The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-05-30
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| WEEKLY 2-TIMEs-A-WEEK 81 a YDAR
COLUMBIA IN A COLLISION.
FREIGHT STEAMER SUNK AND
HOLE STOVE IN CRUISER.

Accident Occurs I'm n Fog on Fire
Island Light-CreVv of the steamer
Rescued by Life BOnfs-Bow of the
steamer Torn on In hacking Away
From the Warship After the Crash.
Seriousness of the Damage to the
Cruiser Not Yet AscertaIned.
New York, May 29.-when the United
States cruiser Columbia, In command OF
Capt Sands, anchored off Tompkinsville,
S. L., this afternoon. It was seen that she
had a large Jagged hole stove in her star
board side. abreast of the mainmast, and
Immediately forward of the after barbette.
Above the water line the hole extended
about ten feet high and six feet wide.
Just how far below the water line tho
cruiser was damaged could not be ascer-
tanned, and none of the naval officers
would give any Information in regard to
the accident.
AS soon as the vessel came TO anchoPs
the captain and crew, twenty-one in all,
of the British steamer Foscolia, which
left this port yesterday with cargo or
machinery and general merchandise, for
Bordeaux, went ashore.
No one was allowed to go on board
the Columbia, but to representa-
tive OF the Associated Press. who rowed
out To the cruiser, the officer of the deck
made the following brief statement:
About 7:40 p. n. yesterday the British
steamhp Foscola, in command of Capt.
John Evans coided with our vessel dur
ing a dense fog. We were then about
eight miles southwest of Fire Island light
We lowered two life boats and rescued the
captain and crew, numbering twenty-ono
"a a.
sank at 8 o'clock this morning. As soon
al we arrived here we sent the rescued
men ashore. Further information In re-
ference to the accident l cannot give
you"
About 4 o'clock one OF the navy yard
tugs steamed alongside the cruiser and
delivered some messages from Rear Ad-
miral Bunce, commandant at the navy
yard. Brooklyn. A few minutes later the
Columbia headed for the Brooklyn navy
yard, where Il is supposed she viii be dry
docked In order to ascertain the full ex-
tent of her injuries.
Capt j. Evans of the Foscolia, after
reaching this city said, regarding the COLI
lision: 1.-THE Foacolia cleared from this
port at noon on Saturday with a general
cargo OF about 900 tons. All went well
until evening, when a heavy fog set In.
i was on the bridge and ordered the lights
up and the fog whistle kept going. As
the fog grew denser the speed of the Fos-
cola was reduced to one-half
About 8 o'clock Lookout johnson on
the forecastle and Thompson the
bridge, reported q steamer on the port
bow. Our lights were burning brightly
and the fog signal was whistling. look
ed up ana saw a big steamer with four
tunnels dead ahead. AS the steamers
were not 200 yards apart, l saw that a
collision was inevitable. l blew three
whistles and the approaching vessel an
swered with one blast. That was the first
time / heard the Columbla's whistle In
stAntly | ordered our engines fun speed
astern.
1.-THE vessels came together, however,
with a terrible crash and the bow of the
Foscolla ran up on the cruisers armor
belt and then cut through her sponsor.
They remained locked for a couple of Sec
onds, but the backing of the Foscolia's
engines tore off her bow far back as
the first water tight bulk head.
'The wreckage stuck In the the cruis-
er's side above and below the water line
and caused the Columbia TO list consider
ably. Had IL not been for the bulging OF
the sponsor from the side of the warship.
the Foscolia would only have struck the
Columbia a glancing blow.
1.-THE bow of the Foscolia became wedg-
ed between the sponsor and hull Of the
cruiser and the bow of my boat was COM
pletely wrenched off.
''It was dead calm at the time of this
collision. After backing away | saw that
the injury 10 the Foscolia was serious, and
instantly ordered the life boats launched.
They were In the water in just four min
utes and my fifteen seamen were ordered
into them. i remained aboard the wreck
with my five officers. My engineers after
trying the engines, reported them 10 be so
badly der1nged by the collision as to te
incapable of working the ship.
"The Foscolia was leaking badly and the
pumps were started
''The crew were sent aboard the cruiser.
which had hole in her starboard side
large enough TO drive a team and car
riage through.
1.-The pumps were kept working until
1890 p. m, but the Foscolia was getting
lower and lower in the water. Two boats
from the Columbia were standing by me
and Lieut.. Williams asked me at that
hour what / intended doing. / replied
that / would stand by my ship untii she
went down. Then 1 ordered the officers
into the life boat and 1 remained at the
main rigging while the steamship contlr-
ued to sink.
IT got into the small boat and remained
with my officers about fifty yards from
the sinking ship. Exactly al a. m. the
Foscolia went down head first in about
nineteen fathoms Of water. II reappeared
again a few minutes later and then disap-
peared forever, stern foremost None OF
my men were burt.
The Foscoha was an iron vessel of $50
tons net and 15S6 tons gross, launched at
Low. England, In 1879, and her hailing port
"a London She was 252 feet long, "a feet
beam and % feet Z inches deep. She was
schooner-rigged, had two mastsi double
deck four bulkheads, compound engines
and carried water ballast"
TERROR REACHES SAN JUAN.