOr . bIiNg
her in. probably they would have Il good
claim for salvage The vessel, howeve- is
not subject to detention on this account. in
ternatIonal law eXempting national vessels
from seizure on any score in time Of pea -e.
In such case the salvOrs might after al
lowing the vessel to proceed. present their
claim to the government of the United
States through the diplomatic representa-
ives OF Inc British government.
Injury to the Vessel
From the account received, it is feared
that the damage to the vessel sustained
through the storm and the probable pound
ing upon the coral reefs outlying Cat Is
land. added TO the wounds received by the
ship in action when she was sunk origi-
nally. are sufficient to render ht- entirely
vaIueless. Nothing but an experts exami-
nation can determine this point but as the
Merritt experts are already on their way
TO Cat Island that question will soon be
decided.
Court of Inquiry.
The Navy Department has decided that a
court of inquiry shall be held to determine
whether the abandonment of the Teresa at
sea was justifiabie, and. if not, who was
responsible. The detail for the court has
not Yet been announced, nor, indeed has
the court been formally appointed for it
cannot take the testimony necessary 10
elicit the facts until the Wreckers who have
gone TO Cat Island return with an account
of the conditions they found aboard the
Teresa The report that the water in the
hull was uD between decks taken in con-
nectI"n with the fact that the vessel was
rolling her spOnsOns under when aban-
dOned is believed to make out A very
favorable case for the people aboard the
Teresa. unless it should be shown that this
great volume of water was not admitted
through injury sustained on the coral reefs
at Cat Island after the vessel was aban-
dOned-