The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1898-12-15
MASSACHUSETTS, INJURED
MORE THAN ANTICIPATED
Tho natiioship'a Keel and Frames Badly
Damaged Ia Recent Aqcidont-wiil
10 Dockod for Repairs.
NEW YORK. Dec 1.-THE Herald

NEW YORK. Dec n-Ths Herald
says,
NAVAL Officers believe tho ba,iieahip
Massachusetts will so out OF commission
and practically q now keel and several
new frames must Do ruppliod before nho
will DO NJ for sea. Tbis apprehension
has bocn caused by an incomplete exam
tnAtloh made by tho naval constructors
and divers which showed that the keel II
buekied for 80 feo, and frames arc also
twisted IN about II different places In
chat distance, These injuries aro the
result % tho aooldcnl OF last Saturday,
when tho big vessel struck n mass OF
rock near Diamond Reef and drove over
a. Tho full ,e1t of tho injuries viii not
DO known until tho ship IN In the dry
dock" .tt.., rlpl
Naval officers were startled when they
learned tho nature Of tho accident TO tho
ship They supposed that beyond tho
buchlng % q few platcE In tho outer
akin tho Hblp was uninlurud They woro
ss,onlsbed al he fact that the big ship
did not sink. but was ahlo 60 SO % Temp
kinavllle and return 90 tho navy yard.
Naval Constructor Bowicu' prrllmln-
AIRY report. forwarded To Washington on
Monday. showed that tho keel and frame
No, u worv buckiod badly The report
Ot Mr. nowlca sent last night showed
a state OF Affairs far morr serious
In a warship tho keel IL tho backbone
and tho frsnn Ia tho ribs Tho keel OF
a baltioship 10 made of steel plates and
angle irons, and tho frames arc Of heavy
steel. Tho ship has two skins wairh
form tho double bottom, The space be-.
tween tho tWo HkinH Is divided into u0m.
par,mrnts by tho keel frames The bat
ticAhp when aho struck at frame No, 10
was lifted eight inches and tho weight
Of tho ship crushed and twiA,ed the great
plates and angle irons and bent tho ribs
OF H,oel Tho Injuries extended 90 frame
No n, OF 30 fest. Tho vessel listed
Alightly TO port and tho injury was moro
severe ON that pldo Of tho keel
Tho officers who aro examining tho Yea.
Hal found some of tho compartments 40
full Of water and Others 10 badly crushed
that Il was impossible 20 enter them
In about II spots. however ,hcy found
tho keel plates and irona bent and
brok1n 10 tha, now ones viii have 10 h.
put In, Tho frames however. may be
Etrudghlonod. A. frame No. 10 tho keel
aud frame were most seriously damaged.
II was at this poln, only that water on
torcd tho inner hull. The manholc cover
In tho lnncr bottom was bent upward
and the water rushed into tho water
eight compartments above, Pumps have
cleared tho compartments NJ water.
Tho cruiser Newark v 10 bo noatod out
OF dry dock No, this morning, but tho
Massachusetts viii probably not 10 In
until Monday. She viii not rest on keel
blocks. M vessels usually do, Instead.
blocks will bo plAaei under tho bllge keel
aud she will be- Sbored on tho sides "a
Ra to rchcvo tho bucklcd keel OF all
pressure. sho must ba relieved OF her
eniiru cargo. and naval officers believe
her heavy guns Will have 10 be taken
on also, Tho shock OF tho accident de-
ranged tho delicate machinery OF the
forward turrct