Evening star., 1898-11-16
Captain McCalla Thinks She Cannot
Be Rescued.
DAMAGE TO Her FULLY REPORTED
Navy Department Criticised for
Sending inexperienced Navigator.
WRECKING CO. RESPONSIBLE

Captain McCalla, the naval officer vino
commands the expedition sent to the re-
lief of the Spanish cruiser Maria Teresa,
has made the following tele2raphic report
of the condition of that vessel:
NASSAU, November 15, 1898.
Secretary Navy. Washington:
Arrived Potomac Vulcan scene wreck.
On arrival took charge of Teresa hoisted
flag. After careful examination of strand
ed ship and situa ton and careful considera-
ton OF Instructions from department, ap-
preciating great interest taken by nation
and government in fate of Teresa. regret
exceedingly to express the opinion that it is
hopeless to expect to rescue the ship. Cra-
ven, Blow. HCbson, Crittenden confirm my
opinion. Wreck is stranded in from Ii to
n feet, with head to northward. With ex-
ception of few feet astern and forward
where cut away. shin 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 indentation in reef Surf
from astern and outside of ship continues
between ship and shore, then runs out
slightly to q point forW ard of and outside
snip again to northward. Small passage
thus lett for small boats to pass under
stern to lee side. In fairly good weather it
would be possible. l think for small tug
drawing ten feet water, in hands very skill
ful seaman, to pass close under stern of
Teresa, in smooth sea. to make fast to lee
side, for purpose of supplying power for
Wrecking pumps If. however. such vessel
were caught inside Teresa bv storm Droo-
abilities are she would be swamped by seas
or throwa on reef. Surf thus cuts off com
munlca 1on between ship and shore excapt
certain stages of tide or when there is very
little sea running. During heavy seas the
hsa PAn tit11tn S,s,
Examination of the Shin.
Passed Sunday on wreck examining care
fully all compartments which were not
flooded. as we'll as ships surroundings. ac-
companied by Craven who had previously
Inspected Teresa. and Chittenden, who was
perfectly familiar with ship. Evidences
show that after striking reef mainmast was
driven UP and broken off short below spar
deck, military top lying outside bilge under
port quarter. Seas had gone entirely over
her; that innner bottom generally had been
driven upwards from one and half to two
feet; patch on bottom abreast forward tur-
ret had disappeared; air ports had been
driven in, and seas had entered through
them and gun ports on starboard side; spar
deck and deck houses had been crushed in
by seas after ship struck. Large proportion
OF the lumber in short pieces lying or
noatng below berth deck. Tide rises and
falls in ship below protective deck abaft
engine room buikhead. Seas which now
break over Starboard quarter and enter
through ports keep wafer in that part of
ship five or six feet above line OF that in
engine rooms and fire rooms. Pumps which
were erected by wrecking company on for
ward and after ammunition hoiSts and Sc
cured to berth deck beams have been driven
upward from eighteen to twenty-four
inches. Both starboard and port engines
Eave been forced upward from one and
half to two feet. and separated iaterally
10y from six to eight inches. Best way to
Illustrate general condition OF wreck is to
say that the two SetS of engines, boilers
and their foundation form part of reef
itself, around which rest of ship works
laterally and vertically. Same effect would
be produced, in my opinion. if ship had set
tied on pinnacle of rock. Sunday trade
wind was very light and there was little
difficulty in approaching wreck from Vul-
can, but communication with shore would
have been very difficuk in boat at one stage
Of tide. Can best describe condition of
ship generally by stating that she is al
ready telescoped. and my views by eX-
pressing conviction that as rlvets are
sheared by the constant working of ship
the telescope process must continue. In
considering practicability of rescuing Te-
Iesa the fact must be considered that she
lies upon coral reef. with but thin layer
of sand, on windward side of an island
constantly exposed to seas due to trade
winds and to influence of many storms de-
veloping to eastward or southwark. Char
2cter of bottom makes, anchorage off east
ern coast of island dangerous. Geographical
position permits force of more or less mag
nitude to be constantly disintegratng ship.
During gales, or with very heavy seas,
wreck would not be tenable for working
parties, which would be obliged TO leave
ship before communication should be cut