The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-05-30

be pushed meantime BY members gen
orally.
SANKA BRITISH STEAMER. z
Isiand "a Jagged Hole Torn III Her side \
Grew or The British Steamer Rrseaed.
NEW YORK, May 2s.-when the :
United States cruiser Columbia. in coui-
mand OF Captain Sands, anchored OF Z
Tompidnsville. s. L. this afternoon, It
was eeen that she had large. Jagged
hole stove In her starboard side abreast
OF The nainmast, and Immediately for
ward Of the after barbette. Above tho
water line the hold extended about ten
feet high and six feet wide. Just how
far below the water line the cruiser was I,
damaged could not be .ascertainef and
none OF the naval officers would give
any information In regard to the acci-
dent. AS soon as the vessel came to an
Choir the captain and the crew, twenty $
one In all, OF the British steamer Fos-
cola, which left this port yesterday with
q cargo Of machinery and generaismer
chnndise for Bordeaux, went ashore
Neither the captain nor any Of his crew
would talk when they landed and left at
once for New York 10 report to the
agents OF the company TO which the yes :
sci belonged. No one was allowed 10 60;
on board the Columbia, but to a repre-
sentative of the Associated Press who
rowed out TO the cruiser the officer uf the. !.
deck made the following statement t!sst
About 7.40. m. yesterday the British
steamship Foscolia, in command Of Cap
tain John Evans, collided with our ves-
sci during a dense fog. We were then
about eight miles southwest Of Fire Is-
land light. We lowered two life boats
and rescued the captain and crew. num-
bering twen,y-one all told. We stood
by until the Foscolia sank at o'clock
this morning. As soon US we arrived
here we sent the resuced men ashore.
Further Information In reference to the
accident cannot give you"
About 4 o'clock one Of the navy yard
tugs steamed alongside the cruiser and
delivered some messages from Rear Ad-
miral Bunce. conandant at the navy
yard, Brooklyn. A few minutes later
the Columbia headed for the Brooklyn
nevy yard. where II Is supposed she Will
be dry docked In order 10 ascertain the
full extent Of her injuries.
Captain ]. Evans, OF the Foscolia, uf-T
ter reaching this city. said regarding tho
collision:
"The Foscoria cleared from rais port
at noon on Saturday, with q general
cargo Of about 200 tons. AL went well
until evening when heavy fog set Sin.
+ was on the bridge and ordered the
lights up and the fog whistle kept go;
ing. As the fog grew denser, the, speed
OF the Fo5colia was reduced to one-haif.
About O'Clock Lookout Johnson on
the forecascie and Thompson on tho
bridge. reported a steamer on the port
bow. Our lights were burning brightly
and the fog whistle was whistllng. I
looked up and saw big steamer with
four tunnels dead ahead. As the steam
ers were not 200 years apart, saw that
collision was inevitable. blew three
whistles and the approaching vessel an
time heard the Columbla's whistle. In-
stantly.I ordered our engines full speed
astern. The vessels came together with
terrible crash ard the bow OF the Fos-S
cola ran up on the cruisers arr1or belt
and cut through her sponsor. They re-
maIned locked for a couple OF seconds
but the backing of the Foscoiia's en-
gines tore OF her bow as far back as the
first water tight bulkhead. The wreck
age stuck In the cruisers side above
and below the water line and caused the
Columbia to list considerably. Had It
not been for the bulging OF the SPONSOR
from the side Of the warShip the Fos-
cola would only have struck the Column
bia glancing blow. The bow of tho
FoecolIa became wedged between the Y
sponsor and hull OF the cruiser and the
bow Of my boat was completely wrench
ed of.
TT was dead calm at the time Of the
collision. After backing away saw
that the injury to the Foscplla was ssri-
Gus and instantly ordered the life boats
launched. They were in the water in
just four minutes and my fifteen sea-
men were ordered Into them. remain
ed aboard the wreck with my five off,
GERS. Ny engineers after trying the en-
gtnes reported them to be so badly de-
ranged by the collision as to be incapa-
BILE OF working the ship. The Foscolia
was leaking badly and the pumps were
started The crew were sent aboard the
cruiser. which had q hole in her stnr-
board side large enough 10. drive team
and carriage through. The pumps were
kept working until 1870 p. m, but tho
FoecolIa was getting lower and lower In
the water The two boats from the Col-
umbIa were standing by me and Lieu
tenant Williams asked me at what hour
I Intended going. replied that I would
stand by my ship until she went down.
Then ordered the officers into the life
boat and remained nj the main rig
ging while the steamship continued to
sink. I got into the small boat and re-
maIned with my officers about fifty
yards from the sinking ship. Exactly at T
So. m. the FcscolIa went down head frze
In about nineteen fathons Of water. Il
reappeared q few minutes later and z
then disappeared forever stern first.
None OF my men were hurt, but I cannot
tell II all tho men on the Columbia es-
capped injury. think not
"The Foscolia which commanded for
twelve months. was an iron vessel OF $50 !
tons net and 1886 tons gross. launched
Mt Lowe, England. in 1879, and her hall
ing port is London. She was PSI feet
long, 81 feet beam and . feet z inches
deep. She wns schooner regged, had two
masts, a double deck, four bulkheade.
compound engines and carried water
BALLAST s
Weather Forecast for To-dav. M
For West Virginia, Western Pennsyiya-
..t In fnt- rr.Hn h.nN-s a all