Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-01-31
LIEUT.. BERNADOU'S REPORT
Recent Perilous Experience of the Torpedo
Boat Winslow.
Proved Herself to BE an Excellent Sea
Boat, Fully Capable of Riding
Out q Heavy Gale.

The little torpedo boat Winslow had a
terrible time of it in the heavy weather
that prevailed off the Atlantic coast last
week, according to the official report of her
commander. Lieut.. Jno. d. Bernadou,
which was received at the Navy Depart
ment this morning. From Tuesday even
ing until Thursday morning the Winslow
practically made no progress, the sea being
so high that Lieut.. Bernadou did not think
it advisable to further strain the vessel on
account of her lightness of build. He there
fore steamed slowly heading against wind
and sea, which were continually increas-
ing. Wednesday morning the gale became
violent, and Lieut. Bernadou found that
half the coal supply had been consumed
and the vessel had made no headway.
Then he put over the sea anchor without
difficulty, and for fifteen hours the little
boat rode to the anchor, rolling heavily,
but laboring less than when under steam.
Oil bags were prepared to put under the
bows, out the vessel behaved SO well, and
shipped such a small amount of water,
they were not used. With the sea anchor
out the exhausted crew was enabled to get
d nights rest. Thursday morning Lieut..
Bernadou decided to try to make the Della
ware breakwater, sixty miles distant, the
Learest known land. The vessel made lit
tie Roadway at first, but gained as wind
and sea fell. and reached the breakwater
that night.
1.-The Winslow proved herself to be an
excellent sea boat says Lieutenant Ber-
Eadou, fully capable of riding out a heavy
gale. 1 felt considerable apprehension as
to whether the machinery would hold out
or the hull suffer from the violent motion
to which we were subjected. In both these
respects the vessel proved stanch. In view
of the limited supply of coal and provisions
carried the position of torpedo boat ex-
posed to heavy weather on our Atlantic
coast in an off-shoTe gale must be regarded
us a perious one, yet the Winslow has
proved sufficiently s"aworthy to stand the
severe test to which she has been subject
ed. While at New York the Winslow's
bow touched Spie at the ordnance dock
through the failure IF the engines to re-
spond to the backing signal. as q result OF
which the stem and bow plates for a dis
tanCe Of about one foot back from the stem
are slightly bent.
THE health of the Winslow's crew has
fatigued by the excessive motion and vi
bration, while the deck force were wet
through almost continually
Lieutenant Bernadou mentions in COM
terms the assistance afforded
him by Ensign Bagley. Chief Gunners
Mate G. p. Brady and Chief Machinist T.
c. Cooney and Hans johnson. 1t was Bag
ley. Brady and a man named O'Hearn who
took off from the deserted lighters the two
men rescued in the storm. According to
the story told Lieutenant Bernadou by
these two men. the tug Wallace, which was
towing the scows, parted her tow line or
cast 1t of and proceeded toward shore with
out signaling to the scows, which were
thus abandoned to their fate. The two
men were adrift from Sunday till Tuesday
and were day without food when rescued.