Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1899-11-15
THE CHARLESTON
tss---s 81. 4 TOTAL WRECK.
10 Conveying tiIs NeHs of
he Disaster

MANILA. Nov. l1.-further details r.
garIag the grounding Of the United
States cruiser Char. on show that ,.lc
struck an uncharted coral reef about
ten miles east of Kamiguin island.
Her stern was almost submerged anl
.he bow aim3st cut of water. i
hra"" >ea was 0n and the cruiser began
:olilEs violently. The watertight doors
Were quickly closed, but We're slowed il
under the engine compartment. The
largest OF the ship.
After the first efforts to right her, tlie
officers feared she might slide off be-
cause of the heavy sea, and therefore
abandoned the attempt to save hec.
They hurried TO launch the boats and
rowed away prepared to fight for Il
landing with two Colt guns, l34 rifles
and ten days r,ttiouS. Some of the Off
GERS and men Were dressed only i'll la
jamas and their underclothlDg. The
breech blocks OF the cannon We're re-
moved before the boats put OF. Two
hours after the Charleston struck I'll
hands got away. The report that the
crew remained two days on the vessel
is inaccurate. y party returned two
days later, bat found it impossible 10
save anything.
The FIRST landing was made Oh :, little
island, with IL front OF barren rocks.
Next day the boats again took to the
water and proceeded to kamiguin isl
and. where Il Landing was made i'll the
expectation that fighting would be nee
eSs;iry So fai. from this being the c;tsc,
however, the C.iarlestou's s III II i0uad Il
half savage people, who reg lrded them
with curiosity rather than hostility.
On the third day the storm had great
ly subsided and Lieutenant Joan ID.
Mcdonald, with Boatswa.n Dominick
GlyEE and SlX men, startcd for the
Gulf ef LynSayen III u 3O-foot sliSing
launch, hoping tosfnd an American
warship, but entirely ignorant of Gen
eral Wheaton expedition.
Lieutenaur Mcdonald was four days
afioat, keeping under shelter of the hos
tile shore fot two days ON acioaat of
the hIgn seas, being most OF the time
III q soaking rain. Finally, flying the
Union Jack down, cad in their under
clothiug and drenched TO the skin, the
officer and aud his companions overlook
the transport Aztec, which carried them
to the battleship Oregon.
The gunboat Helena was due to ar
rived at klmiguin island Monday.
The Charleston was returning from
tixe weeks cruise along the eastern
coast of Luzon, and Admiral Watson
was beginning to be uneasy. He sup
posed, however, that she hal joined
General Wheaton's expedition,
In naval circles the accident was con-
sidered quite unavoidable. The only
wonder was that there are not more
such disasters III Philippine waters.
which are most iudifferentlv cllarted
The Charleston laid practically III the
open sea, and there was 10 hope OF
saving her or the valuable parapherna
liza and contents of the cruiser.
Colonel Vessels of the Third cavalry.
while near San Nicolas. north of Tayug,
captured Il Filipino bulltrain loaded
with records of the insurgents war de-
partment and the presses and outfit of
the newspaper Indepeudencia.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 10 - Admiral
Watson cabled to the navy department.
the following official report of the
wreck of tho cruiser Charleston:
"MASILA. Nov. l3. - Charleston
wrecked uncharted coral reef three
miles north northwest OF Guinapak
rocks, north coast Luzon, $50 morning
of Nov. ?. Everybody safely landed |
Kamiguin island armed with rifles and |
two colts. Natives friendly. Mcdonald |
made Lingayen gulf III sailing launch. |