The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-11-06
MAY CHECK BRINGING
OF OTHER CAPTURED SHIPS

WASHINGTON, Nov. 5.-The Navy
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 notheast gale of
exceptional violence.
This was all the advice received at
the department up to 2 o'clock.
The news of the loss of the Spanish
cruiser came to the Navy Department
in a telegram from Lieutenant Com
mander 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 a strict con-
struction of official etiquette, refused to
make the dispatch public until the Sec
rotary had given his consent. Conse-
quently the publication was delayed.
| When finally published the dispatch
read as follows:
CHARLESTON, S. c.. Nov. 5.-Secre-
tary of Navy, Washington: Arrived here
last night on steamer Merritt with Amer
o
doned in heavy northeaster, November l,
thirty miles north of San Salvador. Have
fifty-eight enlisted men, HARRIS.
Looking at the chart it was not diff
cult for the officers at the department
to see how the ship had foundered I'M
der the influence of the heavy north
east gale reported. AS near as they
could calculate, the vessel lies in about
2600 fathoms of water, or nearly three
miles The location is "a degrees north
latitude by 7430 west longitude, about
235 miles distant from Nassau, and 80
miles distant from Caimanera, the port
from which she started a little 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 sue
cumbed There was no alternative.
On her lee lay the rocky Bahamas and
innumerable shoals with shadows be-
tween and with shallow water in every
direction except straight ahead or dt-
rect astern.
To have turned about and sought an
other passage would have been an ex-
tremely perilous undertaking to begin
with. and even after getting safely
about the vessel would have been
obliged to travel many hundred miles
more than intended IN order 10 nave
nicked I'D another course, this time
closer to the North American CONT
nent, 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 at once to Norfolk,
where the rescued seamen will be
placed aboard 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 con-
sequence of the disaster.
Acting Secretary Allen Of the Navy
Department said the loss was much
greater than any intrinsic value repre-
sented in the ship. She was the link
that connected the great naval victory
with the United States. 1t was a senti-
ment bred in this country that sue
ceeded in raising her, and 1t was the
wish of the whole people that she
should be brought to the United States.
1t was the general impression about the
State, War and Navy buildings that the
loss of the Maria Teresa would prevent
any further attempt to bring any Of
the other vessels to this country.