Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-11-09
FIXING THE RESPONSIBILITY.
Clash Between Merritts and Govern
ment Likely.


NORFOLK, VA, November S.-(Speclal)
The abandoned Spanish cruiser lnfanta
Maria Teresa may yet be added TO the
American navy. Every indication points
TO the correctness of the theory that the
two-funnelled steamship ashore off Cat
Island Is the former Spaniard Inc
theory is. after careful investigation, ac-
cepted by the naval officials and the
Merritt Wrecking Company, and no time
Will be lost in dispatching an expedition
10 rescue the Teresa for the second time
This substantiates the theory that the
Teresa did not sink after she was aban-
doned. The naval repair ship Vulcan,
which made such a gallant fight TO bring
the cruiser into port, is now under SAIL
ing orders and as soon as her bunkers
can be filled she will proceed to Cat
Island to haul of the Teresa. Lieuten-
ant Commander Harris has been detach-
ed from the Vulcan, and Captain McCalla,
executive officer Of the Norfolk navy
yard. succeeded him. Captain Seymour
manager Of the Merritt Wrecking Com
panv. states that that organization will
dispatch a fun wrecking crew with the
vulcan. They will arrive from New
York tomorrow morning in time to join
the Vulcan. The Merritt wrecking steamer
Merritt arrived in port to-day 1t was
she who landed the Teresas crew at
Charleston Captain WOlcott. Of the
Merritt. expressed the belief that the YES
sci ashore off Cat Island is the Teresa.
After being abandoned thirty-five miles
off that island, she would naturally drift
right upon the coral reefs surrounding it.
Captain Wolcott asserts that the cruiser
was hurried away from Cuba unprepared
to battle with heavy storms. all of which
is an argument TO prove that the govern
ment is responsible for her loss. He says
that while the damage suffered by her
plates during the bOmbardment was sui
fcient to have caused trouble from leak
ing i'm heavy weather. yet the fact that
her bilges were not properly cleaned
caused the pumps to become choked with
trash preventing clearing her of the water
that came in through the leaks. lie be-
neyes the heavy seas opened the Teresa's
seams so that even if she is ashore off
CAT Island she cannot be saved. The
northeast gales continued for twenty-four
hours after the Teresa was abandoned.
which must have strained the ship ter
riblv he says, as she rolled in the trough.
Ia fixing the responsibility for the loss
az the Teresa the government and the
Merritt people viii likely clash. Both
were represented aboard, and while IL Is
generally supposed and the government
vili nrobably claim that she was I'm the
,vrecking company's hands until delivered
al Hampton Roads yet the presence Of
naval officers aboard will give the Merritts
good ground for trying TO make the Navy
Department jointly responsible
WHAT HOBSON THINKS.
(New York Journal Sth)
when Lieutenant Hobson heard yester-
day that the repair-ship Vulcan and the
wrecking-tug Merritt had arrived at Nor
folk and that the crew Of neither Of them
mad seen the former Spanish cruiser In
fanta Maria Teresa sink in the storm OF
tho Bahama group OF Islands on Novem-
Der Isl. his eyes sparkled, and he said:
II cannot venture an opinion, because
know absolutely nothing more than what