The record-union., 1898-11-06
PRIZE SHIP RAISED
BY H0BS0N LOST.
The Spanish Flagship Maria Teresa
at the Bottom of the Sea.
Goes Down During a Storm Off the WatIings
Island Coast.
Graphic Description Of the Sink
ing Of the Vessel Received at
the Navy Department From
Lieutenant Commander Harris
No Lives Were Lost.


CHARLESTON IS. c., Nov. 5.-The
tug Merritt put into Charleston this
morning for supplies. She reported the
loss of the cruiser Maria Teresa, raised
by Constructor Hobson, off San Saliva
dor, Bahamas, November LIST, in the
midst Of a furious storm.
The cruiser left Caimanera. Cuba, on
the morning of October Both, in tow,
for New York. She had already passed
Cape Maysi, and started northeast
around the Bahamas. A furious storm,
warning of which had already been
sent out, overlook her, and in her con-
dition she was unable to weather the
gale. The strain opened rents in her
hull which had been patched to enable
her to make the journey, and she be-
gan to fill rapidly with water. The
Merritt took off Captain Harris and
the crew from the sinking ship, and
she soon went down The Merritt
brought the Captain and 135 men, who
will proceed north by rail. No lives
We're lost as far as known.
Late in the day the Merritt arrived
from quarantine, and the survivors of
the Teresa came ashore. They lost all
clothing and personal effects, and are
supplied scantily.
The Teresa sunk thirty miles off
Watlings Island at midnight Tuesday,
after battling with the gale six hours.
She met the storm Tuesday morning,
and the vessel began to strain in the
high seas. Parts of the hull thought
to be safe became weakened, riVets
broke and the water made rapidly IN
the hold. The boilers began to give
way, and finally the water eXtinguished
the fires. The pumps would not work.
The whole vessel showed signs of a
collapse, and the men stood stripped
waiting orders to quit the ship.
The Vulcan was towing the Teresa,
while the Merritt rescued la of the
crew. made up of volunteers from the
Cincinnati, Newark and Vulcan. The
ropes were then cut, and the vessel
rapidly filled. The Vulcan and Leoni-
das deserted the Merritt, which put
into Charleston with the rescued. Cap
tain Crittenden and Captain LacaIe
of the Merritt had arms sprained.
LIEUTENANT COMMANDER HAIR
RIS' STORY OF THE DISASTER.
w O4Nse ANON IlC NAV y
Department has received a dispatch
from Lieutenant Commander Harris,
who was with the Maria Teresa when
she left Caimanera, saying he had
reached Charleston last night on the
wrecking tug Merritt with the officers
and fifty-eight men formerly the crew
of the Teresa. The cruiser was lost
about thirty miles north of San Saliva
dor Tuesday last in a northeast gale
of exceptional violence.
The news of the loss of the Span
ish cruiser came to the Navy Depart
ment in a telegram from Lieutenant
Commander Harris, received about 10
o'clock this morning. Secretary Long
being temporarily absent from the de-
partment, the officials of the Naviga-
ton Bureau, acting under strict con-
struction of official etiquette, refused
to make the dispatch public until the
Secretary had given his consent Con-
sequently the publication was delayed.
When finally published the dispatch
read as follows:
charleston Is. C), Nov. 5.-Sccre-
tary of Navy, Washington: Arrived
here last night on steamer Merritt with
American crew of the Infanta Maria
Teresa. abandoned in heavy north
easter November 1st, thirty miles north
of San Salvador Have fifty-eight Ell
listed men. HARRIS"
Looking at the chart it was not diff
ficult for the officers al the department
to see how the ship had foundered
under the influence of the heavy north
east gale reported. AS near as they
could calculate, the vessel lies in about
1900 fathoms of water, or nearly
three miles. The location is "a degrees
north latitude, by 74-30 west longitude,
about 80 miles distant from Nassau,
and 80 miles distant from Caimanera,
the port from which she started a lit
tie over two days before.
She had just emerged from the
Crooked Passage. and to make her
course was obliged to lay with her head
about northwest This would bring
the heavy sea over her forward side
and under such severe pounding the
vessel must have soon succumbed
There was no alternative. On her lee
Law the rocky Bahamas and innumera-
BILE shoals with shadows between, and
shallow water in every direction except
straight ahead or direct astern To
have turned about and sought another
passage would have been an extremely
perilous undertaking to begin with. and
even after getting safely about the
vessel would have been obliged TO
travel many hundreds 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 to Norfolk, where the
rescued seamen win be placed on board
a receiving ship.
The greatest regret was expressed in
official 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 interest
ed in her He expressed qualification
that no loss of life was reported in
consequence of the disaster.
Acting Secretary Allen of the navy
said the loss was much greater than
any intrinsic value represented in the
ship She was the link that connecIe ed
the great naval victory with the United
States. IT was sentiment bred in this
7fry- hot i,,