The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-11-06
MUCH REGRET At WASHINGTON
OVER THE Loss OF THE GREATEST
SOUVENIR OF THE WAR.
Official Account of the Disaster-Much
HerOism Displayed by the Men
and Omcers of the Ship.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 5.-The Spanish
cruiser Maria Teresa, sunk by the American
fleet off Santiago on July 3, but raised by
Constructor Hobson, now lies about three
miles under the surface of the sea. Sne
went to the bottom of the Atlantic during
a storm Nov. /, having sprung leak
while off the Bahama island. No lives were
lost.
The news of the loss of the Spanish
cruiser came to the Navy Department in a
telegraph dispatch from Lieutenant Com
mander Harris, received at about 10 o'clock
this morning Secretary Long being tenn
porarily absent from the department, the
officials of the Navigation Bureau. acting
under a strict construction of official eti-
ouette, refused to make the dispatch public
until the secretary had given his consent.
Consequently the publication of the news
was delayed until this afternoon. When
finally published the dispatch, which was
from Lieutenant Commander Harris, and
dated Charleston, S. c.. read as follows:
Arrived here last night steamer Mer-
ritt, with all the crew of Infanta Maria
Teresa, which was abandoned in a heavy
northeaster on Nov l, thirty miles north OF
San Salvador island. Have ffty-eight en-
listed men,
Upon the receipt OF the news IHS udNdt
officers attached to the Navigation Bureau
Immediately consulted the charts to locate
the scene of the disaster. The first glance
satisfied them that the last had been seen
of The Inflated Maria Teresa. As near as
they could calculate the vessel lies in about
$500 fathoms of water. or nearly three
miles. The location is twenty-four degrees
north latitude by 74:90 west longitude. about
230 miles distant from Nassau. At the time
the Teresa sunk she was about $40 miles
from Caimanera the port from which she
started a little over two days before.
Looking at the chart it was not difficult
for the officers at the department to see
how TIE ship had foundered under the in
fiuenca of heavy northeast gale reported.
She had just emerged from the crooked
passage and TO make her course was
obliged to lay with her head to the north
west. This would bring the heavy sea fair
ly over her forward side, and under such
severe pounding the vessel must have soon
succumbed. There was no alternative. On
her lee lay the rocky Bahamas and in
Vulnerable shoals with shadows between and
with shallow water in every direction ex-
cept straight ahead or directly astern. TO
have turned about and sought another
passage would have been an extremely
perilouS undertaking 10 begin with, and
even after getting safely around the vessel
would have been Obliged to have Travelled
many hundred miles more than intended in
order to have picked UP another course,
this time closer to the North American
continent, and with the added dangers that
proximity to the Florida shoals might
bring 1t is said at the Navy Department
that Lieutenant Commander Harris will be
ordered at once to Norfolk, where the
rescued seamen will be placed aboard a re-
ceiving ship.
The greatest regret was expressed in Of
fetal circles regarding the loss of the Maria
Teresa Secretary of State Hay said that
he was indeed sorry to hear that it had been
found impossible to bring the vessel to the
United States, when everybody was so much
interested in her. He expressed qualification
that no loss of life was reported in con-
sequence of the disaster.
Acting Secretary Allen, of the navy, said
trinsic value represented in the ship. She
was the link that connected the great naval
victory with the United States 1t was a
sentiment bred in this country that sue
ceeded in raising her, and it was the wish
of the whole people that she should be
brought to the United States. IT was the
general impression about the State, War
and Navy building that the loss of the
Maria Teresa would prevent any further
attempt to bring any of the other vessels
to this country.