The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-11-18
WILL INQUIRE INTO
LOSS OF MARIA TERESA.
In the Light OF Subsequent Events
No Reason Appears for Her
Aban do nment.

WASHINGTON. Nov. 1.-THE secretary
Of the navy has ordered court OF m
Qu.ry TO meet at the navy yard at Norioik
Tuesday for the purpose OF investigating
the circumstances attending the anandon-
Inent OF the Spanish cruiser Maria Teresa,
with View to determining me necessity
and responsibility therefor.
According 10 the stories OF the officers
and men OF the Leonidas the inquiry INTO
the abandonment of the Maria Teresa WIZ
in all probabilit result In court-martial
TO somebody.
They are nearly unanimous in saying
that there was not the slightest necessity
cruiser, and this view is borne out by the
fact that the ship drfted over thirty miles
and went ashore Oh Cat Island the follow
ing morning without serious damage.
The men on the Leondas say that tho
proper plan would have been for al, OF the
crew TO have abandoned the Maria Teresa
except two or three men. A catamaran or
life raft could have been towed astern OF
the snip. and the men left aboard could
have cast of the towline and taken 10 the
life ran II IL became necessary.
Before the ships left Guantanamo Lieut..
Commander Harris. who represented the
navy on the Maria Teresa. arranged to
show the ensign on the mainmast in case
he wished TO confer at short range with the
Leonidas.
The ensign was shown during the day OF
November /. but Commander w. /. Moore.
q the Leoni6as. was afraid TO put his shit,
about and go 10 the relief OF ths Marin
Teresa because OF the necessity OF getting
into the trough OF the ssa. Later In the
afternoon he executed this maDeusef twice,
but IL was too late.
IL appears that Commander Moore was
the senior officer OF the feet and should
have assumed the responsibility. This he
apparently declined 10 do. leaving Lieut.
Commander Harris on the Maria Teresa to
exercise his own Judgment. although the
cruiser was really under command OF Capt
Chiitenden. OF the ~Tecking company.
Harris was volunteer officer. whls
Moore belonged to the regular service. and
i. Is limited that the latter officer purpose
ly kept out OF the way 10 avoid RESPONSE
bd.tv and fix the blame upon the volunteer
Officer.
However this may be. some Of the officers
~ he fleet say that great mistake was
ma he in atte mpting 10 make "A direct course
pogtbwaTd in the open sea. These were
the original INSTRUCTIONS Of Capt. Chester.
NJ the Cincinnati. when the little fleet lert
Guantanamo, but Commander Moore it is
said would have been justified in varying
the m, owing To the storm. and instead OF
coming 10 through Crooked passage and
thence out into the open sea beyond So
vadar ne might easily have run westward
along the north coast OF Cuba To Key West
ard theuca M aiong the Atlantic coast IN
Norfolk. By doing he would have had
Z harbor 9. refuge every hundred miles or
80.
Experienced naviRators saw that Cant
Chester vas seriously AT fsuif IN sending
a bali wrecked ship nortavard IL The open
SEA Through Crooked passage, and they also
blame Commander Moore. tirst for NOT hav-
ing exercised the usual discretion and taken
4 route under the lea OF the island and
secondly for not having turned hack
promptly and assumed resncn sioisity for
The abandonment o. the Maria Teresa
with AZ those fIcts before il the court o.
| inquiry can scarcely do Jess than order the
court martial az Capt. Chester. Comrnan-
der Moore ard Lieut.. Commander Harris.