The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1898-11-18
.NERESA IS GONE.
There is No Hope of Saving the Strand
ed Spanish Warship.
Seas Had Gone Entirely Over Her-Says 1t
Would Be Useless to Attempt to
Rescue the Vessel, But is
Willing to Try.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 15.-The navy de-
partment late Tuesday received the
following cablegram:
NASSAU, Nov. 15.-Secretary Navy,
Washington:-Arriv on the Potomac
Vulcan at the scene of the wreck. On
arrival took charge of the Teresa and
hoisted flag. After careful examina-
ton of stranded ship and situation and
careful consideration of instructions
from department, approaching the
great interest taken by the nation and
government in the fate of the Teresa,
regret exceedingly to express the
opinion that it is hopeless to
expect to rescue the ship. Cra-
ven, Blow, Hobson, Crittenden
confirm my opinion. Wreck is
stranded in from 16 to 81 feet, with head
to nOrthward. With the exception of
a few feet astern and forward were cut
away, the ship rests on a rocky reef,
with powders, half a mile south of
Bird Point. The line of reef extends out
side of the wreck, both to nOrthward
and southwark, the ship having been
reef. The surf from astern and out
side OF the ship continues between the
ship and the shore, then runs out Slight
~ TO a point forward of and outside
Of q, 70 +,
passage thus left for small boats to
pass under stern to lee side. In fairly
good weather it would be possible, !
think, for small tug drawing ten feet
OF water, in the hands of very skillful
seamen, to pass close under the stern
of the Teresa in smooth sea. to make
fast to the lee side, for the purpose OF
supplying power for wrecking pumps
If, however, such vessel was caught in
side Teresa by storm, probabilities are
she would be swamped by seas or thrown
on reef. Surf thus cuts off communi.
cation between ship and shore, except
az certain stages of tide. or when there
is very little sea running. During
heavy seas the breakers would also be
continuous outside ship. Passed Sun,
day on wreck examining carefully ali
compartments which were not flooded,
&C well as ships surroundings, accom-
panied by Craven, who had previously
Inspected Teresa, and Crittenden, who
sF2s perfectly familiar with ship.
Il
the reef the mainmast was driven ur
and broken off short below the span
deck, the military top lying outside the
bilge under port quarter. Seas had
gone entirely over her, that inner kot,
tom generally had been driven up
wards from 1 Is to 2 feet. patch on bet
tom abreast forward turret had diSap-
peared, air ports had been driven in
and the seas had entered through them
( and the gun ports on the starboard
side, spar deck and deck house had
been crushed in by the seas after the
ship struck. Large proportion of tho
lumber in short pieces lying or float
ing below berth deck. Tide rises and
falls in ship below protective deck
abaft engine room bulkhead. Seas
which now break over starboard quar-.
ter and enter through ports keep the
water in that part of the ship five or
six feet above the line of that in The
engine rooms and fire rooms. Pumps
which were erected by wrecking COM
panies on the forward and after
ammunition hoists, and secured
to berth deck beams, have been
driven upward from Is to 90
inches. Both starboard and port
engines have been forced upward IL
to feet and separated laterally by
from to inches. Best way TO illus
trate general condition of wreck is to
say the two sets of engines, boilers
and their foundations form part of
reef itself around which rest of ship
works laterally and vertically. Same
effect would be produced in my opin-
ion if ship had settled on pinnacle of
rock. Sunday trade wind was
very light and there was little
difficulty in approaching wreck
from Vulcan, but communication with
shore would have been very difficult
IN boat at one stage of tide. Can best
describe condition of ship generally by
stating that she is already telescOped
and my views by expressing conviction
that as rivets are sheared by the con-
slant working OF ship the telescope
process must continue. DIcCALIA.