The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-11-06

| 10 turh this Idea was given up. Hoth the
Nuican and Merritt could with difficulty
Keep us head TO wind and the sea was
running so high that the Vulcan's bits
started or the two lines parted. The ship
would fan into the trough of the sea Al
1 p. m. Capt. Chittendeu asked me TO sig
nal the Vulcan to cast off the Merritts 8
tow lines and have the Merritt come along
side. then assumed the command, toid
the men what was TO be done, and as
signed them stations. l told the chief en-
gineer to start the engine to aid the Nui-
can In keeping our head up. He did so, but
| II could run but a short time with steam
we had We signalled the Vulcan We are
about TO abandon ship; try to keep US
| head to wind. l ordered Capt. Lecato TO
take charge of the lee surf boat, and when
| II was lowered to the ralS ordered Capt.
! Chittenden into 1t. Against his repeated
protests he was placed in the boat with
his son. This boat was unable to reach the
| lines we had astern, but the Merritt pick
| ell II up, and after taking Capt. chit
| tenden aboard towed the boat TO our lee
| quarter and repeated this manoeuvre each
trip, forming a lee for the boats 10 come
| here and then towing them back. She
| was splendidly handled. From to
o'clock the work of transferring the crew
continued. Capt. Lecato made two more
| trips, when his arm, being disabled, ms
place was taken by Mr. Johnson, who also
| took two boat loads, The life raft was
| gotten over and capsized, but was righ,ed.
| IL was put in charge of James Bash
| ford, ordinary seaman of the Illinois ma
val militia. He and his crew took six
| Cubans to the Merritt. The smaller surf
boat slowed on board on the lee side was
| then gotten out ana put ii in charge OF
Charles A. Dunno, quartermaster first
class. l gave him nearly all the good sea-
men left for a crew. 1t was launched very
| handsomely and made two trips In all
these trips we poured oil from the spon-
sons on both sides, and the Vulcan also
used oil 10 make IL smooth where the em-
| barking was done. j doubt IL we could
have worked without 1t. The ship labored
more and more heavily. Before / left tie
bridge she rolled her sponsors under which
/ should estimate to be thirty inches and
her pitching was enough to show her rud-
der, propellers and perhaps twelve
feet of her keel She was about four feet
by the head She fell into the sea very
heavily, and shuddered as she rose. There
was no water aft. The Vulcan did her
best TO keep our head up, steering 10 star
board and going to full speed while the
sea beat the Teresas head to port.
Throughout the day we did everything
possible We We're constantly signalling.
With the exception OF three men, who
got drunk, and gave much trouble, all the
crew behaved well. Every man did his
duty, and my orders were Instantly obey
| ed by wreckers and men of the navy.
| When the fires were low / called for
| volunteers, and the donkey boilers were at
| once filed up. Twice asked c. f. Smith
/ and ]. Il. Brien, chief machinists, TO oil
I the steering engine. and they did so and
| the engine ran ell we left. When 4 look
Dunno from the helm to lower The small
| Ter surf boat his place was taken by Will
| lam c. Morhoff, machinist, second-class,
81. IL laft ffaa
bridge together when he lashed the wheel
amidshps. Willard Crossett, bugler, was
| signal man. and was as cool as possible.
| He made no mistakes, and was very use
| full to me as a messenger About 4;30 he
made signal, Hang on to the wreck until
you are sure she is sinking 10 which the
! Vulcan replied: we Will hold on until
she sinks or parts the tow line The last
signal he made was: These two boats
will take ALL After that / had td
go aft to force the drunken men over
board and about o'clock we were all
off. The boats were hauled under the stem
as near as It was safe, where the oil and
lee OF the ship made 1t smooth, and we're
held by one line while another line, with
a ladder attached, hoated the stern on this
line. Two double bights were stopped on
the right side 10 go over a mans shout
der. The end was elackened from the ship,
and when two men jumped, they were
hauled into the boat. A very fine fellow
named Olsen attended TO this. When all
had gone but he and /, he cut the line,
and we jumped together. II was perhaps
$50 when we reached the Merritt While
she was getting I'm the surf boats, the
Vulcan slipped the hawser of the Infanta
Maria Teresa. ] suspect that the wreck
dragging off TO port, brought all the strain
on the port bride and started the bits.
When the boats were IN the Merritt, at my
request, started to speak the Vulcan, but
was unable TO reach her and she appar-
emily did not hear our whistle. The Mer-
ritt then returned 70 find the wreck, but
could not do So The search continued un-
Ill D. m. the following day when she
headed for Charleston. Very respectfully,
IRA Harris.
Lieut.. Commander u. s. ~"
Commenting on that feature Of the re-
port stating that some Of the men got
drunk, naval officials expressed the opin-
ion that these men were not seamen of
the navy, but were sailors from the wreck
ing crew.
No orders were issued by the navy de-
partment up TO the close of office hours as
10 the disposition of Lieutenant Comman-
der Harris and his crew, and Capt. Crow
inshield of the bureau Of navigation, said
no orders would be formulated tonight
II is said at the navy department that
could have weathered any ordinary storm
A rough wooden deck had been nailed over
her upper works. Her hun was then
sheathed, and heavy chains were wound
around her so as to hold her together
Although far from seaworthy all that was
expected was that the cruiser might be
kept ahoat until docked In this country
She had been stripped Of all guns and val
uables, save the big turret 11-inch guns
before starting, 80 that II IS believed there
Will be no loss on that account.
II is the opinion Of the navy department
that the government has lost. besides the
value of the ship herself, only the amount
of the per diem of $500 per day through
the sinking of the vessel, because the con- |
tract appears to have required the deiv-
cry by the wrecking company of the yes
sci at the navy yard at Norfolk Va.
The wrecking Of the ship, owing to the |
engineering difficulties presented, occupied
~.