The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-11-07

boat StOW0d on board on uHo 100 sAuC ~
then gotten out and put i1 In charge o. 9.
Charles A. Dunno, quartermaS5er, urs1
class. T gave him nearly all the GOOD
seamen left for a crew. 1t was Launched
very handsomely and made two trips. IN
all these trips we poured OIL from tno
ship on both sides and the Vulcan also
used oil to make it smooth where ene
embarking was done. l doubt II we coui9
have worked without 1T. Inc snip iapo.eu
more and more heavily. before ! ie e,nd In'
bridge she rolled her sponsor unaer'
which should estimate to be thirty de-
grees, and her pitching was enough 70
show her rudder. propellers and perhhps
twelve feet Of her keel She was apouo
four feet by the head. She fell INTO tne
sea very heavily and shuddered, as So sne
rose. There was no water aft. Ino
steering to starhoard and going at 1uii
speed. while the sea beat the Teresa $
head to port. Throughout the day the
Vulcan did everything possible. We were
constantly signalling. With the excep-
ton OF three men who got drunk and
gave much trouble, all of the crew
behaved well.
EVERY MAN DID HIS DUTY
and my orders were instantly obeyed by
wreckers and men of the navy. When the
fires were low, called for volunteers and
the donkey boilers were at once fired.
Twice asked G. F. Smith and James E.
Bryon, chief machinists, to oil the steer
ing engine and they did SO and the engine
ran till we left. When I took Dunno
from the helm to lower the smaller surf
boat his place was taken by William Q.
Moorhoff, machinist, second class. who
steered the wreck until we left the bridge
together, when he dashed the wheel amid
ships. William Crossette, bugler, was
signal man and was as cool as possi ble.
He made no mistakes, and was very USE
full to me as a messenger. About 80 he
made signal Hang to the wreck until
you are sure she is sinking" to which
the Vulcan replied "We will hold ON till
she sinks or parts the tow line.
The last signal he made was These
two boats will take all. /" After that
had to go aft to force the drunken men
overheard and at about five we were all
off. The boats were hauled under the
stem as near as it was safe, where the oil
and lee of the ship made it smooth and
were held by one line. while another line
with a ladder attached f1oated at the
stern. On this line two double bights
were stepped on the right side to go over
a mans shoulder. The end was Stacked
from the ship and when the men jumped,
they were hauled into the boat. A very
fine fellow named Olsen attended to this.
When all had gone but he and l. he cut
the line and we jumped together. 1t WAS
perhaps 8. when we reached the Merritt.
While she was getting In the surf boats.
the Vulcan slipped the hawser of the In
fanta Maria Teresa. I expect that the
wreck dragging off to port, brought all
the strain on the port bridge and started
the bits. When the boats were in, the
Merritt at my request, started to speak
49, U,,1o HIIt w hla m raa0h hQT
and she apparently did not hear our
whistle.
The Merritt then returned TO find the
wreck, but could not do so. The search
continued until p. M, the following
day, when she headed for Charleston.
Very respectfully,
IRA ialzn Harris, Lieut. Com. q. S N.
Commenting on that feature of Lieut..
Commander Harris's report stating that
some of the men got drunk, naval otfic.
ials expressed the opinion that these men
we're not seamen of the navy. but sailors
from the wrecking crew.
It is the opinion of the navy depart
ment that the government has lost be-
sides the value of the ship herself only the
amount of the per diem. $500 per day. by
the sinking OF the vessel, because the con- &C,
tract appears to have required the deliv-
cry by the wrecking company of the yes
sci at the navy yard at Norfolk, Va 1t
would seem that the contractors have
lost the salvage upon the ship.
The first thing in order now is court
of inquiry. This court is required to fix
the responsibility for loss; to examine
into the considerations which led conf
mander Harris to choose the easterly
course around Cape Maysi. and eastward
of the Bahamas in preference to that
around Cape Antonio and to the florida
channel. It must determine also, as near
as it can, whether the work of preparing
the ship for the homewerd voyage was
properly executed and also whether the
officers and crew were Justified in aban-
doning her. Upon the conclusion will
depend whether or not court martial
viii be held. Lieut.. Commander Harris
bears an enviable reputation in his pro-
fession. During the progress of the rails
ing of the ship great deal of valuable
material was recovered by the wreckers.