Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-11-16
TERESA BEYOND HOPE.
Mcca|a Reports It Is lmposs1-
bic to Save Her.
TELESCOPED ON CORAL REEF,
Situation Such That the TelescoplnS
Process Must Continue.
HcpsoN AGREES TO THE REPORT.
With Other Experts, He is OF the
opinion That Rescue of the Former
Spanish Cruiser II Out OF the
Question.
Hcnsox AGREES TO THE REPORT.
Question.

WASHINGTON, November l5.-The
Navy Department late to-day received ths
following:
Nassau, November 15.--Secretary OF
the Navy, Washington: Arrived. Win
Potomac and Vulcan, at the scene OF ths
wreck. On arrival took charge or tha
Teresa, and holsted the flag. After care
full examination OF the stranue"
ship and the situation. and care
full consideration of the instructions from
the department, and appreciating thc
great interest taken by the nation and
government In the fate OF the iercsas
regret exceedingly to express the opinion
that Il is hopeless TO expect TO rescus
the ship. Craven, Blow, Hobson. ana
ChIttenden confirm my opinion. Ins
wreck is stranded In from sixteen 10
! twenty-one feet Of water, with hesd 10
northward With the exception OF Few
,aat astern and forward. the ship rests
| on rocky reef covered with coral sand,
,rtersnersed with boulders. half milo
south of Bird Point. A line OF reef ex-
| tends outside of the wreck, both TO nor'h-
ward and southwark, the ship having
been driven into a slight indentation In
the reef. Surf from astern and outsica
| NJ shin continues between ship and shore.
then runs out slightly TO point forward
of and outside the ship again 10 tne
| northward Small passage thus lett tor
small boats to pass under stern to lee
side. In fairly good weather 1t would be
possible, 1 think, for small tug, drawing
4 In ha
skilful seamen, to pass close under the
stern of the Teresa, in smooth sea, 10
make fast to lee side, for the purpose Oh
supplving power for wrectins pumps. III.
however, such vesse, were caught inside
the Teresa by storm, probabilities are
she would be swamped by seas or thrown
| on reef Surf thus cuts on conmunict-
| ton between ship and shore, except nt
certain stages of tide. or when there -
very little sea running. During hes'y
seas the breakers would also be con-
| tinuous outside ship
CONDITION OF WRECK.
passed Sunday on wreck, examining
carefully all compartments when we're
not flooded, as well as ships surrounding
ACCOMPANIED by Craven, who had preVi-
ously Inspected Teresa. and Chittenden,
} who was familiar with ship. Evidences
2 show that after striking reef, MAIN
mast was driven up and broken OH short
below spar deck; military top-mast lying
outside bilge under port quarter seas
had gone entirely over her Inc ihher
bottom generally had been driven up
ward from 11-2 to 2 feet; patch on DOT
q tor, abreast forward turret had disap-
neared. air ports had been driven In, ana
seas had entered through them ana gun
ports on starboard side. Spar deck anu
deck-house had been crushed In by seas
after ship struck. Large proporuon ol
the lumber In short pieces lying or noae-
ing below berth deck.
. 'srlde rises and falls In ship below pro-
tective deck abaft engine-room butts:
seas now breaking over the starboara
!. | quarter and entering through the ports
, | Teen water in that part OF the snip or
feet above line Of that In engine-room
and fre-rooms Pumps which were efec,ea
by wrecking company on forward anu
after ammunition hoists, ana securen "
berth-deck beams have been driven up
,,ara ,ror, ts "a % inches. Both starboard
. ord nort engines have been forced upWaro
/. from 11-2 TO 2 feet. and separated ia'e-
IS rally by from TO inches.
IT, SHIP TEI.ES-OPED.
n "Rest way to illustrate general conai-
!. tion of wreck Is 20 say that the Two ss.'
OF engines and boilers ana their iouius
10 tions FORM a part of reef itseit, iroont
- n,hioh rest the shpwrecked works
= IateraIv ard vertically. The same c'n-
dit,ops would have been produced. IN my
- onIrton n ship had settled on pinnacle OK
10 | rocL sunday trade wind was very hsht'
ana there was very little difficulty IN ap-
nroaching wreck from Vulcan, but COM
municatlon with shore wouid nave pc"
very difficult in boat at one stage oi uoe'
ne can best describe condition Oh snip s.ns'
I'd ,olIv bv stating that she is already tele'
eNDTeSSlrK
IN yiction that as riyets are sheared by ths
constant working OF ship, the telescopi'
process must continue
"In considering practicablhty OK rs
crlng Teresa, the fact must De consi'-.es
- that she lies upon coral rtei WIN "u
y, | this layer OF sand, on wlno"aro 7ieo "
IL an ,sla,a constantly exposed 10 seas du'
b. trade winds, and to influence ., inan'
storms developing to eastward ana sou'n
.,ard character OF bottom makes an
chorase of eastern coast OF Island ian
!" ,arors Geographical position pernit
nj | 9orce Of more or less magnitude 70 u
I'd constantly disintegrating SNIP Durn,
IS. gales or with very heavy seas wree'
IS. ,,nnId not be tenable for working parties
which would be Obliged 20 leave ship be
fore communication should De cut on
with ship anchored outsiuo VI VIZ" '"''
on the inside.
MCALi.A REPORT CONFIRMED.
"Roard of officers also examined an
repor,ed yesterday upon question OF res
cuing Teresa. This board confirms m
- report. :,
ashould department determine TO al
,emn, 10 feat stranded ship would recon-
ar: mend that expedition be based upon Ga
-, island. not from ships outside OF reef
and should be very much pleased to con
mand any organization prepared 10 ~of
d. ON wreck. In addition 10 turret gun
there are four 6-inch guns on Teres'
taken from one OF the wrecked ships an
IS remounted In Guantanamo.
Awaiting departments further orisr
fssgne6, 'McAI.LA.'
II the Baby 4. CuttinG Teeth