Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-10-31

TRAGEDIES OF THE SEAS.
Ships Never Been Heard from Since
They Sailed.
philadelphia Press.)

So
recent caiamities at sea have turned
public attention strongly to the ever
fascinating story of the ship that never
returns. fet the truth is tina. travel
py water is as safe. If not safer than
ny lohd, as one sees by comparing the
munloer oi accidents, and it is seldom
thtrt an traces of n ship are lost
In the list. however. of the United
states men-of-war that the ominous
words Never heard from" are written
against are the names of six vessels.
The first of these was the namesalle
OF Pennsylrania's schoolship, the
eighteen gun frigate Saratoga. one of
the new vessels which belong to the
colonies during the Revolution After
the treaty of peace was signed, she
sailed away from this port and disap-
peared forever from all human knowl-
edge. No sign OF her wreckage was
ever found. She probably foundered in
a storm aud went down With all on
board
On July II. 1900, tho thirty-six-gun
frigite Insurgcnt Captain Patrick
Fletcher, sailed out between the Chesa-
peake caocs. and was never seen or
heard of more. She was Il prize taken
from France by the Constellation. un-
der Captain TruXton. in 1899, after a
hard fought battle off the island of Ne
Wis. East Indies. In August OF the
Same year the fourteen-gun brig Pick
ering, under Captain Benjamin Hillar
was last seen at Guadaloupc. 1t is sup
posed that she went down in n gale.
She was a merchant vessel, and her
guns were too heavy FOR her tonnage.
The next OF our vessels 10 vanish was
known as Gunboat No. q. Lieu: cnant
Ngehic commanded her. and she put
ort from New York on the 14th of May
1905 to reinforce our squadron in the
Mediterranean during the war with
Tripoh When 4 short distance out of
port her mast was sprung. and she re-
turned to New York for repairs. She
sailed again on the 20th of June, and
was never heard from again.
One of tho greatest tragedies OF our
navy, however, was the loss of the
Wasp. Within five months during the
war OF 1912. this boat had taken fifteen
English merchantmen and fought
many IA good fight against the British
men-of-war OF greater size and
strength. On the LIST of October she
hailed the Swedish bark Adoms. and
took on board two OF the surviving Of
hcers of the old gunboat Essex, de-
stroyed in Valparaiso harbor After
That she was never heard from again.
The last of our vessels of which we
lost all trace was the lIpcrvier When
Commodore Decature. in 1915. dictated
TO the Dcy of Algicrs the terms OF n
treaty with the United States, u:eu:en-
ant John Snbricll was dispatched to
NHSHiHS ION WIKI Il CODY Tor the APP
prevail of our government. The brig
Epervicr was detailed for his transpor-
tatlon. and Ire was accompanlcd by
Captain Lewis and Lieutenant Ncill.
who had married sisters Il few DAYS
before sailing with Commodore Dcca-
lure the Mcdf;erranean,and by Lieu
tenant Drury and Lieutenant Yarnell,
who had fought With Perry in the bat
tile Of Lake Eric. Just before this brig
put out to sea- Ensign Josiah Tattncll.
Al watch officer aboard OF her. induced
an officer on one OF the other shi:,s to
change places with him, as he wanted
to remain where there was n chance OF
lighting. ~ few days out the Epervier
passed the Straits of Gibraltar and Sig
| nailed "All well on board" Since then
she has not been heard from. 1t is in
teresting to know that Ensign TAFT
ncll, who escaped the fate OF his com
rades, lived to command the ram Mcr-
rimac. of the Confederate navy.