The herald., 1898-11-06
Report of Commander Harris

the Florida shoals might bring.
Report of Commander Harris
WASHINGTON, Nov. 5.-A thrilling
story of the loss of the cruiser Maria Teresa
is given in the official report of Lieutenant
| Commander Harris to the secretary of the
navy. received by telegraph at the navy de-
partment late this afternoon. 1t is dated
on board the wrecking steamer Merritt,
| fifty miles off Charleston, Nov. 4th, and
| says:
Secretary of the Navy, Washngton-Sr:
! have the honor to make the following re-
port of the loss of the Infanta Maria Teresa !:
On Nov. LIST at a m. l found that it was
blowing hard and went on the lower bridge
We had left Watling's island light abeam
at 10 o'clock, and up to midnight the weather
was pleasant, and all went well with the
| ship, although we had trouble in keeping the
pump in the forward fireroom from being
choked with coal. The wind continued to
increase in force until perhaps 8 a: m, when
| times all day when it blew as hard as ever.
| The direction was about northeast The sea
continued to rise until perhaps 6 p. m. There
was a heavy sea all the following day. The
pumps were relieved every hour Soon after
I came on deck l relieved the second mate,
| Mr.. johnson, so that he could go below to
| fight the water. About $3.50 the first mate
|
below to work. Captain Chittenden, who
was on deck almost as soon as I gave his
attention to the pumps, and especially prim.
| ing the centrifugal pump in the forward
! freroom. There were many new leaks.
| When heavy sea struck the sides the plates
| leaked at the butts and scanned, showing
that after the fire they had resumed their
former appearance, but were not tight.
THWARTSHIP VIBRATION
h. 81 &c
| thwartship vibration and only half an inch
| longitudinal vibration. While making this
examination, about 4:30 a. m, Captain Chit
| tenden was thrown down and fell on the
chain, hurting his side and back enough to
| temporarily disable him. He continued to
give his valuable advice. AT 8 a. m. we made
signal to the Vulcan and Merritt to go to
could. Up to l o'clock a. m. we were run.
ming 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 fireroom caused the steam
to run low and tighten fires under the star
board after boiler, and we stopped the en-
CINE so as to run the steam up for the pumps.
The pump for keeping the water from the
forward compartment was driven by belt,
and when the sea broke over the bows the
belt became wet and slipped. As soon as the
water was up to the floor place in the for
ward fireroom the rolling of the ship
swashed into the coal bunkers and carried
the coal out, choking the pump and carry
| ing the floor plates about, which made it
| difficult and dangerous to work there.
THE CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS
| About o'clock I called for volunteers to
hoist coal and water into the ash hoist
| Everybody responded and the work was con.
tinued as long as it seemed of any use. About
$3.50 a. m. it was reported that water was
coming into one of the starboard forward
coal bunkers and running into the fire
we do not know. About O'Clock
the eleven4inch gun in the after-turret ran
out and in twice. When it recoiled the sec
ond time something gave way, and it settled
to extreme elevation and remained station
ary. We asked the Vulcan to signal the
Leonidas to stay close by us, and the latter
hoisted the flag at the signal yard arm. which
was signal agreed upon to call the Leonidass
to come within hail She was steaming ahead
of us and making rather bad wea ather. 1t
seemed as if she feared to turn in the heavy
sea, but eventually she did cross ahead of
the Merritt and twice passed under the Mer.
ritt's stern, although at some distance. l
think she picked up the life RATS which the
Vulcan threw over
COMING ABOUT MEANS SINKING
About l1:3O we signalled the Vulcan to
to run for the lee of Watling's island. To
this Captain Wolcott replied mo-" and as
Captain Chttenden thought we would sink
If we tried to turn, this idea was given up.
Both the Vulcan and Merritt could with diff.
ficulty keep their heads to the wind, and
cans bits started, and the tow lines parted,
the ship falling into the trough Of the sea
At o. M Captain Chittenden asked me to
signal the Vulcan to cast off the Merritt {
tow lines and have the Merritt come along.
side. Then | summoned the command, told
and assigned them to 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 short time with the
steam we had.
ABANDON THE SHIP
We signalled the Vulcan 1--WE had tc
abandon ship
of the lee surf boat, and when it was lowered
to the rail ordered Captain Chittenden into
it against his repeated protests. lie was
placed in the boat with his son. The boat
was unable to reach the lines we had astern
but the Merritt picked it up. and after, tax
ing Captain Chittenden aboard, towed the the
boat to our lee quarter, and repeated THIS
movement each trip. She was. splendidly
handled. From 2:2O o'clock the work OF
transferring the crew continued. Captain
Lecato made two more trips, when, his arm
| being disabled, his place was taken by n; MI
johnson, who also took two boatloads; Inc
life raft was taken over and capszed, but
was righted. 1t was put in charge of James
Bashford, ordinary seaman, of the Illinois
naval militia. He and his crew took six
Cubans to the Merritt. The, smaller surf
boat towed under theA lee side was then
gotten, @ and / put in charge of it Charles
| Dunno, quartermaster. 1 gave him nearly
ali the good seamen left. 1t was launched
very handsomely, and made two trips. In
all these trips we poured oil from the spon;;
sons s on both sides and the Vulcan also used
oil to make it smooth. doubt if we could
have worked without it. The ship labored
more and more. Before left the bridge
should estimate to be 80 degrees, and her
pitching was so rough as to show her rud;
der, propellors and perhaps twelve feet OF
her keel. She was about four feet by the