The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-11-16
TERESA N BAD SHAPE
Commander McCaIIa Reports
on Her Condition.
MIGHTY SLIM PROSPECT
OF Her Ever Being Got Af1oat
Again.

Washington, Nov. 1.-the navy de-
partment today received the following
cablegram:
Nassau, Nov. I5.-Secretary Of the Ma
w. Washington; Arrived Potomac, vul-
can. scene wreck. On arrival took charge
OF Teresa, hoisted flag. After careful
examination of stranded ship and situa-
ton and careful consideration OF instruc-
) tons from department approaching great
( interest taken by nation and government
in fate Of Teresa, regret exceedingly TO
express the opinion that n is hopeless to
( expect to rescue the ship. Craven, Blow.
Hobson, Crittenden confirm my opinion.
! Wreck IS stranded in from Is TO q feet,
with head TO northward. With exception
OF fe wfeet stern and forawrd, where
the cut away, ship rests on rocky reef,
covered with coral sand, interspersed
with boulders, half mile south Bird Point.
Line of reef extends outside OF wreck,
both to northward and southwark ship
having been driven into slight indenta-
! ton of reef. Surf from astern and out
side of ship continued between ship and
shore. there runs out slightly to point
forward of and outside of ship again to
northward. Small 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 draw
ing ten feet water in hands very skiIlfuI
seaman to pass close under stern of Ter
eSa in smooth sea, TO make fast to lee
side, for purpose of supplying power for
wrecking pumps. If, however, such YES
sci were caught inside Teresa by storm
probabilities are she would be swamped
by seas or thrown on reef. Surf thus
cuts off communica ton between ship and
shore except certain stages OF tide or
when there is very little sea running.
During heavy seas the breakers would
also be continuous outside ship.
CONDITION OF THE WRECK.
Passed Sunday on wreck examining
carefully all compartments which were
not flooded, as well as ships surround
ings, accompanied by Craven. who had
previously inspected Teresa, and Critten-
den. who was perfectly familiar with the
ship. Evidences show that below spare
deck, military top lying outside bilge IN
der port quarter. Seas had gone entire
~ over her, that inner bottom entirely
had been driven upward from one and a
half to two feet, patch on bottom abreast
forward turret had disappeared, air ports
had been driven in and seas had entered
through them and gun ports on star
board side; spar deck and deck house had
been crushed in by seas after ship struck
Large proportion of the lumber in short
pieces lying or floating below berth deck
Tide rises and falls in ship below protec-
tive deck abaft engine room bulkhead
Seas which now break over starboard
quarter and enter through ports keep
water in that part of the ship five or six
feet above line Of that in engine rooms
and fire rooms. Pumps which were erect
ed by rwecking company on forward and
after ammunition hoists and secured to
berth deck berms have been driven up
ward from IS TO "a inches. Both star
board and port engines have been forced
upward from one and a half TO two feet
and separated laterally by from six to
eight inches. Best way TO illustrate gen
eral condition of wreck is to say that the
tow sets of engines, boilers. and their |
foundations form a part OF reef itself, |
around which rest Of ship works laterany !
and vertically. Same effect would be pro-
duced in my opinion if ship had settled !
on pinnacle of rock.
POOR PROSPECT OF RESCUE.
Sunday trade wind was very light and |
there was little difficulty in approaching !
wreck from Vulcan. but communica ton |
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 telesooped; !
and my views, by expressing conviction |
that as rivets are sheared by the con- |
slant working of ship the telescope pro- |
cess must continue.
IN considering practicabiltty Of rsscu- |
ing Teresa, the fact must be considered |
that she lies upon cora reef, with but |
thin layer OF sand. on windward side of |
an island, constantly exposed 70 seas due |
to trade winds and to influence OF many !
storms developing TO eastward or south |
ward Character of bottom makes an